ayah_text: Mention, O Muhammad, the Day We will call forth every people with their record of deeds. Then whoever is given his record in his right hand - those will read their records, and injustice will not be done to them, even as much as a thread inside the date seed.

ayah_text_ar: يَوْمَ نَدْعُوا۟ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍۭ بِإِمَـٰمِهِمْ ۖ فَمَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَـٰبَهُمْ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا

ayah_tafsir:
## Everyone will be called by his Imam on the Day of Resurrection

Allah tells us that on the Day of Resurrection, he will call each people to account by its Imam. The scholars differed as to the meaning of this (i.e. Imam. Mujahid and Qatadah said that it meant each nation would be called to account by its Prophet. Some of the Salaf said this is the greatest honor for the people of Hadith, because their leader is the Prophet . Ibn Zayd said it means they would be called to account by their Book which was revealed to their Prophet with its laws. This was also the view favored by Ibn Jarir. Ibn Abi Najih narrated that Mujahid said, "With their Books." It may be that what is meant here is what Al-\`Awfi narrated from Ibn \`Abbas concerning this Ayah,

يَوْمَ نَدْعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَـمِهِمْ

((And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam), which is that it refers to the Book (or record) of their deeds. This was also the view of Abu Al-\`Aliyah, Al-Hasan and Ad-Dahhak. This view is the most correct, because Allah says:

وَكُلَّ شىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَـهُ فِى إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ

(and all things We have recorded with numbers (as a record) in a Clear Book Fi Imamin Mubin) 36:12

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ

(And the Book (one's record) will be placed, and you will see the criminals, fearful of that which is (recorded) therein) 18:49

وَتَرَى كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً كُلُّ أمَّةٍ تُدْعَى إِلَى كِتَـبِهَا الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

هَـذَا كِتَـبُنَا يَنطِقُ عَلَيْكُم بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنسِخُ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

(And you will see each nation humbled to their knees, each nation will be called to its record (of deeds). This Day you shall be recompensed for what you used to do. This Our record speaks about you with truth. Verily, We were recording what you used to do.) (45:28-29) This does not contradict the fact that the Prophet will be brought forward when Allah judges between his Ummah, for he will inevitably be a witness against his Ummah over their deeds. But what is meant here by Imam is the Book of deeds. Allah says:

يَوْمَ نَدْعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَـمِهِمْ فَمَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـبَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَـبَهُمْ

((And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam. So whosoever is given his record in his right hand, such will read their records,) means, because of their happiness and joy at what is recorded therein of good deeds - they will read it and want to read it. As Allah says:

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـبَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَيَقُولُ هَآؤُمُ اقْرَؤُاْ كِتَـبيَهْ

(Then as for him who will be given his record in his right hand will say: "Here! read my record!) until His saying,

وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـبَهُ بِشِمَالِهِ

(But as for him who will be given his record in his left hand,) 69:19-29

وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً

(and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least Fatilan.) We have already mentioned that the Fatil is the long thread in the groove of a date-pit. Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar recorded a Hadith from Abu Hurayrah according to which the Prophet said, concerning the Ayah,

يَوْمَ نَدْعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَـمِهِمْ

((And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam.)

«يُدْعَى أَحَدُهُمْ فَيُعْطَى كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ، وَيُمَدُّ لَهُ فِي جِسْمِهِ، وَيَبْيَضُّ وَجْهُهُ، وَيُجْعَلُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ تَاجٌ مِنْ لُؤْلُؤَةٍ يَتَلَأْلَأُ، فَيَنْطَلِقُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَيَرَوْنَهُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ، فَيَقُولُونَ: اللَّهُمَّ آتِنَا بِهَذَا، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي هَذَا، فَيَأْتِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ لَهُمْ: أَبْشِرُوا فَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ مِثْلَ هَذَا، وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ فَيَسْوَدُّ وَجْهُهُ، وَيُمَدُّ لَهُ في جِسْمِهِ، وَيَرَاهُ أَصْحَابُهُ فَيَقُولُونَ: نَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ هَذَا، أَوْ مِنْ شَرِّ هَذَا اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ فَيَأْتِيهُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ: اللَّهُمَّ أَخْزِهِ. فَيَقُولُ : أَبْعَدَكُمُ اللهُ فَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ مِثْلَ هَذَا»

(One of you will be called and will be given his Book in his right hand. He will be in a good physical state, with a white face, and there will be placed on his head a crown of shining pearls. He will go to his companions and they will see him from afar, and will say, "O Allah, let him come to us and bless us with this." Then he will come to them and will say to them, "Rejoice, for every man among you will be like this." As for the disbeliever, his face will be black and his body will be enlarged. His companions will see him from afar and will say, "We seek refuge in Allah from this, or from the evil of this, O Allah, do not let him come to us." "Then he will come to them and they will say, O Allah, humiliate him!" He will say, "May Allah cast you away, every man among you will be like this.") Then Al-Bazzar said: "This was only reported through this chain."

وَمَن كَانَ فِى هَـذِهِ أَعْمَى

(And whoever is blind in this) Ibn \`Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said: this means in this worldly life.

أَعْمَى

(blind) means, blind to the signs and proofs of Allah.

فَهُوَ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ أَعْمَى

(then he will be blind in the Hereafter,) as he was blind in this world.

وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً

(and most astray from the path.) most astray as he was in this world. We seek refuge with Allah from that.


ayah_text: And whoever is blind in this life will be blind in the Hereafter and more astray in way.

ayah_text_ar: وَمَن كَانَ فِى هَـٰذِهِۦٓ أَعْمَىٰ فَهُوَ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَعْمَىٰ وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا

ayah_translator: Saheeh International

ayah_language: English

ayah_tafsir: MISSING

surah_name_english: Al-Isra

surah_name_arab: الإسراء

surah_revelation_place: Mecca

surah_meaning: The Night Journey

surah_type: meccan

tafsir_language: English

tafsir_author: Hafiz Ibn Kathir

tafsir_name: Tafsir Ibn Kathir


ayah_text: And indeed, they were about to tempt you away from that which We revealed to you in order to make you invent about Us something else; and then they would have taken you as a friend.

ayah_text_ar: وَإِن كَادُوا۟ لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ لِتَفْتَرِىَ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَهُۥ ۖ وَإِذًا لَّٱتَّخَذُوكَ خَلِيلًا

ayah_tafsir:
## How the Prophet would have been punished if He had given in at all to the Disbelievers' Demands that He change some of the Revelation

Allah tells us how He supported His Prophet and protected him and kept him safe from the evil plots of the wicked transgressors. Allah is the One Who took care of him and helped him, and would not leave him to any of His creation. He is the One Who is His Helper, Supporter and Protector, the One Who is to help him achieve victory and make His religion prevail over those who resist him and oppose him and fight him in the east and in the west. May Allah send peace and blessings upon him until the Day of Judgement.


ayah_text: And if We had not strengthened you, you would have almost inclined to them a little.

ayah_text_ar: وَلَوْلَآ أَن ثَبَّتْنَـٰكَ لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْـًٔا قَلِيلًا


ayah_text: Then if you had, We would have made you taste double punishment in life and double after death. Then you would not find for yourself against Us a helper.

ayah_text_ar: إِذًا لَّأَذَقْنَـٰكَ ضِعْفَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ وَضِعْفَ ٱلْمَمَاتِ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ عَلَيْنَا نَصِيرًا


ayah_text: And indeed, they were about to drive you from the land to evict you therefrom. And then when they do, they will not remain there after you, except for a little.

ayah_text_ar: وَإِن كَادُوا۟ لَيَسْتَفِزُّونَكَ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيُخْرِجُوكَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَإِذًا لَّا يَلْبَثُونَ خِلَـٰفَكَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Reason why these Ayat were revealed

This was revealed concerning the disbelievers among the Quraysh, when they wanted to expel the Messenger of Allah from among themselves. So Allah issued a warning to them in this Ayah, telling them that if they expelled him, they would not stay in Makkah for very long after that. And this is what happened after he migrated from them when their persecution became so intense. Only a year and a half after that, Allah brought him and them together on the battlefield of Badr, without any pre-arranged appointment, and He caused him to prevail over them and defeat them, so he killed their leaders and took their families as captives. Hence Allah said:

سُنَّةَ مَن قَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا

(A Sunnah with which We sent) meaning this is what We usually do to those who reject Our Messengers and persecute them by driving the Messenger out from among themselves - the punishment comes to them. If it were not for the fact that the Prophet was the Messenger of Mercy, vengeance would have come upon them such as had never been seen before in this world. So Allah says:

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ

(And Allah would not punish them while you are among them.) 8:33

أَقِمِ الصَّلَوةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى غَسَقِ الَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا


ayah_text: That is Our established way for those We had sent before you of Our messengers; and you will not find in Our way any alteration.

ayah_text_ar: سُنَّةَ مَن قَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَا ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ لِسُنَّتِنَا تَحْوِيلًا


ayah_text: Establish prayer at the decline of the sun from its meridian until the darkness of the night and also the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.

ayah_text_ar: أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Command to offer the Prayers at their appointed Times

Allah says, commanding His Messenger to offer the prescribed prayers at the appointed times:

أَقِمِ الصَّلَوةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ

(Perform the Salat from midday.) Hushaym narrated from Mughirah from Ash-Sha\`bi from Ibn \`Abbas: "Midday means when the sun is at its zenith." This was also reported by Nafi\` from Ibn \`Umar, and by Malik in his Tafsir from Az-Zuhri from Ibn \`Umar. This was the opinion of Abu Barzah Al-Aslami and Mujahid, and of Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Ja\`far Al-Baqir and Qatadah. It is also understood to generally refer to the times of the five prayers. Allah said;

لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى غَسَقِ الَّيْلِ

(from midday till the darkness of the night,) meaning darkness, or it was said, sunset. This was understood to mean Zuhr \`Asr, Maghrib and \`Isha'.

وَقُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ

(and recite the Qur'an in the early dawn.) meaning Salat Al-Fajr. The details of the timings of the prayers were reported in the Mutawatir Sunnah from the words and deeds of the Prophet , and this is what the people of Islam have followed until the present day, passing it down from generation to generation, century after century, as we have stated in the appropriate place, praise be to Allah.

## The Meeting of the Angels at the Times of Fajr and \`Asr Prayers

إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا

(Verily the recitation of the Qur'an in the early down is ever witnessed.) Ibn Mas\`ud reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet said concerning this Ayah :

وَقُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا

(and recite the Qur'an in the early dawn. Verily, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.)

«تَشْهَدُهُ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّيْلِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ النَّهَار»

(It is witnessed by the angels of the night and the angels of the day.) Al-Bukhari narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said:

«فَضْلُ صَلَاةِ الْجَمِيعِ عَلَى صَلَاةِ الْوَاحِدِ خَمْسٌ وَعِشْرُونَ دَرَجَةً، وَتَجْتَمِعُ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّيْلِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ النَّهَارِ فِي صَلَاةِ الْفَجْر»

(The prayer offered in congregation is twenty-five degrees better than the prayer offered individually, and the angels of the night and the angels of the day meet at Salat Al-Fajr.) Abu Hurayrah said: Recite, if you wish:

وَقُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا

(and recite the Qur'an in the early dawn. Verily, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.) Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn Mas\`ud and Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said, concerning the Ayah:

وَقُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا

(and recite the Qur'an in the early dawn. Verily, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.)

«تَشْهَدُهُ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّيْلِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ النَّهَار»

(It is witnessed by the angels of the night and the angels of the day.) This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah. At-Tirmidhi said, "It is Hasan Sahih." According to the version recorded in the Two Sahihs from Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet said:

«يَتَعَاقَبُونَ فِيكُمْ مَلَائِكَةٌ بِاللَّيْلِ وَمَلَائِكَةٌ بِالنَّهَارِ، وَيَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي صَلَاةِ الصُّبْحِ وَفِي صَلَاةِ الْعَصْرِ، فَيَعْرُجُ الَّذِينَ بَاتُوا فِيكُمْ فَيَسْأَلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ كَيْفَ تَرَكْتُمْ عِبَادِي؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: أَتَيْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ، وَتَرَكْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّون»

(The angels of the night and the angels of the day come amongst you in successive groups (in shifts). They meet at the Morning prayer (Fajr) and at the Mid-afternoon prayer ('Asr). Those who stayed among you at ascend, and their Lord asks them, although He knows best about you, "How did you leave My servants" They say, "We came to them when they were praying and we left them when they were praying.") \`Abdullah bin Mas\`ud said, "The two guards meet at Salat Al-Fajr, and one group ascends while the other stays where it is. " These were the comments of Ibrahim An-Nakha\`i, Mujahid, Qatadah and others on the Tafsir of this Ayah.

## The Command to pray Tahajjud

وَمِنَ الَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ

(And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salah with it as an additional prayer for you.) Here Allah commands him (the Prophet ) to offer further prayers at night after the prescribed prayers. It was reported in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah that when the Messenger of Allah was asked which prayer is best after the prescribed prayers, he said,

«صَلَاةُ اللَّيْل»

(The Night prayer) Allah commanded His Messenger to pray the Night prayer after offering the prescribed prayers, and the term Tahajjud refers to prayer that is offered after sleeping. This was the view of \`Alqamah, Al-Aswad, Ibrahim An-Nakha\`i and others. It is also well-known from the Arabic language itself. A number of Hadiths report that the Messenger of Allah used to pray Tahajjud after he had slept. These include reports from Ibn \`Abbas, \`A'ishah and other Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. This has been discussed in detail in the appropriate place, praise be to Allah. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "This is what comes after \`Isha', or it could mean what comes after sleeping."

نَافِلَةً لَّكَ

(an additional prayer (Nawafil)) means the Night prayer has been made an extra prayer specifically for the Prophet , because all his previous and future sins had been forgiven. But for other members of his Ummah, offering optional prayers may expiate for whatever sins they may commit. This was the view of Mujahid, and it was reported in Al-Musnad from Abu Umamah Al-Bahili.

عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَاماً مَّحْمُودًا

(It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud.) meaning, \`do that which you are commanded to do, and We will raise you to a station of praise and glory (Maqam Mahmud) on the Day of Resurrection, where all of creation will praise you,' as will their Creator, may He be glorified and exalted. Ibn Jarir said, "Most of the commentators said, \`This is the position to which Muhammad will be raised on the Day of Resurrection, to intercede for the people so that their Lord will relieve them of some of the hardships they are facing on that Day."' It was reported that Hudhayfah said, "Mankind will be gathered in one arena, where they will all hear the call and will all be seen. They will be standing barefoot and naked as they were created, and no person shall speak except by the leave of Allah. He will call out, \`O Muhammad,' and he will respond,

«لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ، وَالْخَيْرُ فِي يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ، وَالْمَهدِيُّ مَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَبْدُكَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ، وَمِنْكَ وَإِلَيْكَ لَا مَنْجَى وَلَا مَلْجَأَ مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ رَبَّ الْبَيْت»

(At your service, all goodness is in Your Hands and evil is not to be attributed to You. The one who is guided is the one whom You guide. Your servant is before You, from You, and to You and there is no salvation or refuge from You except with You. May You be blessed and exalted, Glory be to You, Lord of the House (the Ka\`bah).) This is the position of praise and honor (Maqam Mahmud) which was mentioned by Allah." Ibn \`Abbas said, "The position of praise and honor is the position of intercession." Ibn Abi Najih reported something similar from Mujahid, and this was also the view of Al-Hasan Al-Basri. Qatadah said, "He is the first one for whom the earth will be opened on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be the first one to intercede." So the scholars consider this the position of praise and glory to which Allah referred in the Ayah:

عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَاماً مَّحْمُودًا

(It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud.) I, Ibn Kathir, say: the Messenger of Allah will have honors in the Day of Resurrection in which no one else will have a share, honors which will not be matched by anyone else. He is the first one for whom the earth will be opened and he will come forth riding to the gathering place. He will have a banner under which Adam and anyone else will gather, and he will have the Hawd (Lake) to which no one else will have more access than he. He will have the right of the Grand Intercession with Allah when He comes to judge between His creation. This will be after the people ask Adam, then Nuh, then Ibrahim, then Musa, then \`Isa to intercede, and each of them will say, "I am not able for that." Then they will come to Muhammad , and he will say,

«أَنَا لَهَا أَنَا لَهَا»

(I can do that, I can do that.) We will mention this in more detail shortly, If Allah wills. Part of that will be that he will intercede for some people who had been commanded to be taken to Hell, and they will be brought back. He is the first Prophet whose Ummah will be judged, and the first to take them across the Bridge over the Fire, and the first to intercede in Paradise, as was reported in Sahih Muslim. In the Hadith about the Trumpet, it says that none of the believers will enter Paradise except through his intercession. He will be the first to enter Paradise, and his Ummah will be the first nation to enter. He will intercede for the status to be raised for people whose deeds could not get them there. He is the one who will reach Al-Wasilah, which is the highest position in Paradise, which befits no one but him. When Allah gives permission for intercession on behalf of sinners, the angels, Prophets and believers will intercede, and he will intercede for people whose number is known only to Allah. No one will intercede like him and no one will match him in intercession. This has been explained in comprehensive detail at the end of the Book of Sirah, in the chapter on the specific qualities. Praise be to Allah. Now with the help of Allah we will mention the Hadiths that were reported concerning Al-Maqam Al-Mahmud. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn \`Umar said: "On the Day of Resurrection, the people will be humbled to their knees, each nation following its Prophet and saying, \`O so-and-so, intercede,' \`O so-and-so, intercede,' until the power of intercession is given to Muhammad , and that will be the day when Allah raises him to a position of praise and glory. Ibn Jarir recorded that \`Abdullah bin \`Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said:

«إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ لَتَدْنُو حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْعَرَقُ نِصْفَ الْأُذُنِ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ اسْتَغَاثُوا بِآدَمَ فَيَقُولُ: لَسْتُ بِصَاحِبِ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ بِمُوسَى فَيَقُولُ كَذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ بِمُحَمَّدٍفَيَشْفَعُ بَيْنَ الْخَلْقِ فَيَمْشِي حَتَّى يَأْخُذَ بِحَلَقَةِ بَابِ الْجَنَّةِ، فَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَبْعَثُهُ اللهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا»

(The sun will come close until the sweat reaches halfway up one's ears. When the people are in that state, they will ask Adam for help, and he will say, "I am not the one to do that." Then they will ask Musa, and he will say likewise, then they will ask Muhammad, and he will intercede for the people and will go and take hold of the handle of the gate of Paradise, and that will be the Day when Allah resurrects him to a position of praise and glory.) Al-Bukhari also recorded it in the Book of Zakah, where he added:

«فَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَبْعَثُهُ اللهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا، يَحْمَدُهُ أَهْلُ الْجَمْعِ كُلُّهُم»

(That will be the Day when Allah resurrects him to a position of praise and glory, and all the people will praise him.) Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that \`Abdullah said, "Then Allah will give permission for intercession, and Ar-Ruh Al-Quddus, Jibril, will stand up, then Ibrahim, the close Friend of Allah will stand up, then \`Isa or Musa will stand up - Abu Az-Za\`ra' said, \`I do not know which of them, ' -- then your Prophet will stand up and will intercede, and no one after him will intercede as much as he does. This is the position of praise and glory to which Allah referred:

عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَاماً مَّحْمُودًا

(It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud.)"

## The Hadith of Abu Hurayrah

Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "Some meat was brought to the Messenger of Allah , and he lifted up the arm, which he used to like, and took one bite, then he said:

«أَنَا سَيِّدُ النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَهَلْ تَدْرُونَ مِمَّ ذَاكَ؟ يَجْمَعُ اللهُ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخِرِينَ فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ، يُسْمِعُهُمُ الدَّاعِي، وَيَنْفُذُهُمُ الْبَصَرُ، وَتَدْنُو الشَّمْسُ فَيَبْلُغُ النَّاسَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَالْكَرْبِ مَا لَا يُطِيقُونَ، وَلَا يَحْتَمِلُونَ فَيَقُولُ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ لِبَعْضٍ: أَلَا تَرَوْنَ مَا أَنْتُمْ فِيهِ مِمَّا قَدْ بَلَغَكُمْ، أَلَا تَنْظُرُونَ مَنْ يَشْفَعُ لَكُمْ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ؟ فَيَقُولُ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ لِبَعْضٍ:

عَلَيْكُمْ بِآدَمَ، فَيَأْتُونَ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَيَقُولُونَ: يَا آدَمُ أَنْتَ أَبُو الْبَشَرِ خَلَقَكَ اللهُ بِيَدِهِ وَنَفَخَ فِيكَ مِنْ رُوحِهِ، وَأَمَرَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ فَسَجَدُوا لَكَ، فَاشْفَعْ لَنَا إِلَى رَبِّكَ أَلَا تَرَى مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ، أَلَا تَرَى مَا قَدْ بَلَغَنَا؟ فَيَقُولُ آدَمُ: إِنَّ رَبِّي قَدْ غَضِبَ الْيَوْمَ غَضَبًا لَمْ يَغْضَبْ قَبْلَهُ مِثْلَهُ وَلَنْ يَغْضَبَ بَعْدَهُ مِثْلَهُ، وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ نَهَانِي عَنِ الشَّجَرَةِ فَعَصَيْتُ، نَفْسِي نَفْسِي نَفْسِي، اذْهَبُوا إِلَى غَيْرِي اذْهَبُوا إِلَى نُوحٍ، فَيَأْتُونَ نُوحًا فَيَقُولُونَ: يَا نُوحُ أَنْتَ أَوَّلُ الرُّسُلِ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ، وَقَدْ سَمَّاكَ اللهُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا، اشْفَعْ لَنَا إِلَى رَبِّكَ أَلَا تَرَى مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ، أَلَا تَرَى مَا قَدْ بَلَغَنَا؟ فَيَقُولُ نُوحٌ: إِنَّ رَبِّي قَدْ غَضِبَ الْيَوْمَ غَضَبًا لَمْ يَغْضَبْ قَبْلَهُ مِثْلَهُ وَلَنْ يَغْضَبَ بَعْدَهُ مِثْلَهُ قَطُّ، وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَتْ لِي دَعْوَةٌ دَعَوْتُهَا عَلَى قَوْمِي نَفْسِي نَفْسِي نَفْسِي، اذْهَبُوا إِلَى غَيْرِي اذْهَبُوا إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ، فَيَأْتُونَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فَيَقُولُونَ: يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ أَنْتَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ وَخَلِيلُهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ،اشْفَعْ لَنَا إِلَى رَبِّكَ أَلَا تَرَى مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ، أَلَا تَرَى مَا قَدْ بَلَغَنَا؟ فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّ رَبِّي قَدْ غَضِبَ الْيَوْمَ غَضَبًا لَمْ يَغْضَبْ قَبْلَهُ مِثْلَهُ، وَلَنْ يَغْضَبَ بَعْدَهُ مِثْلَهُ فَذَكَرَ كَذَبَاتِهِ نَفْسِي نَفْسِي نَفْسِي، اذْهَبُوا إِلَى غَيْرِي اذْهَبُوا إِلَى مُوسَى، فَيَأْتُونَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَيَقُولُونَ: يَا مُوسَى أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللهِ اصْطَفَاكَ اللهُ بِرِسَالَاتِهِ وَبِكَلَامِهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ، اشْفَعْ لَنَا إِلَى رَبِّكَ أَلَا تَرَى مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ، أَلَا تَرَى مَا قَدْ بَلَغَنَا؟ فَيَقُولُ لَهُمْ مُوسَى: إِنَّ رَبِّي قَدْ غَضِبَ الْيَوْمَ غَضَبًا لَمْ يَغْضَبْ قَبْلَهُ مِثْلَهُ، وَلَنْ يَغْضَبَ بَعْدَهُ مِثْلَهُ، وَإِنِّي قَدْ قَتَلْتُ نَفْسًا لَمْ أُومَرْ بِقَتْلِهَا، نَفْسِي نَفْسِي نَفْسِي، اذْهَبُوا إِلَى غَيْرِي اذْهَبُوا إِلَى عِيسَى، فَيَأْتُونَنِعيسَى فَيَقُولُونَ: يَااِعيسَى أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ، وَكَلَّمْتَ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا، فَاشْفَعْ لَنَا إِلَى رَبِّكَ أَلَا تَرَى مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ، أَلَا تَرَى مَا قَدْ بَلَغَنَا؟ فَيَقُولُ لَهُمْمِعيسَى: إِنَّ رَبِّي قَدْ غَضِبَ الْيَوْمَ غَضَبًا لَمْ يَغْضَبْ قَبْلَهُ مِثْلَهُ، وَلَنْ يَغْضَبَ بَعْدَهُ مِثْلَهُ، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ ذَنْبًا، نَفْسِي نَفْسِي نَفْسِي، اذْهَبُوا إِلَى غَيْرِي اذْهَبُوا إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، فَيَأْتُونَ مُحَمَّدًا فَيَقُولُونَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَخَاتَمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، وَقَدْ غَفَرَ اللهُ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ، فَاشْفَعْ لَنَا إِلَى رَبِّكَ أَلَا تَرَى مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ، أَلَا تَرَى مَا قَدْ بَلَغَنَا؟ فَأَقُومُ فَآتِي تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ، فَأَقَعُ سَاجِدًا لِرَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، ثُمَّ يَفْتَحُ اللهُ عَلَيَّ وَيُلْهِمُنِي مِنْ مَحَامِدِهِ وَحُسْنِ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ مَالَمْ يَفْتَحْهُ عَلَى أَحَدٍ قَبْلِي، فَيُقَالُ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ وَسَلْ تُعْطَهُ، وَاشْفَعْ تُشَفَّعْ، فَأَرْفَعُ رَأْسِي فَأَقُولُ: أُمَّتِي يَا رَبِّ، أُمَّتِي يَا رَبِّ، أُمَّتِي يَا رَبِّ، فَيُقَالُ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَدْخِلْ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ مَنْ لَا حِسَابَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْبَابِ الْأَيْمَنِ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ،وَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ النَّاسِ فِيمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْأَبْوَابِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ إِنَّ مَا بَيْنَ الْمِصْرَاعَيْنِ مِنْ مَصَارِيعِ الْجَنَّةِ كَمَا بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَهَجَرَ، أَوْ كَمَا بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَبُصْرَى»

(I will be the leader of mankind on the Day of Resurrection. Do you know why it will be so Allah will gather the first and the last in one place, and they will hear a voice calling out, and they will all be seen. The sun will come close until their anguish and distress becomes unbearable, and some will say to others, "Do you not see how much you are suffering Why do you not find someone to intercede for you with your Lord" And some of the people will say to others, "How about Adam" So they will go to Adam and say, "O Adam, you are the father of mankind, Allah created you with His Hand and breathed into you of His spirit, and commanded the angels to prostrate to you. Intercede for us with your Lord, do you not see the state we are in, how bad it is" Adam will say, "My Lord is angry today in a way that He has never been angry before and He will never be this angry again. He forbade me to approach the Tree and I disobeyed Him. Myself, myself, myself i.e., I am only concerned about myself. Go to someone else. Go to Nuh." So they will go to Nuh and say, "O Nuh, you are the first of the Messengers sent to the people of earth, and Allah called you a grateful servant. Intercede for us with your Lord, do you not see the state we are in, how bad it is" Nuh will say, "My Lord is angry today in a way that He has never been angry before and He will never be this angry again. There is a prayer that I prayed against my people. Myself, myself, myself i.e., I am only concerned about myself. Go to someone else. Go to Ibrahim. " So they will go to Ibrahim and say, "O Ibrahim, you are the Prophet of Allah and His close Friend among the people of earth. Intercede for us with your Lord, do you not see the state we are in, how bad it is" Ibrahim will say, "My Lord is angry today in a way that He has never been angry before and He will never be this angry again." And he mentioned some untruths he had told. "Myself, myself, myself i.e., I am only concerned about myself. Go to someone else. Go to Musa."

So they will go to Musa and say, "O Musa, you are the Messenger of Allah, Allah chose you above others by selecting you to convey His Message and by speaking to you directly. Intercede for us with your Lord, do you not see the state we are in, how bad it is" Musa will say, "My Lord is angry today in a way that He has never been angry before and He will never be this angry again. I killed a soul whom I had not been commanded to kill. Myself, myself, myself i.e., I am only concerned about myself. Go to someone else. Go to \`Isa." So they will go to \`Isa and say, \`O \`Isa, you are the Messenger of Allah and His Word which He bestowed upon Maryam and a spirit created by Him. You spoke to the people as an infant in the cradle. Intercede for us with your Lord, do you not see the state we are in, how bad it is" \`Isa will say, "My Lord is angry today in a way that He has never been angry before and He will never be this angry again." And he will not mention any sin. "Myself, myself, myself i.e., I am only concerned about myself. Go to someone else. Go to Muhammad." So they will go to Muhammad and will say, "O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah and the Last of the Prophets, Allah forgave all your past and future sins. Intercede for us with your Lord, do you not see the state we are in, how bad it is" I will stand up and come before the Throne, and will fall prostrating to my Lord, may He be glorified and exalted. Then Allah will inspire me to speak and I will speak beautiful words of praise such as no one has ever been inspired with before. It will be said, "O Muhammad, raise your head and ask, it will be granted to you. Intercede, and your intercession will be heard." So I will raise my head and say, "My Ummah, O Lord, my Ummah, O Lord, my Ummah, O Lord." It will be said, "O Muhammad, admit those who will not be brought to account from among your Ummah through the right-hand gate of Paradise. Then the rest of your Ummah will share the other gates with the rest of the people.") Then he said, ("By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the distance between two of the gateposts of Paradise is like the distance between Makkah and Hajar, or between Makkah and Busra.) It was also reported in the Two Sahihs.


ayah_text: And from part of the night, pray with it as additional worship for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.

ayah_text_ar: وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا


ayah_text: And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority."

ayah_text_ar: وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَـٰنًا نَّصِيرًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Command to emigrate

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn \`Abbas said: The Prophet was in Makkah, then he was commanded to emigrate, and Allah revealed the words:

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَاجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنْكَ سُلْطَـناً نَّصِيرًا

(And say: "My Lord! Let my entry be good, and (likewise) my exit be good. And grant me from You a helping authority.") At-Tirmidhi said, "This is Hasan Sahih." Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented on this Ayah, "When the disbelievers of Makkah conspired to kill the Messenger of Allah , or expel him or imprison him, Allah wanted him to fight the people of Makkah, and commanded him to go to Al-Madinah. What Allah said was:

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ

(And say: "My Lord! Let my entry be good, and (likewise) my exit be good...")

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ

(And say: "My Lord! Let my entry be good...") means, my entry to Al-Madinah.

وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ

(and (likewise) my exit be good, ) means, my exit from Makkah. This was also the view of \`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam.

وَاجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنْكَ سُلْطَـناً نَّصِيرًا

(And grant me from You a helping authority.) Al-Hasan Al-Basri explained this Ayah; "His Lord promised to take away the kingdom and glory of Persia and give it to him, and the kingdom and glory of Byzantium and give it to him." Qatadah said, "The Prophet of Allah knew that that he could not achieve this without authority or power, so he asked for authority to help him support the Book of Allah, the Laws of Allah, the obligations of Allah and to establish the religion of Allah. Authority is a mercy from Allah which He places among His servants, otherwise some of them would attack others, and the strong would consume the weak." Alongside the truth, he also needed power and authority in order to suppress those who opposed and resisted him, hence Allah said:

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ

(Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs,) until His saying,

وَأَنزْلْنَا الْحَدِيدَ

(And We brought forth iron) 57:25

## A Threat to the Disbelievers of the Quraysh

وَقُلْ جَآءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَـطِلُ

(And say: "Truth has come and falsehood has vanished...") This is a threat and a warning to the disbelievers of the Quraysh, for there has come to them from Allah the truth of which there can be no doubt and which they have no power to resist. This is what Allah has sent to them of the Qur'an, faith and beneficial knowledge. Their falsehood has perished or vanished and been destroyed, it cannot remain or stand firm in the face of the truth.

بَلْ نَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَى الْبَـطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ

Nay, We fling the truth against the falsehood, so it destroys it, and behold, it dis- appears. Al-Bukhari recorded that \`Abdullah bin Mas\`ud said: The Prophet entered Makkah (at the Con- quest), and around the House (the Ka\`bah) were three hundred and sixty idols. He started to strike them with a stick in his hand, saying,

جَآءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَـطِلُ إِنَّ الْبَـطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا

(Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish.) 17:81

جَآءَ الْحَقُّ وَمَا يُبْدِىءُ الْبَـطِلُ وَمَا يُعِيدُ

(Truth has come, and falsehood can neither create anything nor resurrect (anything).) 34:49


ayah_text: And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, by nature, ever bound to depart."

ayah_text_ar: وَقُلْ جَآءَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ ٱلْبَـٰطِلُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْبَـٰطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا


ayah_text: And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.

ayah_text_ar: وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Qur'an is a Cure and a Mercy

Allah tells us that His Book, which He has revealed to His Messenger Muhammad , the Qur'an to which falsehood cannot come, from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise, is a cure and a mercy for the believers, meaning that it takes away whatever is in their hearts of doubt, hypocrisy, Shirk, confusion and inclination towards falsehood. The Qur'an cures all of that. It is also a mercy through which one attains faith and wisdom and seeks goodness. This is only for those who believe in it and accept it as truthful, it is a cure and a mercy only for such people. As for the disbeliever who is wronging himself by his disbelief, when he hears the Qur'an, it only makes him further from the truth and increases him in his disbelief. The problem lies with the disbeliever himself, not with the Qur'an, as Allah says:

قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدًى وَشِفَآءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ فِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى أُوْلَـئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ

(Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a cure. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness in their ears, and it is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so they neither listen nor understand).") 41:44

وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَـذِهِ إِيمَـناً فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـناً وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ \- وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَتْهُمْ رِجْسًا إِلَى رِجْسِهِمْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كَـفِرُونَ

(And whenever there comes down a Surah, some of them (hypocrites) say: "Which of you has had his faith increased by it" As for those who believe, it has increased their faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it will add suspicion and doubt to their suspicion, disbelief and doubt; and they die while they are disbelievers.) (9:124-125) And there are many other similar Ayat.

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(And We send down of the Qur'an that which is a cure and a mercy to the believers,) Qatadah said, "When the believer hears it, he benefits from it and memorizes it and understands it."

وَلاَ يَزِيدُ الظَّـلِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا

(and it increases the wrongdoers in nothing but loss.) They do not benefit from it or memorize it or understand it, for Allah has made this Qur'an a cure and a mercy for the believers.

وَإِذَآ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى الإنْسَـنِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَأَى بِجَانِبِهِ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ كَانَ يَئُوساً


ayah_text: And when We bestow favor upon the disbeliever, he turns away and distances himself; and when evil touches him, he is ever despairing.

ayah_text_ar: وَإِذَآ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ ۖ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ كَانَ يَـُٔوسًا

ayah_tafsir:
## Turning away from Allah at Times of Ease and despairing at Times of Calamity

Allah tells us about the weakness that is inherent in man, except for those whom He protects at both times of ease and calamity. If Allah blesses a man with wealth, good health, ease, provision and help, and he gets what he wants, he turns away from the obedience and worship of Allah, and becomes arrogant. Mujahid said, "(It means) he goes away from Us." I say, this is like the Ayah:

فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَآ إِلَى ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ

(But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him!) 10:12 and;

فَلَمَّا نَجَّـكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ

(But when He brings you safe to land, you turn away.) When man is stricken with evil, which means disasters, accidents and calamities,

كَانَ يَئُوساً

(he is in great despair.), meaning that he thinks he will never have anything good again. As Allah says,

وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَا الإِنْسَـنَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَاهَا مِنْهُ إِنَّهُ لَيَئُوسٌ كَفُورٌ \- وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَاهُ نَعْمَآءَ بَعْدَ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ ذَهَبَ السَّيِّئَاتُ عَنِّي إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُورٌ \- إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَاتِ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ

(And if We give man a taste of mercy from Us, and remove it from him, verily, He is despairing, ungrateful. But if We let him taste good after evil has touched him, he is sure to say: "Ills have departed from me." Surely, he is exultant, and boastful. Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds: those, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.) (11:9-11)

قُلْ كُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ عَلَى شَاكِلَتِهِ

(Say: "Each one does according to Shakilatihi...") Ibn \`Abbas said, "According to his inclinations." Mujahid said, "According to his inclinations and his nature." Qatadah said, "According to his intentions." Ibn Zayd said, "According to his religion." All these suggestions are close in meaning. This Ayah - and Allah knows best - is a threat and a warning to the idolators, like the Ayah:

وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ اعْمَلُواْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ

(And say to those who do not believe: "Act according to your ability and way") (11:121) So Allah says:

قُلْ كُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ عَلَى شَاكِلَتِهِ فَرَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ هُوَ أَهْدَى سَبِيلاً

(Say: "Each one does according to Shakilatihi, and your Lord knows best of him whose path is right.") meaning either us or you. Everyone will be rewarded in accordance with his deeds, for nothing whatsoever is hidden from Allah.


ayah_text: Say, "Each works according to his manner, but your Lord is most knowing of who is best guided in way."

ayah_text_ar: قُلْ كُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ عَلَىٰ شَاكِلَتِهِۦ فَرَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ هُوَ أَهْدَىٰ سَبِيلًا


ayah_text: And they ask you, O Muhammad, about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little."

ayah_text_ar: وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّى وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Ruh (spirit)

Al-Bukhari recorded in his Tafsir of this Ayah that \`Abdullah bin Mas\`ud said, "While I was walking with the Prophet on a farm, and he was resting on a palm-leaf stalk, some Jews passed by. Some of them said to the others, \`Ask him about the Ruh.' Some of them said, \`What urges you to ask him about that' Others said, \`Do not ask him, lest he gives you a reply which you do not like.' But they said, \`Ask him.' So they asked him about the Ruh. The Prophet kept quiet and did not give them an answer, and I knew that he was receiving revelation, so I stayed where I was. When the revelation was complete, the Prophet said:

وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّى

(And they ask you concerning the Ruh (the spirit). Say: "The Ruh (the spirit) is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord...") This context would seem to imply that this Ayah was revealed in Al-Madinah, and that it was revealed when the Jews asked him this question in Al-Madinah, although the entire Surah was revealed in Makkah. This may be answered with the suggestion that this Ayah may have been revealed to him in Al-Madinah a second time, after having previously been revealed in Makkah, or that he was divinely inspired to respond to their question with a previously-revealed Ayah, namely the Ayah in question. Ibn Jarir recorded that \`Ikrimah said, "The People of the Book asked the Messenger of Allah about the Ruh, and Allah revealed:

وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ

(And they ask you concerning the Ruh...) They said, \`You claim that we have only a little knowledge, but we have been given the Tawrah, which is the Hikmah,

وَمَن يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِىَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا

(and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good.)' 2:269 Then the Ayah

وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلاَمٌ وَالْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ

(And if all the trees on the earth were pens and the sea (were ink wherewith to write), with seven seas behind it to add to its (supply),) 31:27 was revealed. He said, "Whatever knowledge you have been given, if Allah saves you from the Fire thereby, then it is great and good, but in comparison to the knowledge of Allah, it is very little."

وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ

(And they ask you concerning the Ruh.) Al-\`Awfi reported that Ibn \`Abbas said, "This was when the Jews said to the Prophet , \`Tell us about the Ruh and how the Ruh will be punished that is in the body - for the Ruh is something about which only Allah knows, and there was no revelation concerning it.' He did not answer them at all, then Jibril came to him and said:

قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّى وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً

(Say: "The Ruh (the spirit) is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.") So the Prophet told them about that, and they said, \`Who told you this' He said,

«جَاءَنِي بِهِ جِبْرِيلُ مِنْ عِنْدِ الله»

(Jibril brought it to me from Allah.) They said, \`By Allah, no one has told you that except our enemy i.e., Jibril.' Then Allah revealed:

قُلْ مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَى قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ

(Say: "Whoever is an enemy to Jibril (let him die in his fury), for indeed he has brought it (this Qur'an) down to your heart by Allah's permission, confirming what came before it.)" 2:97

## The Ruh and the Nafs

As-Suhayili mentioned the dispute among the scholars over whether the Ruh is the same as the Nafs, or something different. He stated that it is light and soft, like air, flowing through the body like water through the veins of a tree. He states that the Ruh which the angel breathes into the fetus is the Nafs, provided that it joins the body and acquires certain qualities because of it, whether good or bad. So then it is either a soul in (complete) rest and satisfaction (89:27) or inclined to evil (12:53), just as water is the life of the tree, then by mixing with it, it produces something else, so that if it mixes with grapes and the grapes are then squeezed, it becomes juice or wine. Then it is no longer called water, except in a metaphorical sense. Thus we should understand the connection between Nafs and Ruh; the Ruh is not called Nafs except when it joins the body and is affected by it. So in conclusion we may say: the Ruh is the origin and essence, and the Nafs consists of the Ruh and its connection to the body. So they are the same in one sense but not in another. This is a good explanation, and Allah knows best. I say: people speak about the essence of the Ruh and its rulings, and many books have been written on this topic. One of the best of those who spoke of this was Al-Hafiz Ibn Mandah in a book which we have heard about the Ruh.

وَلَئِن شِئْنَا لَنَذْهَبَنَّ بِالَّذِى أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ لاَ تَجِدُ لَكَ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا وَكِيلاً


ayah_text: And if We willed, We could surely do away with that which We revealed to you. Then you would not find for yourself concerning it an advocate against Us.

ayah_text_ar: وَلَئِن شِئْنَا لَنَذْهَبَنَّ بِٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ بِهِۦ عَلَيْنَا وَكِيلًا

ayah_tafsir:
## If Allah willed, He could take away the Qur'an

Allah mentions the blessing and great bounty that He has bestowed upon His servant and Messenger Muhammad by revealing to Him the Noble Qur'an to which falsehood cannot come, from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise. Ibn Mas\`ud said, "A red wind will come to the people, meaning at the end of time, from the direction of Syria, and there will be nothing left in a man's Mushaf (copy of the Qur'an) or in his heart, not even one Ayah." Then Ibn Mas\`ud recited:

وَلَئِن شِئْنَا لَنَذْهَبَنَّ بِالَّذِى أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ

(And if We willed, We could surely take away that which We have revealed to you.)

## Challenging by the Qur'an

Then Allah points out the great virtue of the Qur'an, and says that even if mankind and the Jinn were all to come together and agree to produce something like that which was revealed to His Messenger , they would never be able to do it, even if they were to cooperate and support and help one another. This is something which is impossible. How could the words of created beings be like the Words of the Creator Who has no equal and peer, for there is none like unto Him

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا لِلنَّاسِ

(And indeed We have fully explained to man- kind,) meaning, \`We have furnished them with evidence and defini- tive proof, and We have shown them the truth and explained it in detail, yet despite that most of mankind insist on disbelief, i.e., denying and rejecting the truth.'


ayah_text: Except We have left it with you as a mercy from your Lord. Indeed, His favor upon you has ever been great.

ayah_text_ar: إِلَّا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۚ إِنَّ فَضْلَهُۥ كَانَ عَلَيْكَ كَبِيرًا


ayah_text: Say, "If mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants."

ayah_text_ar: قُل لَّئِنِ ٱجْتَمَعَتِ ٱلْإِنسُ وَٱلْجِنُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتُوا۟ بِمِثْلِ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا


ayah_text: And We have certainly diversified for the people in this Qur'an from every kind of example, but most of the people refused anything except disbelief.

ayah_text_ar: وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِى هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ فَأَبَىٰٓ أَكْثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَّا كُفُورًا


ayah_text: And they say, "We will not believe you until you break open for us from the ground a spring.

ayah_text_ar: وَقَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ يَنۢبُوعًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Demand of Quraysh for a specific Sign, and the Rejection of that

Ibn Jarir recorded from Muhammad bin Ishaq, "An old man from among the people of Egypt who came to us forty-odd years ago told me, from \`Ikrimah, from Ibn \`Abbas, that \`Utbah and Shaybah -- the two sons of Rabi'ah, Abu Sufyan bin Harb, a man from Bani \`Abd Ad-Dar, Abu Al-Bakhtari -- the brother of Bani Asad, Al-Aswad bin Al-Muttalib bin Asad, Zam\`ah bin Al-Aswad, Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, \`Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah, Umayyah bin Khalaf, Al-\`As bin Wa'il, and Nabih and Munabbih - the two sons of Al-Hajjaj As-Sahmin, gathered all of them or some of them behind the Ka\`bah after sunset. Some of them said to others, \`Send for Muhammad and talk with him and argue with him, so that nobody will think we are to blame.' So they sent for him saying, \`The nobles of your people have gathered for you to speak to them.' So the Messenger of Allah came quickly, thinking that maybe they were going to change their minds, for he was very keen that they should be guided, and it upset him to see their stubbornness. So he came and sat with them, and they said, \`O Muhammad, we have sent for you so that nobody will think we are to blame. By Allah we do not know any man among the Arabs who has brought to his people what you have brought to your people. You have slandered our forefathers, criticized our religion, insulted our reason, slandered our gods and caused division. There is no objectionable thing that you have not brought between us. If you are preaching these things because you want wealth, we will collect some of our wealth together for you and make you the wealthiest man among us.

## If you are looking for position, we will make you our leader. If you are looking for kingship, we will make you our king. If what hascome to you is a type of Jinn that has possessed you, then we canspend our money looking for the medicine that will rid you of it sothat no one will think we are to blame. ' The Messenger of Allah said:

«مَا بِي مَا تَقُولُونَ، مَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِمَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِهِ أَطْلُبُ أَمْوَالَكُمْ، وَلَا الشَّرَفَ فِيكُمْ، وَلَا الْمُلْكَ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ بَعَثَنِي إِلَيْكُمْ رَسُولًا وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيَّ كِتَابًا، وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَكُونَ لَكُمْ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا، فَبَلَّغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ، فَإِنْ تَقْبَلُوا مِنِّي مَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِهِ فَهُوَ حَظُّكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَإِنْ تَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ أَصْبِرْ لِأَمْرِ اللهِ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُم»

(My case is not as you say. I have not brought what I have brought to you because I want your wealth or to be your leader or king. But Allah has sent me to you as a Messenger and has revealed to me a Book and has commanded me to bring you good news and a warning. So, I have conveyed to you the Messages of my Lord and have advised you accordingly. If you accept what I have brought to you, then this is your good fortune in this world and the Hereafter, but if you reject it, I shall wait patiently for the command of Allah until Allah judges between me and you.) or words to that effect. They said, \`O Muhammad, if you do not accept what we have offered you, then you know that there is no other people whose country is smaller, whose wealth is less and whose life is harder than ours, so ask your Lord Who has sent you with what He has sent you, to move away these mountains for us that are constricting us, to make our land wider and cause rivers to gush forth in it like the rivers of Syria and Iraq, and to resurrect for us those of our forefathers who have passed away.

## Let there be among those whom He resurrects Qusayy bin Kilab, for he was a truthful old man, and we will ask them whether what you are saying is true or false. If you do what we are asking, and they (the people who are resurrected) say that you are telling the truth, then we will believe you and acknowledge your status with Allahand believe that He has sent you as a Messenger as you say. ' The Messenger of Allah said to them:

«مَا بِهَذَا بُعِثتُ، إِنَّمَا جِئْتُكُمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ بِمَا بَعَثَنِي بِهِ، فَقَدْ بَلَّغْتُكُمْ مَا أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ إِلَيْكُمْ، فَإِنْ تَقْبَلُوهُ فَهُوَ حَظُّكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَإِنْ تَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ أَصْبِرْ لِأَمْرِ اللهِ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُم»

(I was not sent for this purpose. I have brought to you from Allah that with which He has sent me, and I have conveyed to you the Message with which I was sent to you. If you accept what I have brought to you, then this is your good fortune in this world and the Hereafter, but if you reject it, I shall wait patiently for the command of Allah until Allah judges between me and you.) They said, \`If you will not do this for us, then at least do something for yourself. Ask your Lord to send an angel to confirm that what you are saying is the truth and to speak up on your behalf. Ask Him to give you gardens and treasures and palaces of gold and silver, and to make you independent so that you will not have to do what we see you doing, for you stand in the marketplaces seeking provision just as we do. Then we will know the virtue of your position with your Lord and whether you are a Messenger as you claim.' The Messenger of Allah said to them:

«مَا أَنَا بِفَاعِلٍ، مَا أَنَا بِالَّذِي يَسْأَلُ رَبَّهُ هَذَا، وَمَا بُعِثْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ بِهَذَا، وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ بَعَثَنِي بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا، فَإِنْ تَقْبَلُوا مَا جِئْتُكُمْ بِهِ، فَهُوَ حَظُّكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَإِنْ تَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ أَصْبِرْ لِأَمْرِ اللهِ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَك»

(I will not do that, and I will not ask my Lord for this. I was not sent to you for this reason. But Allah has sent me to you to bring you good news and a warning. If you accept what I have brought to you, then this is your good fortune in this world and the Hereafter, but if you reject it, I shall wait patiently for the command of Allah until Allah judges between me and you.) They said, \`Then cause the sky to fall upon us, as you claim that if your Lord wills, He can do that. We will not believe in you until you do this.' The Messenger of Allah said to them:

«ذَلِكَ إِلَى اللهِ، إِنْ شَاءَ فَعَلَ بِكُمْ ذَلِك»

(That is for Allah to decide. If He wills, He will do that to you.) They said, \`O Muhammad, did your Lord not know that we would sit with you and ask you what we have asked and make the requests that we have made He should have told you beforehand and taught you how to reply to us, and informed you what He would do to us if we do not accept what you have brought to us. We have heard that the one who is teaching you this, is a man in Al-Yamamah called Ar-Rahman. By Allah, we will never believe in Ar-Rahman. We are warning you, O Muhammad, that we will not let you do what you want to do until you or we are destroyed.' One of them said, \`We worship the angels who are the daughters of Allah.' Another said, \`We will never believe in you until you bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face.' When they said this, the Messenger of Allah got up and left them. \`Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah bin Al-Mughirah bin \`Abdullah bin \`Umar bin Makhzum, the son of his paternal aunt \`Atikah, the daughter of \`Abdul-Muttalib, also got up and followed him. He said to him, \`O Muhammad, your people have offered you what they have offered you, and you did not accept it. Then they asked for things for themselves so that they would know your position with Allah, and you did not do that for them. Then they asked you to hasten on the punishments with which you are scaring them. By Allah, I will never believe in you unless you take a ladder to heaven and ascend it while I am watching, then you bring with you an open book and four angels to testify that you are as you say. By Allah, even if you did that, I think that I would not believe you.' Then he turned away from the Messenger of Allah , and the Messenger of Allah went home to his family, grieving over having missed out on what he had hoped for when his people had called him, because he saw that they were resisting him even more."

## The Reason why the Idolators' Demands were refused

In the case of this gathering where the Quraysh came together to speak with the Messenger of Allah , if Allah knew that they were making these requests in order to be guided, they would have been granted, but He knew that they were making these demands out of disbelief and stubbornness. It was said to the Messenger of Allah , "If you wish, We will give them what they are asking, but if they then disbelieve, I will punish them with a punishment that I have never imposed upon anyone else in the universe; or if you wish, I will open for them the gate of repentance and mercy." He said:

«بَلْ تَفْتَحُ عَلَيْهِمْ بَابَ التَّوْبَةِ وَالرَّحْمَة»

(Rather, You open for them the gate of repentance and mercy.) This is like the Ayah:

وَمَا مَنَعَنَآ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ وَءَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَا وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ تَخْوِيفًا

(And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And We sent not the signs except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction).) (17:59) And Allah says:

وَقَالُواْ مَا لِهَـذَا الرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشِى فِى الاٌّسْوَاقِ لَوْلا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُ نَذِيراً \- أَوْ يُلْقَى إِلَيْهِ كَنْزٌ أَوْ تَكُونُ لَهُ جَنَّةٌ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ الظَّـلِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ رَجُلاً مَّسْحُوراً \- انظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُواْ لَكَ الاٌّمْثَـلَ فَضَلُّواْ فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَبِيلاً \- تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى إِن شَآءَ جَعَلَ لَكَ خَيْراً مِّن ذلِكَ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ وَيَجْعَل لَّكَ قُصُوراً \- بَلْ كَذَّبُواْ بِالسَّاعَةِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِمَن كَذَّبَ بِالسَّاعَةِ سَعِيراً

(And they say: "Why does this Messenger eat food, and walk about in the markets (as we). Why is not an angel sent down to him to be a warner with him Or (why) has not a treasure been granted to him, or why has he not a garden whereof he may eat" And the wrongdoers say: "You follow none but a man bewitched." See how they coin similitudes for you, so they have gone astray, and they cannot find a path. Blessed be He Who, if He wills, will assign you better than that - Gardens under which rivers flow and will assign you palaces. Nay, they deny the Hour, and for those who deny the Hour, We have prepared a flaming Fire.) (25:7-11) Allah's saying,

حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ يَنْبُوعًا

(until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us) refers to a spring of flowing water. They asked him to bring forth springs of fresh water in the land of Al-Hijaz, here and there. This is easy for Allah, may He be glorified and exalted; if He willed, He could do that. He could have responded to all their demands, but He knew that they would not be guided by that, as He says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ \- وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ

(Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) (10:96-97) And Allah says:

وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَى وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ قُبُلاً مَّا كَانُواْ لِيُؤْمِنُواْ

(And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed) 6:111 His saying;

أَوْ تُسْقِطَ السَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ

(Or you cause the heaven to fall upon us in pieces, as you have pretended,) means, \`you promised us that on the Day of Resurrection the heavens will be split asunder, being broken and torn up, with parts of it falling down, so do that in this world and make it fall in pieces.' This is like when they said:

اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ

(O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky.) 8:32 Similarly, the people of Shu\`ayb asked him:

فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَ

(So cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us, if you are of the truthful!) (26:187) So Allah punished them with the punishment of the day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud), which was the torment of a Great Day. 26:189 As for the Prophet of Repentance and Mercy, who was sent as a mercy to the worlds, he asked Allah to delay their punishment, in the hope that Allah would bring forth from their offspring people who would worship Allah Alone, with no partner or associate. This is what indeed did happen, for among those who are mentioned above were some who later embraced Islam and became good and sincere Muslims, even \`Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah, who followed the Prophet (out of that meeting) and spoke to him as he did. He became a sincere Muslim and turned to Allah in repentance.

أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ

(Or you have a house of Zukhruf.) Ibn \`Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah said, "This is gold." This was also what was said in the recitation of Ibn Mas\`ud, "Or you have a house of gold."

أَوْ تَرْقَى فِى السَّمَآءِ

(or you ascend up into the sky,) meaning, you climb up on a ladder while we are watching you.

وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّى تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَابًا نَّقْرَءُهُ

(and even then we will put no faith in your ascension until you bring down for us a Book that we would read.) Mujahid said, "This means a book in which there would be one page for each person, on which would be the words: \`This is a book from Allah to so-and-so the son of so-and-so, which he would find by his head when he woke up in the morning."

قُلْ سُبْحَـنَ رَبِّى هَلْ كُنتُ إَلاَّ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً

(Say: "Glorified be my Lord! Am I anything but a man, sent as a Messenger") meaning, \`Glorified, exalted and sanctified be He above the notion that anyone would come before Him concerning any matter pertaining to His authority and sovereignty. He is the One Who does what He wills. If He willed, he could have given you what you asked for, or if He willed, he could have refrained. I am only a Messenger to you, sent to convey the Messages of my Lord and advise you. I have done that, and the response to what you have asked is to be decided by Allah, may He be glorified.'


ayah_text: Or until you have a garden of palm tress and grapes and make rivers gush forth within them in force and abundance

ayah_text_ar: أَوْ تَكُونَ لَكَ جَنَّةٌ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَعِنَبٍ فَتُفَجِّرَ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرَ خِلَـٰلَهَا تَفْجِيرًا


ayah_text: Or you make the heaven fall upon us in fragments as you have claimed or you bring Allah and the angels before us

ayah_text_ar: أَوْ تُسْقِطَ ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا أَوْ تَأْتِىَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ قَبِيلًا


ayah_text: Or you have a house of gold or you ascend into the sky. And even then, we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book we may read." Say, "Exalted is my Lord! Was I ever but a human messenger?"

ayah_text_ar: أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَىٰ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَـٰبًا نَّقْرَؤُهُۥ ۗ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّى هَلْ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرًا رَّسُولًا


ayah_text: And what prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, "Has Allah sent a human messenger?"

ayah_text_ar: وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The refusal of the Idolators to believe because the Messenger was a Human -- and its refutation

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ

(And nothing prevented men) means, most of them,

أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ

(from believing) and following the Messengers, except the fact that they found it strange that human beings would be sent as Messengers, as Allah says:

أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ

(Is it a wonder for mankind that We have sent Our revelation to a man from among themselves (saying): "Warn mankind, and give good news to those who believe that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds") 10:2 And Allah says:

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُ كَانَت تَّأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ فَقَالُواْ أَبَشَرٌ يَهْدُونَنَا

(That was because there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs, but they said: "Shall mere men guide us") 64:6 Fira\`wn and his people said:

أَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا وَقَوْمُهُمَا لَنَا عَـبِدُونَ

(They said: "Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, and their people are obedient to us with humility!") 23: 47 Similarly, the nations said to their Messengers:

إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَـنٍ مُّبِينٍ

("You are no more than human beings like us! You wish to turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring us a clear authority") 14:10 And there are many other similar Ayat. Then Allah says, pointing out His kindness and mercy towards His servants, that He sends to them Messengers of their own kind so that they will understand what he says and will be able to speak to him directly. If He sent to mankind a Messenger from among the angels, they would not be able to deal with him face to face and learn from him, as Allah says:

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ

(Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves) 3:164

لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ

(Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from among yourselves) 10:128

كَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْكُمْ يَتْلُواْ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَـتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْلَمُونَ \- فَاذْكُرُونِى أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

(Similarly, We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting to you Our verses (the Qur'an) and purifying you, and teaching you the Book and the Hikmah, and teaching you that which you used not to know. Therefore remember Me. I will remember you, and be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me.) (2:151-152) Allah says here:

قُل لَوْ كَانَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَلَـئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ

(Say: "If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security,) meaning, just as you do,

لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولاً

(We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger). meaning, \`one of their own kind. But as you are human, We have sent to you Messengers from yourselves, as a kindness and a mercy.'


ayah_text: Say, "If there were upon the earth angels walking securely, We would have sent down to them from the heaven an angel as a messenger."

ayah_text_ar: قُل لَّوْ كَانَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولًا


ayah_text: Say, "Sufficient is Allah as Witness between me and you. Indeed he is ever, concerning His servants, Acquainted and Seeing."

ayah_text_ar: قُلْ كَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًۢا بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرًۢا بَصِيرًا

ayah_tafsir:
وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ الاٌّقَاوِيلِ \- لأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِالْيَمِينِ \- ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ الْوَتِينَ

(And if he had forged a false saying concerning Us, We surely would have seized him by his right hand, And then We certainly would have cut off his life artery.) (69:44-46) Allah said;

إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا

(Verily, He is Ever the All-Knower, the All-Seer of His servants.) meaning, He knows best who among them deserves blessings, good treatment and guidance, and who deserves to be doomed and led astray. He says:


ayah_text: And whoever Allah guides - he is the rightly guided; and whoever He sends astray - you will never find for them protectors besides Him, and We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection fallen on their faces - blind, dumb and deaf. Their refuge is Hell; every time it subsides We increase them in blazing fire.

ayah_text_ar: وَمَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۖ وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْيًا وَبُكْمًا وَصُمًّا ۖ مَّأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَـٰهُمْ سَعِيرًا

ayah_tafsir:
## Guidance and Misguidance are in the Hands of Allah

Allah tells us how He deals with His creation and how His rulings are carried out. He tells us that there is none who can put back His judgement, for whomever He guides cannot be led astray,

وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِهِ

(and whomever He leaves astray can never find helpers other than Him)to guide him. As Allah says:

مَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا

(He whom Allah guides, he is the rightly-guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) to lead him) 18:17

## The Punishment of the People of Misguidance

وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ

(and We shall gather them together on the Day of Resurrection on their faces,) Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet was asked, "O Messenger of Allah, how will the people be gathered on their faces" He said,

«الَّذِي أَمْشَاهُمْ عَلَى أَرْجُلِهِمْ قَادِرٌ عَلَى أَنْ يُمْشِيَهُمْ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِم»

(The One Who made them walk on their feet is able to make them walk on their faces.) It was also reported (by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) in the Two Sahihs.

عُمْيًا

(blind) means, unable to see.

وَبُكْمًا

(dumb) means, unable to speak.

وَصُمًّا

(deaf) means, unable to hear. They will be in this state as a punishment for the way they were in this world, blind, dumb and deaf to the truth. This will be their recompense when they are gathered on the Day of Resurrection, at the time when they need these faculties most of all.

مَأْوَاهُمُ

(their abode) means, their destination.

جَهَنَّمُ كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ

(will be Hell; whenever it abates,) Ibn \`Abbas said, "(This means) calms down," Mujahid said, (It means) is extinguished,"

زِدْنَاهُمْ سَعِيرًا

(We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire.) meaning, increasing its flames and heat and coals, as Allah says:

فَذُوقُواْ فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ إِلاَّ عَذَاباً

(So taste you (the results of your evil actions). No increase shall We give you, except in torment.) (78:30)

ذَلِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَقَالُواْ أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَامًا وَرُفَاتًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقًا جَدِيدًا


ayah_text: That is their recompense because they disbelieved in Our verses and said, "When we are bones and crumbled particles, will we truly be resurrected in a new creation?"

ayah_text_ar: ذَٰلِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَقَالُوٓا۟ أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَـٰمًا وَرُفَـٰتًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقًا جَدِيدًا

ayah_tafsir:
## Allah says: \` This punishment, being resurrected blind, dumb and deaf, is what they deserve, because they disbelieved

بِـَايَـتِنَآ

(Our Ayat), i.e., Our proof and evidence, and did not think that the resurrection could ever happen.'

وَقَالُواْ أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَـماً وَرُفَـتاً

(and said: "When we are bones and fragments...") meaning, when we have disintegrated and our bodies have rotted away,

أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقاً جَدِيداً

(shall we really be raised up as a new creation) meaning, after we have disintegrated and disappeared and been absorbed into the earth, will we come back a second time Allah established proof against them and told them that He is able to do that, for He created the heavens and the earth, so raising them up again is easier for Him than that, as He says:

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

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَلَمْ يَعْىَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى

(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) 46: 33

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

(Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like of them 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!) (36:81-82) And Allah says here:

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْ

(See they not that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, is able to create the like of them.) meaning, on the Day of Resurrection, He will recreate and restore their bodies, as He created them in the first place.

وَجَعَلَ لَهُمْ أَجَلاً لاَّ رَيْبَ فِيهِ

(And He has decreed for them an appointed term, whereof there is no doubt.) means, He has set a time for them to be re-created and brought forth from their graves, an appointed time which must surely come to pass. As Allah says:

وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلاَّ لاًّجَلٍ مَّعْدُودٍ

(And We delay it only for a term (already) fixed.) (11:104)

فَأَبَى الظَّـلِمُونَ

(But the wrongdoers refuse) -- after the proof has been established against them,

إِلاَّ كُفُورًا

((and accept nothing) but disbelief.) means, they persist in their falsehood and misguidance.


ayah_text: Do they not see that Allah, who created the heavens and earth, is the one Able to create the likes of them? And He has appointed for them a term, about which there is no doubt. But the wrongdoers refuse anything except disbelief.

ayah_text_ar: ۞ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَهُمْ أَجَلًا لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهِ فَأَبَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ إِلَّا كُفُورًا


ayah_text: Say to them, "If you possessed the depositories of the mercy of my Lord, then you would withhold out of fear of spending." And ever has man been stingy.

ayah_text_ar: قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّىٓ إِذًا لَّأَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ ٱلْإِنفَاقِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ قَتُورًا

ayah_tafsir:
## Holding back is Part of Man's Nature

Allah says to His Messenger : "Tell them, O Muhammad, even if you had authority over the treasures of Allah, you would refrain from spending for fear of exhausting it." Ibn \`Abbas and Qatadah said, "This means for fear of poverty," lest it run out, despite the fact that it can never be exhausted or come to an end. This is because it is part of your nature. So Allah says:

وَكَانَ الإنْسَـنُ قَتُورًا

(and man is ever miserly.) Ibn \`Abbas and Qatadah said: "(This means) stingy and holding back." Allah says:

أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُلْكِ فَإِذاً لاَّ يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً

(Or have they a share in the dominion Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqira.) (4:53), meaning that even if they had a share in the authority of Allah, they would not have given anything to anyone, not even the amount of a Naqira (speck on the back of a date stone). Allah describes man as he really is, except for those whom Allah helps and guides. Miserliness, discontent and impatience are human characteristics, as Allah says:

إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعاً \- إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعاً \- وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعاً \- إِلاَّ الْمُصَلِّينَ

(Verily, man was created very impatient; irritable when evil touches him; and stingy when good touches him. Except those who are devoted to Salah (prayers). ) (70:19-22). And there are many other such references in the Qur'an. This is an indication of the generosity and kindness of Allah. In the Two Sahihs it says:

«يَدُ اللهِ مَلْأَى لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ، أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَمِينِه»

(Allah's Hand is full and never decreases because of His giving night and day. Do you not see how much He has given since He created the heavens and the earth, yet that which is in His right hand never decreases.)


ayah_text: And We had certainly given Moses nine evident signs, so ask the Children of Israel about when he came to them and Pharaoh said to him, "Indeed I think, O Moses, that you are affected by magic."

ayah_text_ar: وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ ءَايَـٰتٍۭ بَيِّنَـٰتٍ ۖ فَسْـَٔلْ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِذْ جَآءَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُۥ فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّى لَأَظُنُّكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ مَسْحُورًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Nine Signs of Musa

Allah tells us that He sent Musa with nine clear signs, which provided definitive proof that his prophethood was real and that what he was conveying from the One Who had sent him to Fira\`wn was true. These clear signs were: his staff, his hand, the years of famine, the sea, the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs and the blood. This was the view of Ibn \`Abbas. Muhammad bin Ka\`b said, "They were his hand and his staff, the five signs mentioned in Al-A\`raf, and destruction of wealth and the rock." Ibn \`Abbas, Mujahid, \`Ikrimah, Ash-Sha\`bi and Qatadah said: "They are his hand, his staff, the years of famine, the failure of the crops, the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs and the blood."

فَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوْماً مُّجْرِمِينَ

(Yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were criminals,) 7:133 meaning, despite all these signs and their witnessing of them, they disbelieved them and belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, although they were themselves were convinced of them, so they did not have any effect on them. By the same token, (Allah tells His Messenger here,) \`if We were to respond to what these people are asking you for, who have said that they will not believe in you until you cause springs to gush forth throughout the land for them, they would not respond or believe except if Allah willed.' As Fira\`wn said to Musa, even though he had witnessed the signs which he brought,

إِنِّى لأَظُنُّكَ يمُوسَى مَسْحُورًا

("O Musa! I think you are indeed bewitched. ") It was said that this meant he thought he was a sorcerer, but Allah knows best. These nine signs which were mentioned by the Imams (scholars) quoted above are what is referred to here, and in the Ayah :

وَأَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَآنٌّ وَلَّى مُدْبِراً وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ يمُوسَى لاَ تَخَفْ

("And throw down your stick!" But when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he turned in flight, and did not look back. (It was said:) "O Musa ! Fear not.") until His saying,

فِى تِسْعِ ءَايَـتٍ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ قَوْماً فَـسِقِينَ

(among the nine signs (you will take) to Fir\`awn and his people. Verily, they are a people who are rebellious.) 27:10-12 These Ayat include mention of the stick and the hand, and the rest of the nine signs are mentioned in detail in Surat Al-A\`raf. Musa was also given many other signs, such as striking the rock with his staff and water flowing from it, their being shaded with clouds, manna and quails, and other signs which were bestowed upon the Children of Israel after they had left the land of Egypt. But here Allah mentions the nine signs which were witnessed by his people in Egypt. These became evidence against them, because they stubbornly rejected them out of disbelief. So Musa said to Fira\`wn:

لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَآ أَنزَلَ هَـؤُلاءِ إِلاَّ رَبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ بَصَآئِرَ

("Verily, you know that these signs have been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth. ) meaning, as proof and evidence of the truth of what I have brought to you.

وَإِنِّى لأَظُنُّكَ يفِرْعَونُ مَثْبُورًا

(And I think you are indeed, O Fir\`awn, doomed to destruction!) i.e., bound to be destroyed. This was the view of Mujahid and Qatadah. Ibn \`Abbas said: "It means cursed." Ibn \`Abbas and Ad-Dahhak said:

مَثْبُورًا

(doomed to destruction.) means defeated. As Mujahid said, "doomed" includes all of these meanings.

## The Destruction of Fir\`awn and His People

فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ الاٌّرْضِ

(So he resolved to turn them out of the land.) means, he wanted to expel them and drive them out.

فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ جَمِيعًاوَقُلْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ اسْكُنُواْ الاٌّرْضَ

(But We drowned him and all who were with him. And We said to the Children of Israel after him: "Dwell in the land...") This is good news for Muhammad , a foretelling of the conquest of Makkah, even though this Surah was revealed in Makkah before the Hijrah. Similarly, the people of Makkah wanted to expel the Prophet from the city, as Allah says in two Ayat:

وَإِن كَادُواْ لَيَسْتَفِزُّونَكَ مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ لِيُخْرِجُوكَ مِنْهَا

(And verily, they were about to frighten you so much as to drive you out from the land...) 17:76-77 Hence Allah caused His Messenger to inherit Makkah, so he entered it by force, according to the better-known of the two opinions, and he defeated its people then out of kindness and generosity, he let them go, just as Allah caused the Children of Israel, who had been oppressed, to inherit the land, east and west, and to inherit the land of Fir\`awn's people, with its farmland, crops and treasures. As Allah said,

كَذَلِكَ وَأَوْرَثْنَـهَا بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ

(thus We caused the Children of Israel to inherit them. ) (26:59). Here Allah says:

وَقُلْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ اسْكُنُواْ الاٌّرْضَ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ الاٌّخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا

(And We said to the Children of Israel after him: "Dwell in the land, then, when the final and the last promise comes near, We shall bring you altogether as mixed crowd.") meaning, all of you, you and your ene mies. Ibn \`Abbas, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak said, "It means all together."


ayah_text: Moses said, "You have already known that none has sent down these signs except the Lord of the heavens and the earth as evidence, and indeed I think, O Pharaoh, that you are destroyed."

ayah_text_ar: قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَآ أَنزَلَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ بَصَآئِرَ وَإِنِّى لَأَظُنُّكَ يَـٰفِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُورًا


ayah_text: So he intended to drive them from the land, but We drowned him and those with him all together.

ayah_text_ar: فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَـٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ جَمِيعًا


ayah_text: And We said after Pharaoh to the Children of Israel, "Dwell in the land, and when there comes the promise of the Hereafter, We will bring you forth in one gathering."

ayah_text_ar: وَقُلْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ لِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱسْكُنُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا


ayah_text: And with the truth We have sent the Qur'an down, and with the truth it has descended. And We have not sent you, O Muhammad, except as a bringer of good tidings and a warner.

ayah_text_ar: وَبِٱلْحَقِّ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ وَبِٱلْحَقِّ نَزَلَ ۗ وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Revelation of the Qur'an in Stages

Allah tells us that His Book, the Glorious Qur'an, has been sent with truth, i.e., it contains the truth, as Allah says:

لَّـكِنِ اللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ أَنزَلَهُ بِعِلْمِهِ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ

(But Allah bears witness to that which He has sent down unto you; He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness) 4:166 meaning, it contains the knowledge which Allah wanted to teach to you, with His rulings, commands and prohibitions.

وَبِالْحَقِّ نَزَلَ

(and with truth it has descended.) means, "It has been sent down to you, O Muhammad, preserved and protected, not contaminated or mixed with anything else, with nothing added or taken away. It has come to you with the truth, brought down by one mighty in power, trustworthy and strong, one who is obeyed by the higher group (angels).'

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَاكَ

(And We have sent you) O Muhammad

إِلاَّ مُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا

(as nothing but a bearer of glad tidings and a warner). a bearer of glad tidings for the believers who obey you and a warner to the disbelievers who disobey you.

وَقُرْءانًا فَرَقْنَاهُ

(And (it is) a Qur'an which We have divided), The word translated here as "We have divided" may be read in two ways. If it is read as "Faraqnahu", with no Shaddah, the meaning is: \`We have made it depart from Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz to Bayt Al-\`Izzah in the lowest heaven, then it was revealed in stages to the Messenger of Allah, according to events, over a period of twenty-three years.' This was narrated by \`Ikrimah from Ibn \`Abbas. It was also narrated that Ibn \`Abbas read it as "Farraqnahu", with a Shaddah, meaning, \`We revealed it Ayah by Ayah , and have explained it and made it clear.' Hence Allah says:

لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ

(in order that you might recite it to men), meaning, convey it to the people and recite it to them,

عَلَى مُكْثٍ

(at intervals.) meaning slowly.

وَنَزَّلْنَـهُ تَنْزِيلاً

(And We have revealed it by stages.) means, little by little.


ayah_text: And it is a Qur'an which We have separated by intervals that you might recite it to the people over a prolonged period. And We have sent it down progressively.

ayah_text_ar: وَقُرْءَانًا فَرَقْنَـٰهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَـٰهُ تَنزِيلًا

ayah_tafsir: MISSING


ayah_text: Say, "Believe in it or do not believe. Indeed, those who were given knowledge before it - when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration,

ayah_text_ar: قُلْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَوْ لَا تُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦٓ إِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا

ayah_tafsir:
## Those Who were given Knowledge before truly admit the Qur'an

Allah says to His Prophet Muhammad :

قُلْ

(Say) O Muhammad to these disbelievers concerning what you have brought to them of this Glorious Qur'an:

ءَامِنُواْ بِهِ أَوْ لاَ تُؤْمِنُواْ

("Believe in it (the Qur'an) or do not believe (in it).) meaning, it is all the same whether you believe in it or not, for it is true in and of itself. It was revealed by Allah, Who mentioned it previously in the Books that He revealed to other Messengers. Hence He says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِ

(Verily, those who were given knowledge before it,) meaning righteous people among the People of the Book, who adhered to their Books and appreciated them without distorting them.

إِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ

(when it is recited to them,) means, when this Qur'an is recited to them,

يَخِرُّونَ لِلاٌّذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا

(fall down on their chins (faces) in humble prostration. ) means, to Allah, in gratitude for the blessing He has bestowed on them by considering them fit to live until they met this Messenger to whom this Book was revealed. Hence they say:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَآ

(Glory be to our Lord!), meaning, they extol and glorify their Lord for His perfect power and for not delaying the fulfillment of the promise which He made through His earlier Prophets, that He would send Muhammad . Hence they said:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَآ إِن كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولاً

(Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled.)

وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلاٌّذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ

(And they fall down on their chins (faces) weeping) means, in submission to Allah, may He be glorified, and in expression of their belief and faith in His Book and His Messenger .

وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا

(and it increases their humility.) means, it increases them in faith and submission. As Allah says:

وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْاْ زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَءَاتَـهُمْ تَقُوَاهُمْ

(While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance and bestows on them their Taqwa. ) (47:17).

وَيَخِرُّونَ

(And they fall down) is a description rather than an action (i.e., this is a further description of their humility as referred to in Ayah 107; it does not imply that they prostrate twice).


ayah_text: And they say, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled."

ayah_text_ar: وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِن كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا


ayah_text: And they fall upon their faces weeping, and the Qur'an increases them in humble submission.

ayah_text_ar: وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا ۩


ayah_text: Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever name you call - to Him belong the best names." And do not recite too loudly in your prayer or too quietly but seek between that an intermediate way.

ayah_text_ar: قُلِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ أَوِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ ۖ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوا۟ فَلَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَٱبْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلًا

ayah_tafsir:
## To Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names

Allah says:

قُلْ

(Say) O Muhammad, to these idolators who deny that Allah possesses the attribute of mercy and refuse to call Him Ar-Rahman,

ادْعُواْ اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُواْ الرَّحْمَـنَ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُواْ فَلَهُ الاٌّسْمَآءَ الْحُسْنَى

("Invoke Allah or invoke Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names.) meaning, there is no difference between calling on Him as Allah or calling on Him as Ar-Rahman, because He has the Most Beautiful Names, as He says:

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِى لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَـدَةِ هُوَ الرَّحْمَـنُ الرَّحِيمُ

(He is Allah, beside Whom none has the right to be worshipped but He the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.) (59:22) Until His saying;

لَهُ الاٌّسْمَآءُ الْحُسْنَى يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(To Him belong the Best Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him.) 59:24 Makhul reported that one of the idolators heard the Prophet saying when he was prostrating: "O Most Gracious, O Most Merciful." The idolator said, he claims to pray to One, but he is praying to two! Then Allah revealed this Ayah. This was also narrated from Ibn \`Abbas, and by Ibn Jarir.

## The Command to recite neither loudly nor softly

وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاتِكَ

(And offer your Salah neither aloud) Imam Ahmad reported that Ibn \`Abbas said: "This Ayah was revealed when the Messenger of Allah was preaching underground in Makkah."

وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاتِكَ وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا

(And offer your Salah neither aloud nor in a low voice,) Ibn \`Abbas said: "When he prayed with his Companions, he would recite Qur'an loudly, and when the idolators heard that, they insulted the Qur'an, and the One Who had revealed it and the one who had brought it. So Allah said to His Prophet :

وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاتِكَ

(And offer your Salah (prayer) neither aloud) means, do not recite it aloud, lest the idolators hear you and insult the Qur'an,

وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا

(nor in a low voice,) means, nor recite it so quietly that your companions cannot hear the Qur'an and learn it from you.

وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً

(but follow a way between. )" This was also reported in the Two Sahihs. Ad-Dahhak also narrated something similar from Ibn \`Abbas, and added: "When he migrated to Al-Madinah, this no longer applied, and he recited as he wished." Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Ibn \`Abbas said, "When the Messenger of Allah recited Qur'an quietly while he was praying, the (idolators) would disperse and refuse to listen to him; if one of them wanted to hear some of what he was reciting in his prayer, he would try to listen without anyone seeing him, because he was afraid of them. If he realized that anybody knew he was listening, he would go away lest they harm him, so he would stop listening. If the Prophet lowered his voice, those who wanted to listen to his recitation could not hear anything, so Allah revealed,

وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاتِكَ

(And offer your Salah neither aloud) meaning, do not recite aloud, lest those who want to listen disperse for fear of attracting unwelcome attention,

وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا

(nor in a low voice,) but do not make your voice so soft that the one who is trying to listen without being seen cannot hear anything at all. Perhaps he will pay attention to some of what he hears and benefit from it.

وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً

(but follow a way between. )" This was the view of \`Ikrimah, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah that this Ayah was revealed concerning recitation in prayer. It was narrated from Ibn Mas\`ud: "Do not make it so soft that no one can hear it except yourself."

## Declaration of Tawhid

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا

(And say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has not begotten a son...") because Allah has stated that the Most Beautiful Names belong to Him, and has declared Himself to be above having any faults or defects.

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَم يَكُنْ لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِى الْمُلْكِ

(And say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has not begotten a son, and Who has no partner in (His) dominion...") indeed, He is Allah, (the) One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.

وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ وَلِىٌّ مَّنَ الذُّلِّ

(nor He is low to have a supporter.) means, He is not so humble or weak that He needs to have a helper or supporter or adviser, rather He Alone, with no partner or associate, may He be exalted, is the Creator of all things and is the One Who is running and controlling them by His will, with no partner or associate.

وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ وَلِىٌّ مَّنَ الذُّلِّ

(nor He is low to have a supporter).) Mujahid said: He does not form an alliance with anyone, nor does He seek the support or help of anyone.

وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا

(And magnify Him with all magnificence.) means, glorify and extol Him far above whatever the transgressors and aggressors say. Ibn Jarir recorded that Al-Qurazi used to say about this Ayah,

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا

(And say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has not begotten a son...") that the Jews and Christians said that Allah has taken a son; the Arabs said, "At Your service, You have no partner except the partner You have, and You possess him and whatever he owns;" and the Sabians and Magians said, "If it were not for the supporters of Allah, He would be weak." Then Allah revealed this Ayah :

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَم يَكُنْ لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِى الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ وَلِىٌّ مَّنَ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا

(And say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has not begotten a son, and Who has no partner in (His) dominion, nor is He low to have a supporter. And magnify Him with all magnificence.") End of Tafsir Surah Subhan Surat Al-Isra'. And to Allah be the praise and blessings.


ayah_text: And say, "Praise to Allah, who has not taken a son and has had no partner in His dominion and has no need of a protector out of weakness; and glorify Him with great glorification."

ayah_text_ar: وَقُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٌ فِى ٱلْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلِىٌّ مِّنَ ٱلذُّلِّ ۖ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًۢا