Ruku 223 ع

Important Words:

اصحاب الحجر (People of the Hijr). حجر is derived from حجر (hajara) which means, he prevented or hindered or interdicted. See also 2:75. حجر (Hijr) means, forbidden, unlawful, inviolable or sacred; garden or walled garden of palm-trees prohibited to the public; a fortress; a wall of stones built round a house; the place round which such a wall is made; relationship that prohibits marriage; understanding or intelligence, because it forbids that which it does not behove one to do; bosom or breast; figuratively also protection. The word also means, the country or land of Thamud (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat).

Commentary:

Hijr lay between Tabuk and Medina. Here lived the people of Thamud to whom Salih was sent as a Warner. The city of this tribe appears to have been largely built of stones. It was surrounded by a stone wall and ramparts. Hence this name.

It is worthy of note that though only one Prophet, Salih appears to have been sent to these people, in the verse under comment they are condemned as having rejected the Messengers of God. The same expression has been used in 26:106, 124, 142, 161 & 177 where the tribes mentioned are said to have rejected all Prophets, while as a matter of fact each one of these different tribes rejected only a particular Prophet who was sent to them. This shows that in the sight of God the rejection of one Prophet means the rejection of all because, first, the basic teachings of all Divine Messengers are the same and so the rejection of one Prophet implies the rejection of all others, and, secondly, the rejection of a Prophet implies rejection of God, Who is the Sender of all Prophets. This is why Jesus warned the Jews that by rejecting him they were rejecting Moses; for if they had really believed in Moses, they should not have hesitated to accept him (John 5:46). This is true of all Prophets and Messengers of God. He who rejects the Prophet of his own day shows by his act of rejection, that if he had lived in the time of any other Prophet, he would have rejected him also. Hence it is that the rejection of one Prophet, according to the Quran, is tantamount to the rejection of all Prophets and the acceptance of one is tantamount to the acceptance of all of them. See also 2:137, 286; 3:85 & 4:153.

The next few verses of the present Surah and some opening verses of the following Surah embody mighty prophecies and deal with subjects of very great import.

Commentary:

In the foregoing verses three different peoples have been mentioned: (1) the people of Lot; (2) the people of Shu‘aib; and (3) the people of Salih. The order in which they have been mentioned is noteworthy. They have not been mentioned in their chronological order but in the order of the distance of their habitations from Mecca. The land of the people of Lot was the most distant of the three places and so it has been mentioned first. Next in order of distance were the people of Aikah, and they have been put next. Hijr being situated between Tabuk and Medina, the tribe of Thamud were the nearest of the three and it has consequently been mentioned last of all. In the order of time the people of Hijr preceded the people of Lot and the people of Aikah came last. This unusual order has been adopted in preference to the more natural one with a view to producing the greatest psychological effect, the tribe that was least known to the Arabs being mentioned first and the tribe which the Arabs knew best being mentioned last.

It may also be incidentally mentioned here that in this Surah mention has been made of those peoples in whom the art of writing was not much in vogue, and who were regarded by the Arabs as their ancestors. Adam is, of course, the common progenitor of mankind. Lot was a near relative of Abraham and as such, was among the ancestors of the Arabs. The tribe of Shu‘aib were cousins of the Ishmaelites, and became ultimately absorbed by them. The tribe of Thamud were a pure Arab tribe.

7:75; 26:150.

Important Words:

کانوا ینحتون (they used to hew out). نحت means, he cut or hewed; or he formed or fashioned by cutting or paring or clipping. The Arabs say نحت علی الکرم (in the passive voice) i.e. he was fashioned after the model of generosity, viz. he was generous by nature (Lane).

بیوتا (houses) is the plural of بیت which is derived from بات i.e. he passed the night. بیت means, a chamber; a house or dwelling; a tent. It also means, a verse (Lane).

Commentary:

This verse shows that the tribe of Thamud were a civilized, powerful and rich people. They had separate summer and winter resorts and led secure and comfortable lives. Even when they went to the hills in summer for recreation and change of climate, and left their winter habitations, they felt free from attacks from any quarter. The words, they used to hew out houses in the mountains, are also intended to hint at the highly developed state of their architecture.

7:79; 11:68.

Commentary:

It appears from 7:79 that the calamity referred to in this verse was an earthquake.

Commentary:

The verse means to say that though the people of Salih built big houses and huge buildings and felt themselves secure, yet actually these very buildings proved the means of their destruction, for the Divine punishment came upon them in the form of an earthquake, and so the hugeness of their buildings added to the severity of their calamity. The verse thus implies a strong warning for the enemies of the Holy Prophet to the effect that they should not rely on their wealth and possessions as a means of protection against the wrath of God, because when Divine punishment comes, material means and resources, instead of being a protection, actually prove the ruin of those who possess them.

3:192; 16:4; 38:28.

20:16; 40:60.

Important Words:

فاصفح (So turn away) is derived from صفح (safaha). صفح عنه means, he turned away from and left him. This expression also means, he turned away from his sins or faults i.e. he forgave him. صفح الناس means, he watched and looked into the affairs and conditions of the people. صفح (safhun) is the infinitive noun from it, meaning also the side of a thing. (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The word ساعة (Hour) is used to signify both the post-mortal Day of Judgement and the time fixed in this life for the punishment of the enemies of truth and the triumph of believers. The verse means to say that a careful study of the creation or the universe and its working leads to the conclusion that a great purpose underlies it. It not only proves that there is inevitably going to be a day of ultimate reckoning after death, but that even in this world truth ultimately triumphs and falsehood comes to grief. If human life were really confined to a short and temporary existence on this earth, then the vast organization of the illimitable universe would be much too extravagant a provision. The creation of the universe and the wonderful design and purpose that pervades it surely leads to the one inescapable inference that human life is much more than the limited, temporary and short existence on this earth. It is an insult to human intelligence to think that man has been created just to eat, drink and be merry for a while and then die an eternal death. The wonderful creation of the universe strongly repudiates such an idea. Human existence has a grand purpose to fulfil and the fulfilment of that purpose presupposes that it should extend to a time when man should attain to that high spiritual state for which he is created. Study of the human mechanism shows that machinery of such infinite complexity could not have for its object only the preservation of the finite physical life.

Similarly, a study of the creation of this universe and its mighty and wonderful working leads to the conclusion that in this life truth must ultimately prevail against untruth. The verse points out that just as it is impossible for the earth to subsist for one single day without the physical heavens, similarly, there could be no spiritual life divorced from the heaven of spiritual truths. Just as the earth can discharge its proper functions only so long as it forms a part of the whole universe, even so can man save himself from destruction only by forming a part of the spiritual system around him. The verse, therefore, purports to warn opponents of the Holy Prophet that, as they have cut themselves off from the heaven of spiritual truths, their wealth and possessions would not avail them in the least and the time has now come for their destruction and for the success and prosperity of those who have believed.

It may be noted here that the verse emphatically speaks of the impending destruction of disbelievers. History bears witness to the fact that after the promulgation of this prophecy, the condition of the Meccan idolaters changed quickly from bad to worse until their power was completely broken and Islam reigned supreme in the land.

It may further be noted that the verse under comment lends support to the view that this Surah was revealed towards the close of the Meccan period. At any rate the present verses must have belonged to that period, because they clearly speak of the imminent destruction of the Meccans. The first few verses of the next Surah also deal with the same topic.

The words, So turn away from them in a comely manner, signify that now when the time of the punishment of the Meccans has come, the Holy Prophet should cease to hold religious discussions with them.

Commentary:

The preceding verse spoke of the imminent destruction of disbelievers and the present verse says that God never hesitates to destroy the wicked because, being the Great Creator, He can easily bring into existence a better people after the destruction of their predecessors. This is the implication of the Divine attribute خلاق (the Great Creator) used in the intensified form.

The attribute علیم (All-Knowing) points to the fact that God is well aware of the new order which will shortly replace the old. It will be a much better order and at its advent no one will regret the old order. It may be noted how in this one brief word علیم (All-Knowing), the Quran has condensed so much meaning. The word hints at the excellence of the new social and political order to be introduced by Islam.

It may further be noted that among the first few verses of this Surah the Holy Prophet was told to leave the disbelievers alone, victims to vain hopes, to eat and enjoy themselves for a while (v. 4). The verse under comment says that the time of their promised respite had now come to an end.

The Divine attributes "Great Creator" and "All-Knowing" also furnish an answer to those who wondered whence were to arise the circumstances and conditions which would ensure final victory for Islam. The answer is that God, being the Great Creator and All-Knowing, will not fail to bring about circumstances and conditions necessary for such a victory when the proper time for it arrived.

39:24.

Important Words:

المثانی (the oft-repeated) is the plural of مثنی (mathnan) or مثناة (mathnatun) which is derived from ثنی. They say ثناہ i.e. he doubled it or folded it or bent it. اثنی علیه means, he praised, eulogized or spoke well of him. ثنی (thinan) means, the repetition of a thing; doing it one time after another. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said لا ثنی فی الصدقة i.e. There shall be no repetition in the taking of poor-rate, viz. it shall not be taken twice in the same year. مثنی (mathna) means, two and two or two and two together. مثنی الایادی means, the repeating of a benefit or benefaction; or conferring it twice or thrice. المثانیsignifies the first chapter of the Quran called the فاتحة because it is repeated in every rak‘at of Prayer or because it contains praise of God. It also signifies the Quran altogether. المثانی also means, the verses of the Quran. مثانی الوادی means, the bends of the valley. مثانی الشیء means, the powers and capacities of a thing (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

According to many eminent authorities such as ‘Umar, ‘Ali, Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn Mas‘ud, the words سبع من المثانی signify the opening chapter of the Quran, the فاتحة, because it is repeated and recited in every rak‘at of Prayer. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that السبع المثانی is the opening chapter of the Quran. This chapter is also called ام القرآن (Mother of the Quran) and فاتحة الکتاب (the Opening of the Book). According to Zajjaj and Abu Hayyan, the opening chapter is called السبع المثانی because it contains the praises of God.

The remaining portion of the Quran which follows the opening chapter has been called القرآن العظیم i.e. the Great Quran. The name however, equally applies to the first chapter itself inasmuch as a portion of the Book may rightly be called the Book itself. In fact, there is a saying of the Holy Prophet to the effect that the opening chapter of the Quran is also القرآن العظیم i.e. the Great Quran (Musnad v. 2, p. 448). The first chapter, in fact, constitutes an abridgment of the whole Quran. It may be called the Quran in miniature, all the contents of the Holy Book having been summarized and epitomized in it, while the remainder deals with the same subjects in detail. That the first chapter of the Quran comprises in itself vast subjects was, for the first time, explained and demonstrated by Ahmad, the Promised Messiah. Never had any commentator laid such stress on this subject as did Ahmad, and never before did any theologian elucidate this subject with such clarity.

In the preceding verses it was said that as the truth had been brought home to the Meccans, the Prophet should now turn his attention away from them and leave them to the judgement of God. In the present verse he is told that after having withdrawn himself from them he should now apply himself more and more to the exposition of the teachings of the Quran to the Muslims so that when the hour of their success arrived they might be ready to introduce in the world the new order promulgated by the Holy Book.

20:132.

Important Words:

تمدن (stretch) is derived from مد which means, he strained, extended or stretched a thing. مدنظرہ الیه means, he stretched his eyes towards it (Aqrab).

ازواجا (some classes) is the plural of زوج which means, any sort of thing; sort or species i.e. class; one of a pair or couple of things; a thing having with it a thing of the same kind; a woman’s husband or a man’s wife (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The words, Stretch not thine eyes towards that what We have bestowed on some classes of them, do not mean that the Holy Prophet is here bidden not to covet the worldly possession of disbelievers, for such an interpretation is not only inconsistent with his dignity and nobility of character but also is in conflict with the clauses that immediately follow, viz.and grieve not over them and lower thy wing of mercy for the believers. The real significance of these words is that the Holy Prophet has here been told not to grieve over the fact that disbelievers, instead of feeling grateful to God Who had bestowed riches and prosperity on them, had incurred His wrath on account of their wickedness and now all their glory and power was going to depart and they were about to be destroyed. In fact, it had very much grieved the Holy Prophetthat the disbelievers whom God had blessed with such prosperity were going to be destroyed for their disobedience. He had wished and prayed that they should have believed in him and thus have inherited the spiritual blessings promised to his followers. But instead of this they disobeyed God and defied His Prophet and therefore were going to be destroyed as God had informed the Holy Prophet in the words: and the hour is sure to come (v. 86). This naturally caused much grief to the Holy Prophet who has been here bidden not to grieve for the Meccans, for they had made themselves deserving of this fate, but to devote his merciful attention to the up-bringing of the small community of believers and to look after their moral and spiritual welfare. Incidentally, this injunction also implied a veiled hint about the impending migration of the Holy Prophet and his followers to Medina; for it was not possible to train and bring up the small band of believers as pioneers of the new world order so long as they were in Mecca, where they had no freedom of action. The verse also hints that the Holy Prophet desired to delay and postpone his departure from Mecca out of a heartfelt desire to save the disbelievers, if possible. He is bidden here to wait no longer and prepare for departure.

The words, Stretch not thine eyes towards what We have bestowed on some classes of them, do not refer even to the Companions of the Holy Prophet, as suggested by some commentators, who assert that these words depict the mental condition of some of the Muslims at the time when they saw the caravans of the two Jewish tribes of Banu Quraizah and Banu Nadir laden with jewels, scents, etc. The fact that the whole Surah has been admitted by the consensus of scholarly opinion to have been revealed at Mecca, where there were no Jews, knocks the bottom out of this baseless insinuation.

22:50; 29:51; 51:51, 52; 67:27.

Commentary:

The Holy Prophet is here bidden to announce openly and publicly the impending destruction of the Meccans and leave no ambiguity about it.

Important Words:

کما (because) is usually interpreted as "just as," but the more appropriate meaning here is "because." The word has been used in this sense in 2:152 and 8:6.

المقتسمین (those who have formed themselves into groups) is the plural of المقتسم which is derived from اقتسم which again is derived from قسم which means, he divided or distributed. اقتسمواالمال بینھم means, they divided the property among themselves, each taking his respective share (Aqrab). The word اقتسم does not signify, as some have thought, the act of swearing.

Commentary:

This verse, when read along with the preceding one, means that Divine punishment was about to overtake the Meccans because they had left no stone unturned to bring the Holy Prophet and his followers to grief and had even gone so far as to apportion among themselves the task of persecuting them. Different groups of disbelievers had taken upon themselves different duties with regard to putting obstacles in the way of the Holy Prophet. Some had undertaken to prevent visitors from approaching him, others to tease him when he was engaged in worship, and yet others had assumed the duty of persecuting the poor Muslims in diverse ways. It is to these various unholy tasks which the enemies of the Holy Prophet had set themselves that the word المقتسمین (those who have formed themselves into groups) refers. Some commentators interpret the word المقتسمین as "those who divide the Quran into parts," accepting some and rejecting others, but the more correct rendering is the one given above. In any case it is against accepted Arabic idiom to interpret the word as "those who swear" even though some scholars have supported this interpretation. For a detailed discussion of this verse, see "Tafsir-e-Kabir" by Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II, Second Successor to the Promised Messiah.

Important Words:

عضین (so many lies). عضون is the plural of عضة (‘idatun) which is considered to be derived from both عضا یعضو and عضه یعضه. They say عضا الشاة i.e. he cut the sheep or goat into parts or portions. عضی القوم means, he divided the people into parts or sections. عضة means, he lied or enchanted or calumniated. عضة فلانا means, he reviled such a one or vilified him or accused him with false accusations; he calumniated him. العضة in which both derivations combine, means, a lie or falsehood; a calumny; an enchant-ment; a piece, part or portion of a thing; a party, sect or class of people (Aqrab).

Commentary:

The word عضین as given under Important Words means, many lies or so many lies. This meaning of the word is more appropriate here and better suited to the context than the other meaning viz. "parts." Read with the previous verses, the sense of the present verse would be that the Holy Prophet should announce the approach of the threatened punishment to those people who had divided among themselves the unenviable task of persecuting him and his followers and had declared the Quran to be a bundle of lies. This interpretation disposes of the difficulties incidental to other interpretations of these verses.

Commentary:

The words, We will surely question them all, mean, "We shall call to account all these people for their wicked deeds ."

5:68.

Important Words:

فاصدع (so declare openly). اصدع is derived from صدع. They say صدعه i.e. he clave, split or cracked it. صدع الفلاة means, he traversed or crossed the desert as though he clove it. صدعت الشیء means, I made the thing distinct or plain or clear. صدع بالحق means, he spoke the truth openly or aloud. فاصدع بماتؤمر therefore means: (1) cleave thou, or divide thou (their congregation) with that wherewith thou art charged; (2) distinguish thou therewith between the truth and falsehood; (3) reveal thou or make manifest that with which thou art charged and fear not anyone; or utter thou openly or aloud that with which thou art charged; or (4) order thou or decide thou according to that with which thou art charged, etc. (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse signifies that (1) when God’s decision concerning the punishment of the Meccans and the success of the Faithful has been revealed, the Holy Prophet should announce it openly and desist from further reasoning with the disbelievers; (2) the Holy Prophet should now begin to decide all questions in accordance with the ordinances laid down by Islam and thus should help to introduce the new world order. Taken in this sense, the verse will be found to imply a prophecy regarding the coming migration to Medina of the Holy Prophet.

2:138.

Commentary:

The threatened punishment overtook the Quraish after the migration of the Holy Prophet to Medina in the form of defeats on the fields of battle and other humiliations. In the case of individuals also punishment overtook the leaders of disbelief in diverse ways (Kathir, under v. 5).

6:34; 11:13.

Commentary:

The verse does not mean that the Holy Prophet was grieved because the disbelievers mocked at him but because they associated other gods with God, as referred to in the preceding verse. His grief was due to his jealous love for God, on the one hand, and to his sincere solicitude for his people, on the other, because he knew that by rejecting him they were incurring the displeasure of God and courting their own destruction.

20:131; 50:40; 110:4.

Commentary:

The verse means to say that inasmuch as the main purpose of the Holy Prophet’s advent, viz. the establishment of the Unity of God, was now going to be fulfilled, he should in joyous thanksgiving extol the praise of God and bow down to Him in devoted prostration. The verse also hints that the Holy Prophet should now busy himself all the more in the moral and spiritual training of the Faithful and thus provide practical means of establishing the glory of God. How in these few brief words God has so beautifully taken the burden from the mind of His Prophet!

Important Words:

یقین (death) is derived from یقن and means, removal of doubt; sure knowledge based on thinking and inference; certainty. یقین is of three kinds: علم الیقین and عین الیقین and حق الیقین. The word یقین also means, death (Aqrab & Lane). See also 2:5.

Commentary:

The verse means that now that the hour of victory was coming, the Holy Prophet should devote his time all the more to prayer and devotions without let or hindrance from his enemies who would be deprived of the power of interfering with his work.

The word یقین here signifies "death" but the more common meaning of this word i.e. "certainty" is also applicable here. In this sense, the word یقین would signify the time promised for the punishment of disbelievers and the triumph of truth. Taken in this sense the verse would mean that until that time comes the Holy Prophet and his followers should engage themselves in ever-increasing prayers and devotions in order to ensure its complete and speedy fulfilment.