This document was prepared with borrowed etext for Arthur's Classic
Novels. Etext was prepared by volunteers. XHTML markup by Arthur
Wendover. July 30, 2007. (See source text for details.) This is the
etext version of the book The Message of The Quran translated and
explained by Muhammad Asad, taken from the original etext
koran-asad10.txt.
Arthur's Classic Novels
READ in the name of thy Sustainer, who has created - created man out of a germ-cell! Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One who has taught [man] the use of the pen - taught man what he did not know.
With these opening verses of the ninety-sixth surah - with an allusion to man's humble biological origin as well as to his consciousness and intellect - began, early in the seventh century of the Chnstian era, the revelation of the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad, destined to continue during the twenty-three years of his ministry and to end, shortly before his death, with verse 281 of the second surah:
And be conscious of the Day on which you shall be brought back unto God, whereupon every human being shall be repaid in full for what he has earned, and none shall be wronged;
Between these first and last verses (the first and the last in the chronological order of their revelation)1 unfolds a book which, more than any other single phenomenon known to us, has fundamentally affected the religious, social and political history of the world. No other sacred scripture has ever had a similarly immediate impact upon the lives of the people who first heard its message and, through them and the generations that followed them, on the entire course of civilization. It shook Arabia, and made a nation out of its perennially warring tribes; within a few decades, it spread its world-view far beyond the confines of Arabia and produced the first ideological society known to man; through its insistence on consciousness and knowledge, it engendered among its followers a spirit of intellectual curiosity and independent inquiry, ultimately resulting in that splendid era of learning and scientific research which distinguished the world of Islam at the height of its cultural vigour; and the culture thus fostered by the Qur'an penetrated in countless ways and by-ways into the mind of medieval Europe and gave rise to that revival of Western culture which we call the Renaissance, and thus became in the course of time largely responsible for the birth of what is described as the "age of science": the age in which we are now living.
1 It is to be borne in mind that, in its final compilation, the Qur'an is arranged in
accordance with the inner requirements of its message as a whole, and not in the
chronological order in which the individual surahs or passages were revealed.
All this was, in the final analysis, brought about by the message of the Qur'an: and it was brought about through the medium of the people whom it inspired and to whom it supplied a basis for all their ethical valuations and a direction for all their worldly endeavours: for, never has any book - not excluding the Bible - been read by so many with a comparable intensity and veneration; and never has any other book supplied to so many, and over so long a span of time, a similarly comprehensive answer to the question, "How shall I behave in order to achieve the good life in this world and happiness in the life to come?" However often individual Muslims may have misread this answer, and however far many of them may have departed from the spirit of its message, the fact remains that to all who believed and believe in it, the Qur'an represents the ultimate manifestation of God's grace to man, the ultimate wisdom, and the ultimate beauty of expression: in short, the true Word of God.
This attitude of the Muslims towards the Qur'an perplexes, as a rule, the Westerner who approaches it through one or another of the many existing translations. Where the believer, reading the Qur'an in Arabic, sees beauty, the non-Muslim reader often claims to discern "crudeness"; the coherence of the Qur'anic world-view and its relevance to the human condition escape him altogether and assume the guise of what, in Europe's and America's orientalist literature, is frequently described as "incoherent rambling";2 and passages which, to a Muslim, are expressive of sublime wisdom, often sound "flat" and "uninspiring" to the Western ear. And yet, not even the most unfriendly critics of the Qur'an have ever denied that it did, in fact, provide the supreme source of inspiration - in both the religious and cultural senses of this word - to innumerable millions of people who, in their aggregate, have made an outstanding contribution to man's knowledge, civilization and social achievement. How can this paradox be explained?
2. Thus, for instance, Western critics of the Qur'an frequently point to the allegedly
"incoherent" references to God - often in one and the same phrase - as "He", "God",
"We" or "I", with the corresponding changes of the pronoun from "His" to "Ours" or
"My", or from "Him" to "Us" or "Me". They seem to be unaware of the fact that these
changes are not accidental, and not even what one might describe as "poetic licence",
but are obviously deliberate, a linguistic device meant to stress the idea that God is
not a "person" and cannot, therefore, be really circumscribed by the pronouns applicable
to finite beings.
It cannot be explained by the too-facile argument, so readily accepted by many modern Muslims, that the Qur'an has been "deliberately misrepresented" by its Western translators. For, although it cannot be denied that among the existing translations in almost all of the major European languages there is many a one that has been inspired by malicious prejudice and - especially in earlier times - by misguided "missionary" zeal, there is hardly any doubt that some of the more recent translations are the work of earnest scholars who, without being actuated by any conscious bias, have honestly endeavoured to render the meaning of the Arabic original into this or that European language; and, in addition, there exist a number of modern translations by Muslims who, by virtue of their being Muslims, cannot by any stretch of the imagination be supposed to have "misrepresented" what, to them, was a sacred revelation. Still, none of these translations - whether done by Muslims or by non-Muslims - has so far brought the Qur'an nearer to the hearts or minds of people raised in a different religious and psychological climate and revealed something, however little, of its real depth and wisdom. To some extent this may be due to the conscious and unconscious prejudice against Islam which has pervaded Western cultural notions ever since the time of the Crusades - an intangible heritage of thought and feeling which has left its mark on the attitude towards all things Islamic on the part not only of the Western "man in the street" but also, in a more subtle manner, on the part of scholars bent on objective research. But even this psychological factor does not sufficiently explain the complete lack of appreciation of the Qur'an in the Western world, and this in spite of its undeniable and ever-increasing interest in all that concerns the world of Islam.
It is more than probable that one of the main reasons for this lack of appreciation is to be found in that aspect of the Qur'an which differentiates it fundamentally from all other sacred scriptures: its stress on reason as a valid way to faith as well as its insistence on the inseparability of the spiritual and the physical (and, therefore, also social) spheres of human existence: the inseparability of man's daily actions and behaviour, however "mundane", from his spirltual life and destiny. This absence of any division of reality into "physical" and "spiritual" compartments makes it difficult for people brought up in the orbit of other religions, with their accent on the "supernatural" element allegedly inherent in every true religious experience, to appreciate the predominantly rational approach of the Qur'an to all religious questions. Consequently, its constant interweaving of spiritual teachings with practical legislation perplexes the Western reader, who has become accustomed to identifying "religious experience" with a thrill of numinous awe before things hidden and beyond all intellectual comprehension, and is suddenly confronted with the claim of the Qur'an to being a guidance not only towards the spiritual good of the hereafter but also towards the good life - spiritual, physical and social - attainable in this world. In short, the Westerner cannot readily accept the Qur'anic thesis that all life, being God-given, is a unity, and that problems of the flesh and of the mind, of sex and economics, of individual righteousness and social equity are intimately connected with the hopes which man may legitimately entertain with regard to his life after death. This, in my opinion, is one of the reasons for the negative, uncomprehending attitude of most Westerners towards the Qur'an and its teachings. But still another - and perhaps even more decisive - reason may be found in the fact that the Qur'an itself has never yet been presented in any European language in a manner which would make it truly comprehensible.
When we look at the long list of translations - beginning with the Latin works of the high Middle Ages and continuing up to the present in almost every European tongue - we find one common denominator between their authors, whether Muslims or non-Muslims: all of them were - or are - people who acquired their knowledge of Arabic through academic study alone: that is, from books. None of them, however great his scholarship, has ever been familiar with the Arabic language as a person is familiar with his own, having absorbed the nuances of its idiom and its phraseology with an active, associative response within himself, and hearing it with an ear spontaneously attuned to the intent underlying the acoustic symbolism of its words and sentences. For, the words and sentences of a language - any language - are but symbols for meanings conventionally, and subconsciously, agreed upon by those who express their perception of reality by means of that particular tongue. Unless the translator is able to reproduce within himself the conceptual symbolism of the language in question - that is, unless he hears it "sing" in his ear in all its naturalness and immediacy - his translation will convey no more than the outer shell of the literary matter to which his work is devoted, and will miss, to a higher or lesser degree, the inner meaning of the original: and the greater the depth of the original, the farther must such a translation deviate from its spirit.
No doubt, some of the translators of the Qur'an whose works are accessible to the Western public can be described as outstanding scholars in the sense of having mastered the Arabic grammar and achieved a considerable knowledge of Arabic literature; but this mastery of grammar and this acquaintance with literature cannot by itself, in the case of a translation from Arabic (and especially the Arabic of the Qur'an), render the translator independent of that intangible communion with the spirit of the language which can be achieved only by living with and in it.
Arabic is a Semitic tongue: in fact, it is the only Semitic tongue which has remained uninterruptedly alive for thousands of years; and it is the only living language which has remained entirely unchanged for the last fourteen centuries. These two factors are extremely relevant to the problem which we are considering. Since every language is a framework of symbols expressing its people's particular sense of life-values and their particular way of conveying their perception of reality, it is obvious that the language of the Arabs - a Semitic language which has remained unchanged for so many centuries - must differ widely from anything to which the Western mind is accustomed. The difference of the Arabic idiom from any European idiom is not merely a matter of its syntactic cast and the mode in which it conveys ideas; nor is it exclusively due to the well-known, extreme flexibility of the Arabic grammar arising from its peculiar system of verbal "roots" and the numerous stem-forms which can be derived from these roots; nor even to the extraordinary richness of the Arabic vocabulary: it is a difference of spirit and life-sense. And since the Arabic of the Qur'an is a language which attained to its full maturity in the Arabia of fourteen centuries ago, it follows that in order to grasp its spirit correctly, one must be able to feel and hear this language as the Arabs felt and heard it at the time when the Qur'an was being revealed, and to understand the meaning which they gave to the linguistic symbols in which it is expressed.
We Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the Word of God, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the medium of a human language. It was the language of the Arabian Peninsula: the language of a people endowed with that peculiar quick-wittedness which the desert and its - feel of wide, timeless expanses bestows upon its children: the language of people whose mental images, flowing without effort from association to association, succeed one another in rapid progression and often vault elliptically over intermediate - as it were, "self-understood" - sequences of thought towards the idea which they aim, conceive or express. This ellipticism (called ijaz by the Arab philologists) is an integral characteristic of the Arabic idiom and, therefore, of the language of the Qur'an - so much so that it is impossible to understand its method and inner purport without being able to reproduce within oneself, instinctively, something of the same quality of elliptical, associative thought. Now this ability comes to the educated Arab almost automatically, by a process of mental osmosis, from his early childhood: for, when he learns to speak his tongue properly, he subconsciously acquires the mould of thought within which it has evolved and, thus, imperceptibly grows into the conceptual environment from which the Arabic language derives its peculiar form and mode of expression. Not so, however, the non-Arab who becomes acquainted with Arabic only at a mature age, in result of a conscious effort, that is, through study: for, what he acquires is but a ready-made, outward structure devoid of that intangible quality of ellipticism which gives to the Arabic idiom its inner life and reality.
This does not, however, mean that a non-Arab can never understand Arabic in its true spirit: it means no more and no less than that he cannot really master it through academic study alone, but needs, in addition to philological learning, an instinctive "feel" of the language. Now it so happens that such a "feel" cannot be achieved by merely living among the modern Arabs of the cities. Although many of them, especially the educated ones, may have subconsciously absorbed the spirit of their language, they can only rarely communicate it to an outsider - for the simple reason that, however high their linguistic education, their daily speech has become, in the course of centuries, largely corrupted and estranged from pristine Arabic. Thus, in order to obtain the requisite "feel" of the Arabic language, a non-Arab must have lived in long and intimate association with people whose daily speech mirrors the genuine spirit of their language, and whose mental processes are similar to those of the Arabs who lived at the time when the Arabic tongue received its final colouring and inner form. In our day, such people are only the bedouin of the Arabian Peninsula, and particularly those of Central and Eastern Arabia. For, notwithstanding the many dialectical peculiarities in which their speech may differ from the classical Arabic of the Qur'an, it has remained - so far - very close to the idiom of the Prophet's time and has preserved all its intrinsic characteristics.3 In other words, familiarity with the bedouin speech of Central and Eastern Arabia - in addition, of course, to academic knowledge of classical Arabic - is the only way for a non-Arab of our time to achieve an intimate understanding of the diction of the Qur'an. And because none of the scholars who have previously translated the Qur'an into European languages has ever fulfilled this prerequisite, their translations have remained but distant, and faulty, echoes of its meaning and spirit.
3 It is to be noted that under the impact of modern economic circumstances, which have
radically changed the time-honoured way of life of the bedouin and brought them, by means
of school education and the radio, into direct contact with the Levantine culture of the
cities, the purity of their language is rapidly disappearing and may soon cease to be a
living guide to students of the Arabic tongue.
THE WORK which I am now placing before the public is based on a lifetime of study and of many years spent in Arabia. It is an attempt - perhaps the first attempt - at a really idiomatic, explanatory rendition of the Qur'anic message into a European language.
None the less, I do not claim to have "translated" the Qur'an in the sense in which, say, Plato or Shakespeare can be translated. Unlike any other book, its meaning and its linguistic presentation form one unbreakable whole. The position of individual words in a sentence; the rhythm and sound of its phrases and their syntactic construction, the manner in which a metaphor flows almost imperceptibly into a pragmatic statement, the use of acoustic stress not merely in the service of rhetoric but as a means of alluding to unspoken but clearly implied ideas: all this makes the Qur'an, in the last resort, unique and untranslatable - a fact that has been pointed out by many earlier translators and by all Arab scholars. But although it is impossible to "reproduce" the Qur'an as such in any other language, it is none the less possible to render its message comprehensible to people who, like most Westerners, do not know Arabic at all or - as is the case with most of the educated non-Arab Muslims - not well enough to find their way through it unaided.
To this end, the translator must be guided throughout by the linguistic usage prevalent at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an, and must always bear in mind that some of its expressions - especially such as relate to abstract concepts - have in the course of time undergone a subtle change in the popular mind and should not, therefore, be translated in accordance with the sense given to them by post-classical usage. As has been pointed out by that great Islamic scholar, Muhammad 'Abduh,4 even some of the renowned, otherwise linguistically reliable Qur'an - commentators have occasionally erred in this respect; and their errors, magnified by the inadequacy of modern translators, have led to many a distortion, and sometimes to a total incomprehensibility, of individual Qur'anic passages in their European renditions.
4 The reader will find in my explanatory notes frequent references to views held by Muhammad
'Abduh (1849-1905). His imporiance in the context of the modern world of Islam - can never
be sufficiently stressed. It may be stated without exaggeration that every single trend
in contemporary Islamic thought can be traced back to the influence, direct or indirect,
of this most outstanding of all modern Islamic thinkers. The Qur'an-commentary planned
and begun by him was interrupted by his death in 1905; it was continued (but unfortunately
also left incomplete) by his pupil Rashid Rida under the title Tafsir al-Manar, and has
been extensively used by me. See also Rashid Rida, Ta'rikh al-Ustadh al-Imam ash-Shaykh
Muhammad 'Abduh (Cairo l35~l367 H.), the most authoritative biography of 'Abduh hitherto
published, as well as C. C. Adams, Islam and Modernism in Egypt (London 1933).
Another (and no less important) point which the translator must take fully into account is the ijaz of the Qur'an: that inimitable ellipticism which often deliberately omits intermediate thought-clauses in order to express the final stage of an idea as pithily and concisely as is possible within the limitations of a human language. This method of ijaz is, as I have explained, a peculiar, integral aspect of the Arabic language, and has reached its utmost perfection in the Qur'an. In order to render its meaning into a language which does not function in a similarly elliptical manner, the thought-links which are missing - that is, deliberately omitted - in the original must be supplied by the translator in the form of frequent interpolations between brackets; for, unless this is done, the Arabic phrase concerned loses all its life in the translation and often becomes a meaningless jumble.
Furthermore, one must beware of rendering, in each and every case, the religious terms used in the Qur'an in the sense which they have acquired after Islam had become "institutionalized" into a definite set of laws, tenets and practices. However legitimate this "institutionalization" may be in the context of Islamic religious history, it is obvious that the Qur'an cannot be correctly understood if we read it merely in the light of later ideological developments, losing sight of its original purport and the meaning which it had - and was intended to have - for the people who first heard it from the lips of the Prophet himself. For instance, when his contemporaries heard the words islam and muslim, they understood them as denoting man's "self-surrender to God" and "one who surrenders himself to God", without limiting these terms to any specific community or denomination - e.g., in 3:67, where Abraham is spoken of as having "surrendered himself unto God" (kana musliman), or in 3:52, where the disciples of Jesus say, "Bear thou witness that we have surrendered ourselves unto God (bi-anna muslimun)". In Arabic, this original meaning has remained unimpaired, and no Arab scholar has ever become oblivious of the wide connotation of these terms. Not so, however, the non-Arab of our day, believer and non-believer alike: to him, islam and muslim usually bear a restricted, historically circumscribed significance, and apply exclusively to the followers of the Prophet Muhammad. Similarly, the terms kufr ("denial of the truth") and kafir ("one who denies the truth") have become, in the conventional translations of the Qur'an, unwarrantably simplified into "unbelief" and "unbeliever" or "infidel", respectively, and have thus been deprived of the wide spiritual meaning which the Qur'an gives to these terms; Another example is to be found in the conventional rendering of the word kitab, when applied to the Qur'an, as "book": for, when the Qur'an was being revealed (and we must not forget that this process took twenty-three years), those who listened to its recitation did not conceive of it as a "book" - since it was compiled into one only some decades after the Prophet's death but rather, in view of the derivation of the noun kitab from the verb kataba ("he wrote" or, tropically, "he as a "divine writ" or a "revelation". The same holds true with regard to the Qur'anic use of this term in its connotation of earlier revealed scriptures: for the Qur'an often stresses the fact that those earlier instances of divine writ have largely been corrupted in the course of time, and that the extant holy "books" do not really represent the original revelations. Consequently, the translation of ahl al-kitab as "people of the book" is not very meaningful; in my opinion, the term should be rendered as "followers of earlier revelation".
In short, if it is to be truly comprehensible in another language, the message of the Qur'an must be rendered in such a way as to reproduce, as closely as possible, the sense which it had for the people who were as yet unburdened by the conceptual images of later Islamic developments: and this has been the overriding principle which has guided me throughout my work.
With the exception of two terms, I have endeavoured to circumscribe every Qur'anic concept in appropriate English expressions - an endeavour which has sometimes necessitated the use of whole sentences to convey the meaning of a single Arabic word. The two exceptions from this rule are the terms al-qur'an and surah, since neither of the two has ever been used in Arabic to denote anything but the title of this particular divine writ and each of its sections or "chapters", respectively: with the result that it would have been of no benefit whatsoever to the reader to be presented with "translations" of these two terms.5
5 Etymologically, the word al-qur'an is derived from the verb qara'a ("he read" or "recited"),
and is to be understood as "the reading [par excellence]", while the noun surah might be
rendered as "a step [leading to another step]" and - tropically - as "eminence in degree"
(cf. Lane IV, 1465). It should be noted, however, that when the noun qur'an appears without
the definite article al, it usually has its primary meaning of "recitation" or "discourse",
and may be rendered accordingly.
Apart from these linguistic considerations, I have tried to observe consistently two fundamental rules of interpretation.
Firstly, the Qur'an must not be viewed as a compilation of individual injunctions and exhortations but as one integral whole: that is, as an exposition of an ethical doctrine in which every verse and sentence has an intimate bearing on other verses and sentences, all of them clarifying and amplifying one another. Consequently, its real meaning can be grasped only if we correlate every one of its statements with what has been stated elsewhere in its pages, and try to explain its ideas by means of frequent cross-references, always subordinating the particular to the general and the incidental to the intrinsic. Whenever this rule is faithfully followed, we realize that the Qur'an is - in the words of Muhammad 'Abduh - "its own best commentary"
Secondly, no part of the Qur'an should be viewed from a purely historical point of view: that is to say, all its references to historical circumstances and events - both at the time of the Prophet and in earlier times - must be regarded as illustrations of the human condition and not as ends in themselves. Hence, the consideration of the historical occasion on which a particular verse was revealed - a pursuit so dear, and legitimately so, to the hearts of the classical commentators - must never be allowed to obscure the underlying purport of that verse and its inner relevance to the ethical teaching which the Qur'an, taken as a whole, propounds.
In order to bring out, to the best of my ability, the many facets of the Qur'anic message, I have found it necessary to add to my translation a considerable number of explanatory notes. Certain observations relating to the symbolism of the Qur'an as well as to its eschatology are separately dealt with in Appendix I at the end of this work. In both the notes and the appendices I have tried no more than to elucidate the message of the Qur'an and have, to this end, drawn amply on the works of the great Arab philologists and of the classical commentators. If, on occasion, I have found myself constrained to differ from the interpretations offered by the latter, let the reader remember that the very uniqueness of the Qur'an consists in the fact that the more our worldly knowledge and historical experience increase, the more meanings, hitherto unsuspected, reveal themselves in its pages.
The great thinkers of our past understood this problem fully well. In their commentaries, they approached the Qur'an with their reason: that is to say, they tried to explain the purport of each Qur'anic statement in the light of their superb knowledge of the Arabic language and of the Prophet's teachings - forthcoming from his sunnah - as well as by the store of general knowledge available to them and by the historical and cultural experiences which had shaped human society until their time. Hence, it was only natural that the way in which one commentator understood a particular Qur'anic statement or expression differed occasionally - and sometimes very incisively - from the meaning attributed to it by this or that of his predecessors. In other words, they often contradicted one another in their interpretations: but they did this without any animosity, being fully aware of the element of relativity inherent in all human reasoning, and of each other's integrity. And they were fully aware, too, of the Prophet's profound saying, "The differences of opinion (ikhtilaf) among the learned men of my community are [an outcome of] divine grace (rahmah)" - which clearly implies that such differences of opinion are the basis of all progress in human thinking and, therefore, a most potent factor in man's acquisition of knowledge.
But although none of the truly original, classical Qur'an-commentators ever made any claim to "finality" concerning his own interpretations, it cannot be often enough stressed that without the work of those incomparably great scholars of past centuries, no modern translation of the Qur'an - my own included - could ever be undertaken with any hope of success; and so, even where I differ from their interpretations, I am immeasurably indebted to their learning for the impetus it has given to my own search after truth.
AS REGARDS the style of my translation, I have consciously avoided using unnecessary archaisms, which would only tend to obscure the meaning of the Qur'an to the contemporary reader. On the other hand, I did not see any necessity of rendering the Qur'anic phrases into a deliberately "modern" idiom, which would conflict with the spirit of the Arabic original and jar upon any ear attuned to the solemnity inherent in the concept of revelation. With all this, however, I make no claim to having reproduced anything of the indescribable rhythm and rhetoric of the Qur'an. No one who has truly experienced its majestic beauty could ever be presumptuous enough to make such a claim or even to embark upon such an attempt.
And I am fully aware that my rendering does not and could not really "do justice" to the Qur'an and the layers upon layers of its meaning: for,
if all the sea were ink for my Sustainer's words, the sea would indeed be exhausted ere my Sustainer's words are exhausted. (Qur'an 18:109).
THIS SURAH is also called Fatihat al-Kitab ("The Opening of the Divine Writ"), Umm al-Kitab ("The Essence of the Divine Writ"), Surat al-Hamd ("The Surah of Praise"), Asas al-Qur'an ("The Foundation of the Qur'an"), and is known by several other names as well. It is mentioned elsewhere in the Qur'an as As-Sab' al-Mathani ("The Seven Oft-Repeated [Verses]") because it is repeated several times in the course of each of the five daily prayers. According to Bukhari, the designation Umm al-Kitab was given to it by the Prophet himself, and this in view of the fact that it contains, in a condensed form, all the fundamental principles laid down in the Qur'an: the principle of God's oneness and uniqueness, of His being the originator and fosterer of the universe, the fount of all life-giving grace, the One to whom man is ultimately responsible, the only power that can really guide and help; the call to righteous action in the life of this world ("guide us the straight way"); the principle of life after death and of the organic consequences of man's actions and behaviour (expressed in the term "Day of Judgment"); the principle of guidance through God's message-bearers (evident in the reference to "those upon whom God has bestowed His blessings") and, flowing from it, the principle of the continuity of all true religions (implied in the allusion to people who have lived - and erred - in the past); and, finally, the need for voluntary self-surrender to the will of the Supreme Being and, thus, for worshipping Him alone. It is for this reason that this surah has been formulated as a prayer, to be constantly repeated and reflected upon by the believer. "The Opening" was one of the earliest revelations bestowed upon the Prophet. Some authorities (for instance, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib) were even of the opinion that it was the very first revelation; but this view is contradicted by authentic Traditions quoted by both Bukhari and Muslim, which unmistakably show that the first five verses of surah 96 ("The Germ-Cell") constituted the beginning of revelation. It is probable, however, that whereas the earlier revelations consisted of only a few verses each, "The Opening" was the first surah revealed to the Prophet in its entirety at one time: and this would explain the view held by 'Ali.
1:1
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:1
1:2
ALL PRAISE is due to God alone, the Sustainer of all the worlds,2 (1:3) the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace, (1:4) Lord of the Day of Judgment!
1:5
Thee alone do we worship; and unto Thee alone do we turn for aid.
1:6
Guide us the straight way (1:7) the way of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings,3 not of those who have been condemned [by Thee], nor of those who go astray!4
1 According to most of the authorities, this invocation (which occurs at the beginning of every
surah with the exception of surah 9) constitutes an integral part of "The Opening" and is,
therefore, numbered as verse 1. In all other instances, the invocation "in the name of God"
precedes the surah as such, and is not counted among its verses. - Both the divine epithets
rahman and rahim are derived from the noun rahmah, which signifies "mercy", "compassion",
"loving tenderness" and, more comprehensively, "grace". From the very earliest times, Islamic
scholars have endeavoured to define the exact shades of meaning which differentiate the two
terms. The best and simplest of these explanations is undoubtedly the one advanced by Ibn
al-Qayyim (as quoted in Manar I,48): the term rahman circumscribes the quality of abounding
grace inherent in, and inseparable from, the concept of God's Being, whereas rahim expresses
the manifestation of that grace in, and its effect upon, His creation - in other words, an
aspect of His activity.
2 In this instance, the term "worlds" denotes all categories of existence both in the physical
and the spiritual sense. The Arabic expression rabb - rendered by me as "Sustainer" -
embraces a wide complex of meanings not easily expressed by a single term in another language.
It comprises the ideas of having a just claim to the possession of anything and, consequently,
authority over it, as well as of rearing, sustaining and fostering anything from its inception
to its final completion. Thus, the head of a family is called rabb ad-dar ("master of the house")
because he has authority over it and is responsible for its maintenance; similarly, his wife
is called rabbat ad-dar ("mistress of the house"). Preceded by the definite article al, the
designation rabb is applied, in the Qur'an, exclusively to God as the sole fosterer and
sustainer of all creation - objective as well as conceptual - and therefore the ultimate
source of all authority.
3 i.e., by vouchsafing to them prophetic guidance and enabling them to avail themselves thereof.
4 According to almost all the commentators, God's "condemnation" (ghadab, lit., "wrath") is
synonymous with the evil consequences which man brings upon himself by wilfully rejecting
God's guidance and acting contrary to His injunctions. Some commentators (e.g., Zamakhshari)
interpret this passage as follows: "... the way of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed Thy
blessings - those who have not been condemned [by Thee], and who do not go astray": in
other words, they regard the last two expressions as defining "those upon whom Thou hast
bestowed Thy blessings". Other commentators (e.g., Baghawi and Ibn Kathir) do not subscribe
to this interpretation - which would imply the use of negative definitions - and understand
the last verse of the surah in the manner rendered by me above. As regards the two categories
of people following a wrong course, some of the greatest Islamic thinkers (e.g., Al-Ghazali
or, in recent times, Muhammad 'Abduh) held the view that the people described as having
incurred "God's condemnation" - that is, having deprived themselves of His grace - are those
who have become fully cognizant of God's message and, having understood it, have rejected it;
while by "those who go astray" are meant people whom the truth has either not reached at all,
or to whom it has come in so garbled and corrupted a form as to make it difficult for them
to recognize it as the truth (see 'Abduh in Manar 1,68 ff.).
THE TITLE of this surah is derived from the story narrated in verses 67-73. It is the first surah revealed in its entirety after the Prophet's exodus to Medina, and most of it during the first two years of that period; verses 275-281, however, belong to the last months before the Prophet's death (verse 281 is considered to be the very last revelation which he received).
Starting with a declaration of the purpose underlying the revelation of the Qur'an as a whole - namely, man's guidance in all his spiritual and worldly affairs - Al-Baqarah contains, side by side with its constant stress on the necessity of God-consciousness, frequent allusions to the errors committed by people who followed the earlier revelations, in particular the children of Israel. The reference, in verse 106, to the abrogation of all earlier messages by that granted to the Prophet Muhammad is of the greatest importance for a correct understanding of this surah and indeed of the entire Qur'an. Much of the legal ordinances provided here (especially in the later part of the surah) - touching upon questions of ethics, social relations, warfare, etc.- are a direct consequence of that pivotal statement. Again and again it is pointed out that the legislation of the Qur'an corresponds to the true requirements of man's nature, and as such is but a continuation of the ethical guidance offered by God to man ever since the beginning of human history. Particular attention is drawn to Abraham, the prophet-patriarch whose intense preoccupation with the idea of God's oneness lies at the root of the three great monotheistic religions; and the establishment of Abraham's Temple, the Ka'bah, as the direction of prayer for "those who surrender themselves to God" (which is the meaning of the word musliman, sing. muslim), sets a seal, as it were, on the conscious self-identification of all true believers with the faith of Abraham.
Throughout this surah runs the five-fold Qur'anic doctrine that God is the self-sufficient fount of all being (al-qayyum); that the fact of His existence, reiterated by prophet after prophet, is accessible to man's intellect; that righteous living - and not merely believing - is a necessary corollary of this intellectual perception; that bodily death will be followed by resurrection and judgment; and that all who are truly conscious of their responsibility to God "need have no fear, and neither shall they grieve".
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
2:1
Alif. Lam. Mim.1
2:2
HIS DIVINE WRIT - let there be no doubt about it is [meant to be] a guidance for all the God-conscious2 (2:3) who believe in [the existence of] that which is beyond the reach of human perception,3 and are constant in prayer, and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance;4 (2:4) and who believe in that which has been bestowed from on high upon thee, [O Prophet,] as well as in that which was bestowed before thy time:5 for it is they who in their innermost are certain of the life to come!
1 Regarding the possible significance of the single letters called al-muqatta 'at, which
occur at the beginning of some surahs of the Qur'an, see Appendix II, where the various
theories bearing on this subject are discussed.
2 The conventional translation of muttaqi as "God-fearing" does not adequately render
the positive content of this expression - namely, the awareness of His all-presence
and the desire to mould one's existence in the light of this awareness; while the
interpretation adopted by some translators, "one who guards himself against evil" or
"one who is careful of his duty", does not give more than one particular aspect of
the concept of God-consciousness.
3 Al-ghayb (commonly, and erroneously, translated as "the Unseen") is used in the Qur'an
to denote all those sectors or phases of reality which lie beyond the range of human
perception and cannot, therefore, be proved or disproved by scientific observation or
even adequately comprised within the accepted categories of speculative thought: as,
for instance, the existence of God and of a definite purpose underlying the universe,
life after death, the real nature of time, the existence of spiritual forces and their
interaction, and so forth. Only a person who is convinced that the ultimate reality
comprises far more than our observable environment can attain to belief in God and, thus,
to a belief that life has meaning and purpose. By pointing out that it is "a guidance
for those who believe in the existence of that which is beyond human perception", the
Qur'an says, in effect, that it will - of necessity - remain a closed book to all whose
minds cannot accept this fundamental premise.
4 Ar-rizq ("provision of sustenance") applies to all that may be of benefit to man, whether
it be concrete (like food, property, offspring, etc.) or abstract (like knowledge, piety,
etc.). The "spending on others" is mentioned here in one breath with God-consciousness and
prayer because it is precisely in such selfless acts that true piety comes to its full
fruition. It should be borne in mind that the verb anfaqa (lit., "he spent") is always
used in the Qur'an to denote spending freely on, or as a gift to, others, whatever the
motive may be.
5 This is a reference to one of the fundamental doctrines of the Qur'an: the doctrine
of the historical continuity of divine revelation. Life - so the Qur'an teaches us - is
not a series of unconnected jumps but a continuous, organic process: and this law applies
also to the life of the mind, of which man's religious experience (in its cumulative sense)
is a part. Thus, the religion of the Qur'an can be properly understood only against the
background of the great monotheistic faiths which preceded it, and which, according to
Muslim belief, culminate and achieve their final formulation in the faith of Islam.
2:5
It is they who follow the guidance [which comes] from their Sustainer; and it is they, they who shall attain to a happy state!
2:6
BEHOLD, as for those who are bent on denying the truth6 - it is all one to them whether thou warnest them or dost not warn them: they will not believe. (2:7) God; has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes is a veil;7 and awesome suffering awaits them.
2:8
And there are people who say, "We do believe in God and the Last Day," the while they do not [really] believe. (2:9) They would deceive God and those who have attained to faith - the while they deceive none but themselves, and perceive it not. (2:10) In their hearts is disease, and so God lets their disease increase; and grievous suffering awaits them because of their persistent lying.8
6 In contrast with the frequently occurring term al-kafirun ("those who deny the truth"),
the use of the past tense in alladhina kafaru indicates conscious intent, and is,
therefore, appropriately rendered as "those who are bent on denying the truth". This
interpretation is supported by many commentators, especially Zamakhshari (who, in his
commentary on this verse, uses the expression, "those who have deliberately resolved upon
their kufr"). Elsewhere in the Qur'an such people are spoken of as having "hearts with
which they fail to grasp the truth, and eyes with which they fail to see, and ears with
which they fail to hear" (7:179). - For an explanation of the terms kufr ("denial of
the truth"), kafir ("one who denies the truth"), etc., see note 4 on 74:10, where this
concept appears for the first time in Qur'anic revelation.
7 A reference to the natural law instituted by God, whereby a person who persistently
adheres to false beliefs and refuses to listen to the voice of truth gradually loses
the ability to perceive the truth, "so that finally, as it were, a seal is set upon
his heart" (Raghib). Since it is God who has instituted all laws of nature - which, in
their aggregate, are called sunnat Allah ("the way of God") - this "sealing" is
attributed to Him: but it is obviously a consequence of man's free choice and not an
act of "predestination". Similarly, the suffering which, in the life to come, is in
store for those who during their life in this world have wilfully remained deaf and
blind to the truth, is a natural consequence of their free choice - just as happiness
in the life to come is the natural consequence of man's endeavour to attain to
righteousness and inner illumination. It is in this sense that the Qur'anic references
to God's "reward" and "punishment" must be understood.
8 i.e., before God and man - and to themselves. It is generally assumed that the people to
whom this passage alludes in the first instance are the hypocrites of Medina who, during
the early years after the hijrah, outwardly professed their adherence to Islam while
remaining inwardly unconvinced of the truth of Muhammad's message. However, as is always
the case with Quranic allusions to contemporary or historical events, the above and the
following verses have a general, timeless import inasmuch as they refer to all people
who are prone to deceive themselves in order to evade a spiritual commitment.
2:11
And when they are told, "Do not spread corruption on earth," they answer, "We are but improving things!" (2:12) Oh, verily, it is they, they who are spreading corruption - but they perceive it not?9
2:13
And when they are told, "Believe as other people believe," they answer, "Shall we believe as the weak-minded believe?" Oh, verily, it is they, they who are weak-minded - but they know it not!
2:14
And when they meet those who have attained to faith, they assert, "We believe [as you believe]"; but when they find themselves alone with their evil impulses,10 they say, "Verily, we are with you; we were only mocking!"
9 It would seem that this is an allusion to people who oppose any "intrusion" of religious
considerations into the realm of practical affairs, and thus - often unwittingly, thinking
that they are "but improving things" - contribute to the moral and social confusion
referred to in the subsequent verse.
10 Lit., "their satans" (shayatin, pl. of shaytan). In accordance with ancient Arabic usage,
this term often denotes people "who, through their insolent persistence in evildoing
(tamarrud), have become like satans" (Zamakhshari): an interpretation of the above verse
accepted by most of the commentators. However, the term shaytan - which is derived from
the verb shatana, "he was [or 'became'] remote [from all that is good and true]"
(Lisan al-'Arab, Taj al-'Arus) - is often used in the Qur'an to describe the "satanic"
(i.e., exceedingly evil) propensities in man's own soul, and especially all impulses which
run counter to truth and morality (Raghib).
2:15
God will requite them for their mockery,11 and will leave them for a while in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro: (2:16) [for] it is they who have taken error in exchange for guidance; and neither has their bargain brought them gain, nor have they found guidance [elsewhere].
2:17
Their parable is that of people who kindle a fire: but as soon as it has illumined all around them, God takes away their light and leaves them in utter darkness, wherein they cannot see: (2:18) deaf, dumb, blind - and they cannot turn back.
2:19
Or [the parable] of a violent cloudburst in the sky, with utter darkness, thunder and lightning: they put their fingers into their ears to keep out the peals of thunder, in terror of death; but God encompasses [with His might] all who deny the truth. (2:20) The lightning well-nigh takes away their sight; whenever it gives them light, they advance therein, and whenever darkness falls around them, they stand still.
And if God so willed, He could indeed take away their hearing and their sight:12 for, verily, God has the power to will anything.
11 Lit., "God will mock at them". My rendering is in conformity with the generally accepted
interpretation of this phrase.
12 The obvious implication is: "but He does not will this" - that is, He does not preclude
the possibility that "those who have taken error in exchange for guidance" may one day
perceive the truth and mend their ways. The expression "their hearing and their sight"
is obviously a metonym for man's instinctive ability to discern between good and evil
and, hence, for his moral responsibility. - In the parable of the "people who kindle a
fire" we have, I believe, an allusion to some people's exclusive reliance on what is
termed the "scientific approach" as a means to illumine and explain all the imponderables
of life and faith, and the resulting arrogant refusal to admit that anything could be
beyond the reach of man's intellect. This "overweening arrogance", as the Qur'an terms
it, unavoidably exposes its devotees - and the society dominated by them - to the
lightning of disillusion which "well-nigh takes away their sight", i.e., still further
weakens their moral perception and deepens their "terror of death".
2:21
O MANKIND! Worship your Sustainer, who has created you and those who lived before you, so that you might remain conscious of Him (2:22) who has made the earth a resting-place for you and the sky a canopy, and has sent down water from the sky and thereby brought forth fruits for your sustenance: do not, then, claim that there is any power that could rival God,13 when you know [that He is One].
2:23
And if you doubt any part of what We have, bestowed from on high, step by step, upon Our servant [Muhammad],14 then produce a surah of similar merit, and call upon any other than God to bear witness for you15 - if what you say is true! (2:24) And if you cannot do it - and most certainly you cannot do it - then be conscious of the fire whose fuel is human beings and stones16 which awaits all who deny the truth!
13 Lit., "do not give God any compeers" (andad, pl. of nidd ). There is full agreement among
all commentators that this term implies any object of adoration to which some or all of God's
qualities are ascribed, whether it be conceived as a deity "in its own right" or a saint
supposedly possessing certain divine or semi-divine powers. This meaning can be brought out
only by a free rendering of the above phrase.
14 i.e., the message of which the doctrine of God's oneness and uniqueness is the focal point.
By the use of the word "doubt" (rayb), this passage is meant to recall the opening sentence
of this surah : "This divine writ - let there be no doubt about it...", etc. The
gradualness of revelation is implied in the grammatical form nazzalna - which is important
in this context inasmuch as the opponents of the Prophet argued that the Qur'an could not
be of divine origin because it was being revealed gradually, and not in one piece (Zamakhshari).
15 Lit., "come forward with a surah like it, and call upon your witnesses other than God" -
namely, "to attest that your hypothetical literary effort could be deemed equal to any part
of the Qur'an." This challenge occurs in two other places as well (10:38 and 11:13, in
which latter case the unbelievers are called upon to produce ten chapters of comparable
merit); see also 17:88.
16 This evidently denotes all objects of worship to which men turn instead of God -
their powerlessness and inefficacy being symbolized by the lifelessness of stones -
while the expression "human beings" stands here for human actions deviating from the
way of truth (cf. Manar 1,197): the remembrance of all of which is bound to increase
the sinner's suffering in the hereafter, referred to in the Qur'an as "hell".
2:25
But unto those who have attained to faith and do good works give the glad tiding that theirs shall be gardens through which running waters flow. Whenever they are granted fruits therefrom as their appointed sustenance, they will say, "It is this that in days of yore was granted to us as our sustenance!" - for they shall be given something that will recall that [past].17 And there shall they have spouses pure, and there shall they abide.
2:26
Behold, God does not disdain to propound a parable of a gnat, or of something [even] less than that.18 Now, as for those who have attained to faith, they know that it is the truth from their Sustainer - whereas those who are bent on denying the truth say, "What could God mean by this parable?"
In this way does He cause many a one to go astray, just as He guides many a one aright: but none does He cause thereby to go astray save the iniquitous, (2:27) who break their bond with God after it has been established [in their nature],19 and cut asunder what God has bidden to be joined, and spread corruption on earth: these it is that shall be the losers.
17 Lit., "something resembling it". Various interpretations, some of them of an esoteric and
highly speculative nature, have been given to this passage. For the manner in which I have
translated it, I am indebted to Muhammad 'Abduh (in Manar I,232 f.), who interprets the phrase,
"It is this that in days of yore was granted to us as our sustenance" as meaning: "It is this
that we have been promised during our life on earth as a requital for faith and righteous deeds."
In other words, man's actions and attitudes in this world will be mirrored in their "fruits",
or consequences, in the life to come - as has been expressed elsewhere in the Qur'an in the
verses, "And he who shall have done an atom's weight of good, shall behold it; and he who shall
have done an atom's weight of evil, shall behold it" (99:7-8). As regards the reference
to "spouses" in the next sentence, it is to be noted that the term zawj (of which azwaj is
the plural) signifies either of the two components of a couple - that is, the male as
well as the female.
18 Lit., "something above it", i.e., relating to the quality of smallness stressed here -
as one would say, "such-and-such a person is the lowest of people, and even more than
that" (Zamakhshari). The reference to "God's parables", following as it does immediately
upon a mention of the gardens of paradise and the suffering through hell-fire in the
life to come, is meant to bring out the allegorical nature of this imagery.
19 The "bond with God" (conventionally translated as "God's covenant") apparently refers here
to man's moral obligation to use his inborn gifts - intellectual as well as physical -
in the way intended for them by God. The "establishment" of this bond arises from the
faculty of reason which, if properly used, must lead man to a realization of his own
weakness and dependence on a causative power and, thus, to a gradual cognition of God's
will with reference to his own behaviour. This interpretation of the "bond with God" seems
to be indicated by the fact that there is no mention of any specific "covenant" in either
the preceding or the subsequent verses of the passage under consideration. The deliberate
omission of any explanatory reference in this connection suggests that the expression
"bond with God" stands for something that is rooted in the human situation as such, and
can, therefore, be perceived instinctively as well as through conscious experience: namely,
that innate relationship with God which makes Him "closer to man than his neck-vein"
(50:16). For an explanation of the subsequent reference to "what God has bidden to be
joined", see surah 13, note 43.
2:28
How can you refuse to acknowledge God, seeing that you were lifeless and He gave you life, and that He will cause you to die and then will bring you again to life, whereupon unto Him you will be brought back?
2:29
He it is who has created for you all that is on earth, and has applied His design to the heavens and fashioned them into seven heavens;20 and He alone has full knowledge of everything.
2:30
AND LO!21 Thy Sustainer said unto the angels: "Behold, I am about to establish upon earth one who shall inherit it."22
They said: "Wilt Thou place on it such as will spread corruption thereon and shed blood - whereas it is we who extol Thy limitless glory, and praise Thee, and hallow Thy name?"
[God] answered: "Verily, I know that which you do not know."
20 The term sama' ("heaven" or "sky") is applied to anything that is spread like a canopy above
any other thing. Thus, the visible skies which stretch like a vault above the earth and form,
as it were, its canopy, are called sama: and this is the primary meaning of this term in the
Qur'an; in a wider sense, it has the connotation of "cosmic system". As regards the "seven
heavens", it is to be borne in mind that in Arabic usage - and apparently in other Semitic
languages as well - the number "seven" is often synonymous with "several" (see Lisan al-'Arab),
just as "seventy" or "seven hundred" often means "many" or "very many" (Taj al-'Arus). This,
taken together with the accepted linguistic definition that "every sama' is a sama' with
regard to what is below it" (Raghib), may explain the "seven heavens" as denoting the
multiplicity of cosmic systems. - For my rendering of thumma, at the beginning of this
sentence, as "and", see surah 7, first part of note 43.
21 The interjection "lo" seems to be the only adequate rendering, in this context, of the
particle idh, which is usually - and without sufficient attention to its varying uses in
Arabic construction - translated as "when". Although the latter rendering is often justified,
idh is also used to indicate "the sudden, or unexpected, occurrence of a thing"
(cf. Lane 1, 39), or a sudden turn in the discourse. The subsequent allegory, relating as
it does to the faculty of reason implanted in man, is logically connected with the preceding
passages.
22 Lit., "establish on earth a successor" or a "vice-gerent". The term khalffah - derived from the verb khalafa, "he succeeded [another] " - is used in this allegory to denote man's rightful supremacy on earth, which is most suitably rendered by the expression "he shall inherit the earth" (in the sense of being given possession of it). See also 6:165, 27:62 and 35:39, where all human beings are - spoken of as khala'if al-ard.
2:31
And He imparted unto Adam the names of all things;23 then He brought them within the ken of the angels and said: "Declare unto Me the names of these [things], if what you say is true."24
2:32
They replied: "Limitless art Thou in Thy glory! No knowledge have we save that which Thou hast imparted unto us. Verily, Thou alone art all-knowing, truly wise."
2:33
Said He: "O Adam, convey unto them the names of these [things]."
And as soon as [Adam] had conveyed unto them their names, [God] said: "Did I not say unto you, 'Verily, I alone know the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth, and know all that you bring into the open and all that you would conceal'?"
2:34
And when We told the angels, "Prostrate yourselves before Adam!"25 - they all prostrated themselves, save Iblis, who refused and gloried in his arrogance: and thus he became one of those who deny the truth.26
23 Lit., "all the names". The term ism ("name") implies, according to all philologists,
an expression "conveying the knowledge [of a thing] ... applied to denote a substance
or an accident or an attribute, for the purpose of distinction" (Lane IV, 1435): in
philosophical terminology, a "concept". From this it may legitimately be inferred that
the "knowledge of all the names" denotes here man's faculty of logical definition and,
thus, of conceptual thinking. That by "Adam" the whole human race is meant here becomes
obvious from the preceding reference, by the angels, to "such as will spread corruption
on earth and will shed blood", as well as from 7:11.
24 Namely, that it was they who, by virtue of their purity, were better qualified to
"inherit the earth".
25 To show that, by virtue of his ability to think conceptually, man is superior in this
respect even to the angels.
26 For an explanation of the name of the Fallen Angel, see surah 7, note 10. The fact of
this "rebellion", repeatedly stressed in the Qur'an, has led some of the commentators to
the conclusion that he could not have been one of the angels, since these are incapable
of sinning: "they do not bear themselves with false pride... and they do whatever they
are bidden to do" (16:49-50). As against this, other commentators point to the Qur'anic
phrasing of God's command to the angels and of Iblis' refusal to obey, which makes it
absolutely clear that at the time of that command he was indeed one of the heavenly host.
Hence, we must assume that his "rebellion" has a purely symbolic significance and is,
in reality, the outcome of a specific function assigned to him by God
(see note 31 on 15:41).
2:35
And We said: "O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in this garden,27 and eat freely thereof, both of you, whatever you may wish; but do not approach this one tree, lest you become wrongdoers."28
2:36
But Satan caused them both to stumble therein, and thus brought about the loss of their erstwhile state.29 And so We said: "Down with you, [and be henceforth] enemies unto one another; and on earth you shall have your abode and your livelihood for a while!"30
27 Lit., "the garden". There is a considerable difference of opinion among the commentators as
to what is meant here by "garden": a garden in the earthly sense, or the paradise that awaits
the righteous in the life to come, or some special garden in the heavenly regions? According
to some of the earliest commentators (see Manar I, 277), an earthly abode is here alluded to -
namely, an environment of perfect ease, happiness and innocence. In any case, this story of
Adam is obviously one of the allegories referred to in 3:7.
28 This tree is alluded to elsewhere in the Qur'an (20: 120) as "the tree of life eternal",
and in the ...
29 Lit., "brought them out of what they had been in": i.e., by inducing them to eat the
fruit of the forbidden tree.
30 With this sentence, the address changes from the hitherto-observed dual form to the plural:
a further indication that the moral of the story relates to the human race as a whole.
See also surah 7, note 16.
2:37
Thereupon Adam received words [of guidance] from his Sustainer, and He accepted his repentance: for, verily, He alone is the Acceptor of Repentance, the Dispenser of Grace. (2:38) [For although] We did say, "Down with you all from this [state]," there shall, none the less, most certainly come unto you guidance from Me: and those who follow My guidance need have no fear, and neither shall they grieve; (2:39) but those who are bent on denying the truth and giving the lie to Our messages - they are destined for the fire, and therein shall they abide.
2:40
O CHILDREN of Israel!31 Remember those blessings of Mine with which I graced you, and fulfil your promise unto Me, [whereupon] I shall fulfil My promise unto you; and of Me, of Me stand in awe!
31 This passage connects directly with the preceding passages in that it refers to the
continuous guidance vouchsafed to man through divine revelation. The reference to the
children of Israel at this point, as in so many other places in the Qur'an, arises
from the fact that their religious beliefs represented an earlier phase of the monotheistic
concept which culminates in the revelation of the Qur'an.
2:41
Believe in that which I have [now] bestowed from on high, confirming the truth already in your possession, and be not foremost among those who deny its truth; and do not barter away My messages for a trifling gain;32 and of Me, of Me be conscious!
2:42
And do not overlay the truth with falsehood, and do not knowingly suppress the truth;33 (2:43) and be constant in prayer, and spend in charity,34 and bow down in prayer with all who thus bow down.
32 A reference to the persistent Jewish belief that they alone among all nations have been
graced by divine revelation. The "trifling gain" is their conviction that they are "God's
chosen people" - a claim which the Qur'an consistently refutes.
33 By "overlaying the truth with falsehood" is meant the corrupting of the Biblical text, of
which the Qur'an frequently accuses the Jews (and which has since been established by objective
textual criticism), while the "suppression of the truth" refers to their disregard or
deliberately false interpretation of the words of Moses in the Biblical passage, "The Lord
thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like
unto me; unto him ye shall hearken" (Deuteronomy xviii, 15), and the words attributed to
God Himself, "I will raise them up a prophet from among thy brethren, like unto thee, and
will put My words in his mouth" (Deuteronomy xviii, 18). The "brethren" of the children
of Israel are obviously the Arabs, and particularly the musta'ribah ("Arabianized") group
among them, which traces its descent to Ishmael and Abraham: and since it is to this group
that the Arabian Prophet's own tribe, the Quraysh, belonged, the above Biblical passages
must be taken as referring to his advent.
34 In Islamic Law, zakah denotes an obligatory tax, incumbent on Muslims, which is meant to
purify a person's capital and income from the taint of selfishness (hence the name). The
proceeds of this tax are to be spent mainly, but not exclusively, on the poor. Whenever,
therefore, this term bears the above legal implication, I translate it as "the purifying dues".
Since, however, in this verse it refers to the children of Israel and obviously implies only
acts of charity towards the poor, it is more appropriate to translate it as "almsgiving"
or "charity". I have also adopted this latter rendering in all instances where the term
zakah, though relating to Muslims, does not apply specifically to the obligatory tax as
such (e.g., in 73:20, where this term appears for the first time in the chronology of
revelation).
2:44
Do you bid other people to be pious, the while you forget your own selves - and yet you recite the divine writ? Will you not, then, use your reason?
2:45
And seek aid in steadfast patience and prayer: and this, indeed, is a hard thing for all but the humble in spirit, (2:46) who know with certainty that they shall meet their Sustainer and that unto Him they shall return.
2:47
O children of Israel! Remember those blessings of Mine with which I graced you, and how I favoured you above all other people; (2:48) and remain conscious of [the coming of] a Day when no human being shall in the least avail another, nor shall intercession be accepted from any of them, nor ransom taken from them,35 and none shall be succoured.
2:49
And [remember the time] when We saved you from Pharaoh's people, who afflicted you with cruel suffering, slaughtering your sons and sparing [only] your women36 - which was an awesome trial from your Sustainer; (2:50) and when We cleft the sea before you, and thus saved you and caused Pharaoh's people to drown before your very eyes; (2:51) and when We appointed for Moses forty nights [on Mount Sinai], and in his absence you took to worshipping the [golden] calf, and thus became evildoers: (2:52) yet, even after that, We blotted out this your sin, so that you might have cause to be grateful.37
35 The "taking of ransom ('adl)" is an obvious allusion to the Christian doctrine of vicarious
redemption as well as to the Jewish idea that "the chosen people" - as the Jews considered
themselves - would be exempt from punishment on the Day of Judgment. Both these ideas are
categorically refuted in the Qur'an.
36 See Exodus i, 15-16, 22.
37 The story of the golden calf is dealt with at greater length in 7:148 ff. and 20:85 ff.
Regarding the crossing of the Red Sea, to which verse 50 above alludes, see 20:77-78 and
26:63-66, as well as the corresponding notes. The forty nights (and days) which Moses
spent on Mount Sinai are mentioned again in 7:142.
2:53
And [remember the time] when We vouchsafed unto Moses the divine writ - and [thus] a standard by which to discern the true from the false38 - so that you might be guided aright; (2:54) and when Moses said unto his people: "O my people! Verily, you have sinned against yourselves by worshipping the calf; turn, then in repentance to your Maker and mortify yourselves;39 this will be the best for you in your Maker's sight."
And thereupon He accepted your repentance: for, behold, He alone is the Acceptor of Repentance, the Dispenser of Grace.
2:55
And [remember] when you said, "O Moses indeed we shall not believe thee unto we see God face to face!" - whereupon the thunderbolt of punishment40 overtook you before your very eyes.
2:56
But We raised you again after you had been as dead,41 so that you might have cause to be grateful.
38 Muhammad 'Abduh amplifies the above interpretation of al-furqan (adopted by Tabari,
Zamakhshari and other great commentators) by maintaining that it applies also to "human
reason, which enables us to distinguish the true from the false" (Manar 111, 160),
apparently basing this wider interpretation on 8:41, where the battle of Badr is described
as yawm al-furqan ("the day on which the true was distinguished from the false"). While
the term furgdn is often used in the Qur'an to describe one or another of the revealed
scriptures, and particularly the Qur'an itself, it has undoubtedly also the connotation
pointed out by 'Abduh: for instance, in 8:29, where it clearly refers to the faculty of
moral valuation which distinguishes every human being who is truly conscious of God.
39 Lit., "kill yourselves" or, according to some commentators, "kill one another". This
literal interpretation (probably based on the Biblical account in Exodus xxxii, 26-28)
is not, however, convincing in view of the immediately preceding call to repentance and
the subsequent statement that this repentance was accepted by God. I incline, therefore,
to the interpretation given by 'Abd al-Jabbar (quoted by Razi in his commentary on this
verse) to the effect that the expression "kill yourselves" is used here in a metaphorical
sense (majazan), i.e., "mortify yourselves".
40 The Qur'an does not state what form this "thunderbolt of punishment" (as-sa'iqah) took.
The lexicographers give various interpretations to this word, but all agree on the element
of vehemence and suddenness inherent in it (see Lane IV, 1690).
41 Lit., "after your death". The expression mawt does not always denote physical death. Arab
philologists - e.g., Raghib - explain the verb mata (lit., "he died") as having, in
certain contexts, the meaning of "he became deprived of sensation, dead as to the senses";
and occasionally as "deprived of the intellectual faculty, intellectually dead"; and sometimes
even as "he slept" (see Lane VII, 2741).
2:57
And We caused the clouds to comfort you with their shade, and sent down unto you manna and quails. [saying,] "Partake of the good things which We have provided for you as sustenance."
And [by all their sinning] they did no harm unto Us - but [only] against their own selves did they sin.
2:58
And [remember the time] when We said: "Enter this land,42 and eat of its food as you may desire abundantly; but enter the gate humbly and say, 'Remove Thou from us the burden of our sins',43 [whereupon] We shall forgive you your sins, and shall amply reward the doers of good."
2:59
But those who were bent on evildoing substituted another saying for that which had been given them:44 and so We sent down upon those evildoers a plague from heaven in requital for all their iniquity.
42 The word qaryah primarily denotes a "village" or "town", but is also used in the sense of
"land". Here it apparently refers to Palestine.
43 This interpretation of the word hittah is recorded by most of the lexicographers
(cf. Lane II, 592) on the basis of what many Companions of the Prophet said about it
(for the relevant quotations, see Ibn Kathir in his commentary on this verse). Thus,
the children of Israel were admonished to take possession of the promised land
("enter the gate") in a spirit of humility (lit., "prostrating yourselves"), and
not to regard it as something that was "due" to them.
44 According to several Traditions (extensively quoted by Ibn Kathir), they played, with a
derisive intent, upon the word hittah, substituting for it something irrelevant or meaningless.
Muhammad 'Abduh, however, is of the opinion that the "saying" referred to in verse 58 is
merely a metaphor for an attitude of mind demanded of them, and that, correspondingly, the
"substitution" signifies here a wilful display of arrogance in disregard of God's command
(see Manar I, 324 f.).
2:60
And [remember] when Moses prayed for water for his people and We replied, "Strike the rock with thy staff!" - whereupon twelve springs gushed forth from it, so that all the people knew whence to drink.45 [And Moses said:] "Eat and drink the sustenance provided by God, and do not act wickedly on earth by spreading corruption."
2:61
And [remember] when you said: "O Moses, indeed we cannot endure but one kind of food; pray, then, to thy Sustainer that He bring forth for us aught of what grows from the earth - of its herbs, its cucumbers, its garlic, its lentils, its onions."
Said [Moses]: "Would you take a lesser thing in exchange for what is [so much] better?46 Go back in shame to Egypt, and then you can have what you are asking for!"47
And so, ignominy and humiliation overshadowed them, and they earned the burden of God's condemnation: all this, because they persisted in denying the truth of God's messages and in slaying the prophets against all right: all this, because they rebelled [against God], and persisted in transgressing the bounds of what is right.48
45 i.e., according to their tribal divisions.
46 i.e., "Would you exchange your freedom for the paltry comforts which you enjoyed in
your Egyptian captivity?" In the course of their wanderings in the desert of Sinai, many
Jews looked back with longing to the comparative security of their life in Egypt, as has
been explicitly stated in the Bible (Numbers xi), and is, moreover, evident from Moses'
allusion to it in the next sentence of the above Qur'anic passage.
47 The verb habata means, literally, "he went down a declivity"; it is also used figuratively
in the sense of falling from dignity and becoming mean and abject (cf. Lane VIII, 2876).
Since the bitter exclamation of Moses cannot be taken literally, both of the above meanings
of the verb may be combined in this context and agreeably translated as "go back in shame
to Egypt".
48 This passage obviously refers to a later phase of Jewish history. That the Jews actually
did kill some of their prophets is evidenced, for instance, in the story of John the Baptist,
as well as in the more general accusation uttered, according to the Gospel, by Jesus:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent
unto thee" (Matthew xxiii, 37). See also Matthew xxiii, 34-35, Luke xi, 51 - both of which,
refer to the murder of Zachariah - and I Thessalonians ii, 15. The implication of continuity
in, or persistent repetition of, their wrongdoing transpires from the use of the auxiliary
verb kanu in this context.
2:62
VERILY, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians49 - all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds - shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.50
2:63
AND LO! We accepted your solemn pledge, raising Mount Sinai high above you,51 [and saying;] "Hold fast with [all your] strength unto what We have vouchsafed you, and bear in mind all that is therein, so that you might remain conscious of God!"
49 The Sabians seem to have been a monotheistic religious group intermediate between
Judaism and Christianity. Their name (probably derived from the Aramaic verb tsebha',
"he immersed himself [in water]") would indicate that they were followers of John the
Baptist - in which case they could be identified with the Mandaeans, a community which
to this day is to be found in Iraq. They are not to be confused with the so-called
"Sabians of Harran", a gnostic sect which still existed in the early centuries of Islam,
and which may have deliberately adopted the name of the true Sabians in order to obtain
the advantages accorded by the Muslims to the followers of every monotheistic faith.
50 The above passage - which recurs in the Qur'an several times - lays down a fundamental
doctrine of Islam. With a breadth of vision unparalleled in any other religious faith,
the idea of "salvation" is here made conditional upon three elements only: belief in God,
belief in the Day of Judgment, and righteous action in life. The statement of this doctrine
at this juncture - that is, in the midst of an appeal to the children of Israel - is
warranted by the false Jewish belief that their descent from Abraham entitles them to
be regarded as "God's chosen people".
51 Lit., "and We raised the mountain (at-tur) above you": i.e., letting the lofty mountain bear
witness, as it were, to their solemn pledge, spelled out in verse 83 below. Throughout my
translation of the Qur'an, I am rendering the expression at-tur as "Mount Sinai", since it
is invariably used in this sense alone.
2:64
And you turned away after that! And had it not been for God's favour upon you and His grace, you would surely have found yourselves among the lost; (2:65) for you are well aware of those from among you who profaned the Sabbath, whereupon We said unto them, "Be as apes despicable!" - (2:66) and set them up as a warning example for their time and for all times to come, as well as an admonition to all who are conscious of God.52
2:67
AND LO! Moses said unto his people: "Behold, God bids you to sacrifice a cow."53 They said: "Dost thou mock at us?" He answered: "I seek refuge with God against being so ignorant!"54
2:68
Said they: "Pray on our behalf unto thy Sustainer that He make clear to us what she is to be like." [Moses] replied: "Behold, He says it is to be a cow neither old nor immature, but of an age in-between. Do, then, what you have been bidden!"
2:69
Said they: "Pray on our behalf unto thy Sustainer that He make clear to us what her colour should be." [Moses] answered: "Behold; He says it is to be a yellow cow, bright of hue, pleasing to the beholder."
2:70
Said' they: "Pray on our behalf unto thy Sustainer that He make clear to us what she is to be like, for to us all cows resemble one another; and then, if God so wills, we shall truly be guided aright!"
2:71
[Moses] answered: "Behold, He says it is to be a cow not broken-in to plough the earth or to water the crops, free of fault, without markings of any other colour."
Said they: "At last thou hast brought out the truth!" - and thereupon they sacrificed her, although they had almost left it undone.55
52 For the full story of the Sabbath-breakers, and the metaphorical allusion to "apes",
see 7:163-166. The expression ma bayna yadayhd, rendered here as "their time", is
explained in surah 3, note 3.
53 As is evident from verse 72, the story related in this and the subsequent passages
almost certainly refers to the Mosaic law which ordains that in certain cases of unresolved
murder a cow should be sacrificed, and the elders of the town or village nearest to the
place of the murder should wash their hands over it and declare, "Our hands have not shed
this blood, neither have our eyes seen it" - whereupon the community would be absolved of
collective responsibility. For the details of this Old Testament ordinance, see Deuteronomy
xxi, 1-9.
54 Lit., "lest I be one of the ignorant". The imputation of mockery was obviously due to the
fact that Moses promulgated the above ordinance in very general terms, without specifying
any details.
55 i.e., their obstinate desire to obtain closer and closer definitions of the simple commandment
revealed to them through Moses had made it almost impossible for them to fulfil it. In his
commentary on this passage; Tabari quotes the following remark of Ibn 'Abbas: "If [in the
first instance] they had sacrificed any cow chosen by themselves, they would have fulfilled
their duty; but they made it complicated for themselves, and so God made it complicated
for them." A similar view has been expressed, in the same context, by Zamakhshari. It
would appear that the moral of this story points to an important problem of all (and,
therefore, also of Islamic) religious jurisprudence: namely, the inadvisability of trying
to elicit additional details in respect of any religious law that had originally been given
in general terms - for, the more numerous and multiform such details become, the more
complicated and rigid becomes the law. This point has been acutely grasped by Rashid Rida,
who says in his commentary on the above Qur'anic passage (see Manar I, 345 f.): "Its
lesson is that one should not pursue one's [legal] inquiries in such a way as to make laws
more complicated ... This was how the early generations [of Muslims] visualized the problem.
They did not make things complicated for themselves - and so, for them, the religious law
(din) was natural, simple and liberal in its straightforwardness. But those who came later
added to it [certain other] injunctions which they had deduced by means of their own
reasoning (ijtihad); and they multiplied those [additional] injunctions to such an extent
that the religious law became a heavy burden on the community." For the sociological reason
why the genuine ordinances of Islamic Law - that is, those which have been prima facie
laid down as such in the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet - are almost always devoid
of details, I would refer the reader to my book State and Government in Islam (pp. 11 ff.
and passim). The importance of this problem, illustrated in the above story of the cow - and
correctly grasped by the Prophet's Companions - explains why this surah has been entitled
"The Cow". (See also 5 : 101 and the corresponding notes 120-123.)
2:72
For, O children of Israel, because you had slain a human being and then cast the blame for this [crime] upon one another - although God will bring to light what you would conceals56 - (73) We said: "Apply this [principle] to some of those [cases of unresolved murder]:57 in this way God saves lives from death and shows you His will, so that you might [learn to] use your reason."58
2:74
And yet, after all this, your hearts hardened and became like rocks, or even harder: for, behold, there are rocks from which streams gush forth; and, behold, there are some from which, when they are cleft, water issues; and, behold, there are some that fall down for awe of God59. And God is not unmindful of what you do!
56 See note 53 above. The use of the plural "you" implies the principle of collective, communal
responsibility stipulated by Mosaic Law in cases of murder by a person or persons unknown.
God's bringing the guilt to light obviously refers to the Day of Judgment.
57 The phrase idribuhu bi-ba'diha can be literally translated as "strike him [or "it"]
with something of her [or "it"]" - and this possibility has given rise to the fanciful
assertion by many commentators that the children of Israel were commanded to strike the
corpse of the murdered man with some of the flesh of the sacrificed cow, whereupon he was
miraculously restored to life and pointed out his murderer! Neither the Qur'an, nor any
saying of the Prophet, nor even the Bible offers the slightest warrant for this highly
imaginative explanation, which must, therefore, be rejected - quite apart from the fact
that the pronoun hu in idribahu has a masculine gender, while the noun nafs (here translated
as "human being") is feminine in gender: from which it follows that the imperative
idribuhu cannot possibly refer to nafs. On the other hand, the verb daraba (lit.,
"he struck") is very often used in a figurative or metonymic sense, as, for instance, in
the expression daraba fi'l-ard ("he journeyed on earth"), or daraba 'sh-shay' bi'sh-shay'
("he mixed one thing with another thing"), or daraba mathal ("he coined a similitude" or
"propounded a parable" or "gave an illustration"), or 'ala darb wahid ("similarly applied"
or "in the same manner"), or duribat 'alayhim adh-dhillah ("humiliation was imposed on them"
or "applied to them"), and so forth. Taking all this into account, I am of the opinion that
the imperative idribuhu occurring in the above Qur'anic passage must be translated as
"apply it" or "this" (referring, in this context, to the principle of communal responsibility).
As for the feminine pronoun ha in ba'diha ("some of it"), it must necessarily relate to
the nearest preceding feminine noun - that is, to the nafs that has been murdered, or the
act of murder itself about which (fiha) the community disagreed. Thus, the phrase idribuhu
bi-ba'diha may be suitably rendered as "apply this [principle] to some of those [cases of
unresolved murder]": for it is obvious that the principle of communal responsibility for
murder by a person or persons unknown can be applied only to some and not to all such cases.
58 Lit., "God gives life to the dead and shows you His messages" (i.e., He shows His will by
means of such messages or ordinances). The figurative expression "He gives life to the dead"
denotes the saving of lives, and is analogous to that in 5:32. In this context it refers to
the prevention of bloodshed and the killing of innocent persons (Manor 1, 351), be it through
individual acts of revenge, or in result of an erroneous judicial process based on no more
than vague suspicion and possibly misleading circumstantial evidence.
59 For an explanation of this allusion, see 7:143. The simile of "the rocks from which streams
gush forth" or "from which water issues" serves to illustrate its opposite, namely, dryness
and lack of life, and is thus an allusion to the spiritual barrenness with which the Qur'an
charges the children of Israel.
2:75
CAN YOU, then, hope that they will believe in what you are preaching60 - seeing that a good many of them were wont to listen to the word of God and then, after having understood it, to pervert it knowingly?61 (2:76) For, when they meet those who have attained to faith. they say, "We believe [as you believe]" - but when they find themselves alone with one another, they say. "Do you inform them of what God has disclosed to you, so that they might use it in argument against you, quoting the words of your Sustainer?62 Will you not then, use your reason?"
2:77
Do they not know, then, that God is aware of all that they would conceal as well as of all that they bring into the open? (2:78) And there are among them unlettered people who have no real knowledge of the divine writ,63 [following] only wishful beliefs and depending on nothing but conjecture.
2:79
Woe, then, unto those who write down, with their own hands, [something which they claim to be] divine writ, and then say. "This is from God," in order to acquire a trifling gain thereby;64 woe, then, unto them for what their hands have written, and woe unto them for all that they may have gained!
60 Here the Muslims are addressed. In the early period of Islam - and especially after their
exodus to Medina, where many Jews were then living - the Muslims expected that the Jews,
with their monotheistic beliefs, would be the first to rally to the message of the Qur'an:
a hope that was disappointed because the Jews regarded their own religion as a kind of
national heritage reserved to the children of Israel alone, and did not believe in the
necessity - or possibility - of a new revelation.
61 Cf. Jeremiah xxiii, 26 - "Ye have perverted the words of the living God".
62 Lit., "before [or "in the sight of"] your Sustainer". Most of the commentators '
(e.g , Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi) agree in that the expression "your Sustainer" stands
here for "that which your Sustainer has revealed", namely, the Biblical prophecy relating
to the: coming. of a prophet "from among the brethren" of the children of Israel, and
that, therefore, the above phrase implies an argument on the basis of the Jews' own
scriptures. (See also note 3} above).
63 In this case, the Old Testament.
64 The reference here is to the scholars responsible for corrupting the text of the Bible
and thus misleading their ignorant followers. The "trifling gain" is their feeling of
pre-eminence as the alleged "chosen people".
2:80
And they say, "The fire will most certainly not touch us for more than a limited number of days."65 Say [unto them]: "Have you received a promise from God - for God never breaks His promise - or do you attribute to God something which you cannot know?"
2:81
Yea! Those who earn evil and by their sinfulness are engulfed - they are destined for the fire, therein to abide; (2:82) whereas those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds - they are destined for paradise, therein to abide.
2:83
AND LO! We accepted this solemn pledge from [you,] - the children of Israel:66 "You shall worship none but God; and you shall do good unto your parents and kinsfolk, and the orphans, and the poor; and you shall speak unto all people in a kindly way; and you shall be constant in prayer; and you shall spend in charity."
And yet, save for a few of you, you turned away: for you are obstinate folk!68
65 According to popular Jewish belief, even the sinners from among the children of Israel will
suffer only very limited punishment in the life to come, and will be quickly reprieved by
virtue of their belonging to "the chosen people": a belief which the Qur'an rejects.
66 In the preceding passages, the children of Israel have been reminded of the favours that
were bestowed on them. Now, however, the Qur'an - reminds them of the fact that the way
of righteousness has indeed been shown to them by means of explicit social and moral
injunctions: and this reminder flows directly from the statement that the human condition
in the life to come depends exclusively on the manner of one's life in this world, and
not on one's descent.
67 see note 34 above.
68 The Old Testament contains many allusions to the waywardness and stubborn rebelliousness
of the children of Israel - e.g., Exodus xxxii, 9, xxxii, 3, xxxiv, 9; Deuteronomy by,
6-8, 23-24, 27.
2:84
And lo! We accepted your solemn pledge that you would not shed one another's blood, and would not drive one another from your homelands - whereupon you acknowledged it; and thereto you bear witness [even now]. (2:85) And yet, it is you who slay one another and drive some of your own people from their homelands, aiding one another against them in sin and hatred; but if they come to you as captives, you ransom them - although the very [act of] driving them away has been made unlawful to you!69
Do you, then, believe in some parts of the divine writ and deny the truth of other parts? What, then, could be the reward of those among you who do such things but ignominy in the life of this world and, on the Day of Resurrection, commitment to most grievous suffering? For God is not unmindful of what you do.
2:86
All who buy the life of this world at the price of the life to come - their suffering shall not be lightened, nor shall they be succoured!
2:87
For, indeed, We vouchsafed unto Moses the divine writ and caused apostle after apostle to follow him;70 and We vouchsafed unto Jesus, the son of Mary, all evidence of the truth, and strengthened him with holy inspiration.71 [Yet] is it not so that every time an apostle came unto you with something that was not to your liking, you gloried in your arrogance, and to some of them you gave the lie, while others you would slay?72
2:88
But they say, "Our hearts are already full of knowledge."73 Nay, but God has rejected them because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth: for, few are the things in which they believe.74
69 This is a reference to the conditions prevailing at Medina at the time of the Prophet's
hijrah. The two Arab tribes of Medina - Al-Aws and Khazraj - were, in pre-Islamic times
permanently at war with one another; and out of the three Jewish tribes living there -
the Banu Qaynuqa', Banu 'n-Nadir and Banu Qurayzah - the first-named two were allied
with Khazraj, while the third was allied with Al-Aws. Thus, in the course of their
warfare, Jew would kill Jew in alliance with pagans ("aiding one another in sin and
hatred"): a twofold crime from the viewpoint of Mosaic Law. Nevertheless, they would
subsequently ransom their mutual captives in obedience to that very same Law - and it
is this glaring inconsistency to which the Qur'an alludes in the next sentence.
70 Lit., "We caused him to be followed, after his time, by [all] the other apostles":
a stress upon the continuous succession of prophets among the Jews (see Tabari, Zamakhshari,
Razi, Ibn Kathir), which fact deprives them of any excuse of ignorance.
71 This rendering of ruh al-qudus (lit., "the spirit of holiness") is based on the recurring
use in the Qur'an of the term ruh in the sense of "divine inspiration". It is also recorded
that the Prophet invoked the blessing of the ruh al-qudus on his Companion, the poet Hassan
ibn Thabit (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Da'ud and Tirmidhi): just as the Qur'an (58: 22) speaks of
all believers as being "strengthened by inspiration (rah) from Him".
72 Lit., "and some you are slaying". The change from the past tense observed throughout
this sentence to the present tense in the verb taqtulun ("you are slaying") is meant to
express a conscious intent in this respect and, thus, a persistent, ever-recurring trait
in Jewish history (Manor I, 377), to which also the New Testament refers (Matthew xxiii,
34-35, 37), and I Thessalonians ii, 15).
73 Lit., "our hearts are repositories [of knowledge]"- an allusion to the boast of the Jews that
in view of the religious knowledge which they already possess, they are in no need of any
further preaching (Ibn Kathir, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas; identical explanations are
mentioned by Tabari and Zamakhshari).
74 i.e., all their beliefs are centred on themselves and their alleged "exceptional" status
in the sight of God.
2:89
And whenever there came unto them a [new] revelation from God, confirming the truth already in their possession - and [bear in mind that] aforetime they used to pray for victory over those who were bent on denying the truth -: whenever there came unto them something which they recognized [as the truth], they would deny it. And God's rejection is the due of all who deny the truth.
2:90
Vile is that [false pride] for which they have sold their own selves by denying the truth of what God has bestowed from on high, out of envy that God should bestow aught of His favour upon whomsoever He wills of His servants:75 and thus have they earned the burden of God's condemnation, over and over. And for those who deny the truth there is shameful suffering in store.
2:91
For when they are told, "Believe in what God has bestowed from on high," they reply, "We believe [only] in what has been bestowed on us" - and they deny the truth of everything else, although it be a truth confirming the one already in their possession. Say "Why, then, did you slay God's prophets aforetime, if you were (truly] believers?"76
2:92
And indeed, there came unto you Moses with all evidence of the truth - and thereupon in his absence, you took to worshipping the (golden] calf, and acted wickedly.
2:93
And, lo, We accepted your solemn pledge, raising Mount Sinai high above you, [saying,] "Hold fast with [all your] strength unto what We have vouchsafed you, and hearken unto it!" [But] they say, "We have heard, but we disobey"77 - for their hearts are filled to overflowing with love of the [golden] calf because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth.78
Say: "Vile is what this [false] belief of yours enjoins upon you - if indeed you are believers!"
2:94
Say: "If an afterlife with God is to be for you alone, to the exclusion of all other people,79 then you should long for death - if what you say is true!"
2:95
But never will they long for it, because [they are aware] of what their hands have sent ahead in this world: and God has full knowledge of evildoers. (2:96) And thou wilt most certainly find that they cling to life more eagerly than any other people, even more than those who are bent on ascribing divinity to other beings beside God: every one of them would love to live a thousand years, although the grant of long life could not save him from suffering [in the hereafter]: for God sees all that they do.
2:97
SAY [O Prophet]: "Whosoever is an enemy of Gabriel" - who, verily, by God's leave, has brought down upon thy heart this [divine writ] which confirms the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations], and is a guidance and a glad tiding for the believers -: (2:98) "whosover is an enemy of God and His angels and His message-bearers, including Gabriel and Michael, [should know that,] verily, God is the enemy of all who deny the truth."80
75 i.e., out of envy that God should bestow revelation upon anyone but a descendant of Israel -
in this particular instance, upon the Arabian Prophet, Muhammad.
76 A reference to their assertion that they believe in what has been revealed to them - i.e.,
the Law of Moses, which obviously prohibits the killing not only of prophets but of any
innocent human being. See also the concluding sentences of verses 61 and 87, and the
corresponding notes.
77 It is obvious that they did not actually utter these words; their subsequent behaviour,
however, justifies the above metonymical expression.
78 Lit., "into their hearts has been instilled the calf because of their denial of the truth":
i.e., as soon as they turned away from the genuine message propounded by Moses, they fell
into worshipping material goods, symbolized by the "golden calf".
79 An allusion to the Jewish belief that paradise is reserved for the children of Israel
alone (cf. verse III of this surah ).
80 According to several authentic Traditions, some of the learned men from among the Jews of
Medina described Gabriel as "the enemy of the Jews", and this for three reasons: firstly,
all the prophecies of the misfortune which was to befall the Jews in the course of their
early history were said to have been transmitted to them by Gabriel, who thus became in
their eyes a "harbinger of evil" (in contrast to the angel Michael, whom they regarded as
a bearer of happy predictions and, therefore, as their "friend"); secondly, because the
Qur'an states repeatedly that it was Gabriel who conveyed its message to Muhammad,
whereas the Jews were of the opinion that only a descendant of Israel could legitimately
claim divine revelation; and, thirdly, because the Qur'an - revealed through Gabriel -
abounds in criticism of certain Jewish beliefs and attitudes and describes them as
opposed to the genuine message of Moses. (For details of these Traditions, see Tabari,
Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi, Baydawi, Ibn Kathir.) As regards my rendering of ma bayna
yadayhi in verse 97 as "whatever there still remains of earlier revelations", see
surah 3, note 3.
2:99
For, clear messages indeed have We bestowed upon thee from on high; and none denies their truth save the iniquitous.
2:100
Is it not so that every time they made a promise [unto God], some of them cast it aside? Nay, indeed: most of them do not believe.
2:101
And [even now,] when there has come unto them an apostle from God, confirming the truth already in their possession, some of those who were granted revelation aforetime cast the divine writ behind their backs as though unaware [of what it says],81 (2:102) and follow [instead] that which the evil ones used to practice during Solomon's reign - for it was not Solomon who denied the truth, but those evil ones denied it by teaching people sorcery82 -; and [they follow] that which has come down through the two angels in Babylon, Harut and Mirut - although these two never taught it to anyone without first declaring, "We are but a temptation to evil: do not, then, deny [God's] truth!"83 And they learn from these two how to create discord between a man and his wife; but whereas they can harm none thereby save by God's leave, they acquire a knowledge that only harms themselves and does not benefit them - although they know; indeed, that he who acquires this [knowledge] shall have no share in the good of the life to come.84 For, vile indeed is that [art] for which they have sold their own selves - had they but known it!
81 The divine writ referred to here is the Torah. By disregarding the prophecies relating to
the coming of the Arabian Prophet, contained in Deuteronomy xviii, 15, 18 (see note 33 above),
the Jews rejected, as it were, the whole of the revelation granted to Moses (Zamakhshari;
also 'Abduh in Manar I, 397).
82 The expression ash-shayatin, here rendered as "the evil ones", apparently refers to human
beings, as has been pointed out by Tabari, Razi, etc., but may also allude to the evil,
immoral impulses within man's heart (see note 10 on verse 14 of this surah). The above
parenthetic sentence constitutes the Qur'anic refutation of the Biblical statement that
Solomon had been guilty of idolatrous practices (see I Kings xi, 1-10), as well as of the
legend that he was the originator of the magic arts popularly associated with his name.
83 This "declaration" circumscribes, metonymically, man's moral duty to reject every attempt
at "sorcery" inasmuch as - irrespective of whether it succeeds or fails - it aims at
subverting the order of nature as instituted by God. - As regards the designation of
Harut and Marut, most of the readings of the Qur'an give the spelling malakayn ("the
two angels"); but it is authentically recorded (see Tabari, Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi,
etc.) that the great Companion of the Prophet, Ibn 'Abbas, as well as several learned men
of the next generation - e.g., Al-Hasan al-Basri, Abu'l-Aswad and Ad-Dahhak - read it as
malikayn ("the two kings"). I myself incline to the latter reading; but since the other
is more generally accepted, I have adopted it here. Some of the commentators are of the
opinion that, whichever of the two readings is followed, it ought to be taken in a metaphorical
sense, namely, "the two kingly persons", or "the two angelic persons": in this they rely
on a saying of Ibn 'Abbas to the effect that Harut and Marut were "two men who practiced
sorcery in Babylon" (Baghawi; see also Manar I, 402). At any rate, it is certain that from
very ancient times Babylon was reputed to be the home of magic arts, symbolized in the
legendary persons - perhaps kings - Harut and Marut; and it is to this legend that the
Qur'an refers with a view to condemning every attempt at magic and sorcery, as well as
all preoccupation with occult sciences in general.
84 The above passage does not raise the question as to whether there is an objective
truth in the occult phenomena loosely described as "magic", or whether they are based on
self-deception: The intent here is no more and no less than to warn man that any attempt
at influencing the course of events by means which - at least in the mind of the person
responsible for it to have a "supernatural" connotation is a spiritual offence, and
must inevitably result in a most serious damage to their author's spiritual status.
2:103
And had they but believed and been conscious of Him, reward from God would indeed have brought them good - had they but known it!
2:104
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not say [to the Prophet], "Listen to us," but rather say, "Have patience with us," and hearken [unto him], since grievous suffering awaits those who deny the truth.85
2:105
Neither those from among the followers of earlier revelation who are bent on denying the truth, nor those who ascribe divinity to other beings beside God, would like to see any good86 ever bestowed upon you from on high by your Sustainer; but God singles out for His grace whom He wills - for God is limitless in His great bounty.
2:106
Any message which, We annul or consign to oblivion We replace with a better or a similar ones.87 Dost thou not know that God has the power to will anything? (2:107) Dost thou not know that God's is the dominion over the heavens and the earth, and that besides God you have none to protect you or bring you succour?
85 This admonition, addressed in the first instance to the contemporaries of the Prophet,
has - as so often in the Qur'an - a connotation that goes far beyond the historical
circumstances that gave rise to it. The Companions were called upon to approach the
Prophet with respect and to subordinate their personal desires and expectations to the
commandments of the Faith revealed through him: and this injunction remains valid for
every believer and for all times.
86 i.e., revelation - which is the highest good. The allusion here is to 1he unwillingness of
the Jews and the Christians to admit that revelation could have been bestowed on any community
but their own.
87 The principle laid down in this passage - relating to the supersession of the Biblical
dispensation by that of the Qur'an - has given rise to an erroneous interpretation by many
Muslim theologians. The word ayah ("message") occurring in this, context is also used to
denote a "verse;" of the Qur'an (because every one of these verses contains a message).
Taking this restricted meaning of the term ayah, some scholars conclude from the above passage
that certain verses of the Qur'an have been "abrogated" by God's command before the
revelation of the Qur'an was completed. Apart from the fancifulness of this assertion -
which calls to mind the image of a human author correcting, on second thought, the proofs
of his manuscript - deleting one passage and replacing it with another - there does not
exist a single reliable Tradition to the effect that the Prophet ever, declared a verse of
the Qur'an to have been "abrogated". At the root of the so-called "doctrine of abrogation"
may lie the inability of some of the early commentators to reconcile one Qur'anic passage
with another: a difficulty which was overcome by declaring that one of the verses in
question had been "abrogated". This arbitrary procedure explains also why there is no
unanimity whatsoever among the upholders of the "doctrine of abrogation" as to which, and
how many, Qur'an verses have been affected by it; and, furthermore, as to whether this
alleged abrogation implies a total elimination of the verse in question from the context
of the Qur'an, or only a cancellation of the specific ordinance or statement contained in it.
In short, the "doctrine of abrogation" has no basis whatever in historical fact, and must
be rejected. On the other hand, the apparent difficulty in interpreting the above Qur'anic
passage disappears immediately if the term ayah is understoood, correctly, as "message",
and if we read this verse in conjunction with the preceding one, which states that the Jews
and the Christians refuse to accept any revelation which might supersede that of the Bible:
for, if read in this way, the abrogation relates to the earlier divine messages and not to
any part of the Qur'an itself.
2:108
Would you, perchance, ask of the Apostle who has been sent unto you what was asked aforetime of Moses? But whoever chooses to deny the [evidence of the] truth, instead of believing in it,88 has already strayed from the right path.
2:109
Out of their selfish envy, many among the followers of earlier revelation would like to bring you back to denying the truth after you have attained to faith - [even] after the truth has become clear unto them. None the less, forgive and forbear, until God shall make manifest His will: behold, God has the power to will anything.
2:110
And be constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues; for, whatever good deed you send ahead for your own selves, you shall find it with God: behold, God sees all that you do.
2:111
AND THEY claim,89 "None shall ever enter paradise unless he be a Jew" - or, "a Christian". Such are their wishful beliefs! Say: "Produce an evidence for what you are claiming,90 if what you say is true!"
88 Lit.. "whoever takes a denial of the truth in exchange for belief" - i.e., whoever
refuses to accept the internal evidence of the truth of the Qur'anic message and demands,
instead, an "objective" proof of its divine origin (Manor I, 416 f.).- That which was "asked
of Moses aforetime" was the demand of the children of Israel to "see God face to face"
(cf. 2:55). The expression rendered by me as "the Apostle who has been sent unto you"
reads literally, "your Apostle", and obviously refers to the Prophet Muhammad whose
message supersedes the earlier revelations.
89 This connects with verse 109 above: "Many among the followers of earlier revelation would
like to bring you back to denying the truth", etc.
90 Lit., "produce your evidence" - i.e.. "from your own scriptures".
2:112
Yea, indeed: everyone who surrenders his whole being unto God,91 and is a doer of good withal, shall have his reward with his Sustainer; and all such need have no fear, and neither shall they grieve.92
2:113
Furthermore, the Jews assert, "The Christians have no valid ground for their beliefs," while the Christians assert, "The Jews have no valid ground for their beliefs" - and both quote the divine writ! Even thus, like unto what they say, have [always] spoken those who were devoid of knowledge;"93 but it is God who will judge between them on Resurrection Day with regard to all on which they were wont to differ.94
91 Lit., "who surrenders his face unto God". Since the face of a person is the most expressive
part of his body, it is used in classical Arabic to denote one's whole personality, or
whole being. This expression, repeated in the Qur'an several times, provides a perfect
definition of islam, which derived from the root-verb aslama, "he surrendered himself" -
means "self-surrender [to God]";: and it is in this sense that the terms islam and muslim
are used throughout the Qur'an. (For a full discussion of this concept, see my note on
68:35, where the expression muslim occurs for the first time in the chronological order
of revelation.)
92 Thus, according to the Qur'an, salvation is not reserved for any particular "denomination",
but is open to everyone who consciously realizes the oneness of God, surrenders himself
to His will and, by living righteously, gives practical effect to this spiritual attitude.
93 An allusion to all who assert that only the followers of their own denomination shall
partake of God's grace in the hereafter.
94 In other words, "God will confirm the truth of what was true [in their respective beliefs]
and show the falseness of what was false [therein]" (Muhammad 'Abduh in Manar I, 428).
The Qur'an maintains throughout that there is a substantial element of truth in all
faiths based on divine revelation, and that their subsequent divergencies are the result
of "wishful beliefs" (2:111) and of a gradual corruption of the original teachings.
(See also 22: 67-69.)
2:114
Hence, who could be more wicked than those who bar the mention of God's name from [any of] His houses of worship and strive for their ruin, [although] they have no right to enter them save in fear [of God]?95 For them, in this world, there is ignominy in store; and for them, in the life to come, awesome suffering.
2:115
And God's is the east and the west: and wherever you turn, there is God's countenance. Behold, God is infinite, all-knowing.
2:116
And yet some people assert, "God has taken unto Himself a son!" Limitless is He in His glory!96 Nay, but His is all that is in the heavens and on earth; all things devoutly obey His will. (2:117) The Originator is He of the heavens and the earth: and when He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it, "Be" - and it is.
2:118
AND [only] those who are devoid of knowledge say, "Why does God not speak unto us, nor is a [miraculous] sign shown to us?" Even thus, like unto what they say, spoke those who lived before their time97 their hearts are all alike. Indeed, We have made all the signs manifest unto people who are endowed with inner certainty.
2:119
Verily, We have sent thee [O Prophet] with the truth, as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner: and thou shalt not be held accountable for those who are destined for the blazing fire.
2:120
For, never will the Jews be pleased with thee nor yet the Christians, unless thou follow their own creeds. Say: "Behold, God's guidance is the only true guidance." And, indeed, if thou shouldst follow their errant views after all the knowledge that has come unto thee, thou wouldst have none to protect thee from God, and none to bring thee succour.
2:121
Those unto whom We have vouchsafed the divine writ [and who] follow it as it ought to be followed98- it is they who [truly] believe in it; whereas all who choose to deny its truth - it is they, they who are the losers!
95 It is one of the fundamental principles of Islam that every religion which has belief in God
as its focal point must be accorded full respect, however much one may disagree with its
particular tenets. Thus, the Muslims are under an obligation to honour and protect any
house of worship dedicated to God, whether it be a mosque or a church or a synagogue
(cf. the second paragraph of 22:40); and any attempt to prevent the followers of another
faith from worshipping God according to their own lights is condemned by the Qur'an as
a sacrilege. A striking illustration of this principle is forthcoming from the Prophet's
treatment of the deputation from Christian hijran in the year 10 H. They were given free
access to the Prophet's mosque, and with his full consent celebrated their religious
rites there, although their adoration of Jesus as "the son of God" and of Mary as "the
mother of God" was fundamentally at variance with Islamic beliefs (see Ibn Sa'd I/I, '84 f.).
96 I.e., far from any imperfection such as would be implied in the necessity (or logical
possibility) of having "progeny" either in a literal or a metaphorical sense. The
expression subhana - applied exclusively to God - connotes His utter remoteness from
any imperfection and any similarity, however tenuous, with any created being or thing.
97 I.e., people who were not able to perceive the intrinsic truth of the messages conveyed to
them by the prophets, but rather insisted on a miraculous "demonstration" that those messages
really came from God, and thus failed to benefit from them. - This verse obviously connects
with verse 108 above and, thus, refers to the objections of the Jews and the Christians to
the message of the Qur'an. (See also note 29 on 74:52.)
98 Or: "apply themselves to it with true application" - i.e. try to absorb its meaning
and to understand its spiritual design.
2:122
O CHILDREN of Israel! Remember those blessings of Mine with which I graced you, and how I favoured you above all other people; (2:123) and remain conscious of [the coming of] a Day when no human being shall in the least avail another, nor shall ransom be accepted from any of them, nor shall intercession be of any use to them, and none shall be succoured.99
2:124
And [remember this:] when his Sustainer tried Abraham by [His] commandments and the latter fulfilled them,100 He said: "Behold, I shall make thee a leader of men." Abraham asked: "And [wilt Thou make leaders] of my offspring as well?" [God] answered: "My covenant does not embrace the evildoers."101
99 See 2:48. In the above context, this refers, specifically, to the belief of the Jews that
their descent from Abraham would "ransom" them on the Day of Judgment - a belief which is
refuted in the next verse.
100 The classical commentators have indulged in much speculation as to what these commandments
(kalimat, lit., "words") were. Since, however, the Qur'an does not specify them, it must be
presumed that what is meant here is simply Abraham's complete submission to whatever
commandments he received from God.
101 This passage, read in conjunction with the two preceding verses, refutes the contention
of the children of Israel that by virtue of their descent from Abraham, whom God made "a
leader of men", they are "God's chosen people". The Qur'an makes it clear that the exalted
status of Abraham was not something that would automatically confer a comparable status
on his physical descendants, and certainly not on the sinners among them.
2:125
AND LO! We made the Temple a goal to which people might repair again and again, and a sanctuary:102 take then, the place whereon Abraham once stood as your place of prayer."103 And thus did We command Abraham and Ishmael: "Purify My Temple for those who will walk around it,104 and those who will abide near it in meditation, and those who will bow down and prostrate themselves [in prayer]."
2:126
And, lo, Abraham prayed: "O my Sustainer! Make this a land secure, and grant its people fruitful sustenance - such of them as believe in God and the Last Day." [God] answered: "And whoever shall deny the truth, him will I let enjoy himself for a short while - but in the end I shall drive him to suffering through fire: and how vile a journey's end!"
2:127
And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the Temple, [they prayed:] "O our Sustainer! Accept Thou this from us: for, verily, Thou alone art all-hearing, all-knowing!
2:128
"O our Sustainer! Make us surrender ourselves unto Thee, and make out of our offspring105 a community that shall surrender itself unto Thee, and show us our ways of worship, and accept our repentance: for, verily, Thou alone art the Acceptor of Repentance, the Dispenser of Grace!
102 The Temple (al-bayt)- lit., "the House [of Worship]"'- mentioned here is the Ka'bah in
Mecca. In other places the Qur'an speaks of it as "the Ancient Temple" (al-bayt al-'atiq),
and frequently also as "the Inviolable House of Worship" (al-masjid al-haram ). Its
prototype is said to have been built by Abraham as the first temple ever dedicated to
the One God (see 3:96), and which for this reason has been instituted as the direction
of prayer (qiblah) for all Muslims, and as the goal of the annually recurring pilgrimage
(hajj). It is to be noted that even in pre-Islamic times the Ka'bah was associated with
the memory of Abraham, whose personality had always been in the foreground of Arabian thought.
According to very ancient Arabian traditions, it was at the site of what later became
Mecca that Abraham, in order to placate Sarah, abandoned his Egyptian bondwoman Hagar and
their child Ishmael after he had brought them there from Canaan. This is by no means improbable
if one bears in mind that for a camel-riding bedouin (and Abraham was certainly one) a
journey of twenty or even thirty days has never been anything out of the ordinary. At
first glance, the Biblical statement (Genesis xii, 14) that it was "in the wilderness of
Beersheba" (i.e., in the southernmost tip of Palestine) that Abraham left Hagar and Ishmael
would seem to conflict with the Qur'anic account. This seeming contradiction, however,
disappears as soon as we remember that to the ancient, town-dwelling Hebrews the term
"wilderness of Beersheba" comprised all the desert regions south of Palestine, including
the Hijaz. It was at the place where they had been abandoned that Hagar and Ishmael, after
having discovered the spring which is now called the Well of Zamzam, eventually settled;
and it may have been that very spring which in time induced a wandering group of bedouin
families belonging to the South-Arabian (Qahtani) tribe of Jurhum to settle there. Ishmael
later married a girl of this tribe, and so became the progenitor of the musta'ribah
("Arabianized") tribes - thus called on account of their descent from a Hebrew father and
a Qahtani mother. As for Abraham, he is said to have often visited Hagar and Ishmael; and
it was on the occasion of one of these periodic visits that he, aided by Ishmael, erected
the original structure of the Ka'bah. (For more detailed accounts of the Abrahamic
tradition, see Bukhari's Sahih, Kitab al-'Ilm, Tabari's Ta'rikh al-Umam, Ibn Sad, Ibn
Hisham, Mas'fidi's Murai adh-Dhahab, Yaqut's Mu'jam al-Buldan, and other early Muslim
historians.)
103 This may refer to the immediate vicinity of the Ka'bah or, more probably (Manor I, 461 f.),
to the sacred precincts (haram) surrounding it. The word amn (lit., "safety") denotes in this
context a sanctuary for all living beings.
104 The seven-fold circumambulation (tawaf) of the Ka'bah is one of the rites of the pilgrimage,
symbolically indicating that all human actions and endeavours ought to have the idea of God
and His oneness for their centre.
105 The expression "our offspring" indicates Abraham's progeny through his first-born son,
Ishmael, and is an indirect reference to the Prophet Muhammad, who descended from the latter.
2:129
"O our Sustainer! Raise up from the midst of our offspring106 an apostle from among themselves, who shall convey unto them Thy messages, and impart unto them revelation as well as wisdom, and cause them to grow in purity: for, verily, Thou alone art almighty, truly wise!"
2:130
And who, unless he be weak of mind, would want to abandon Abraham's creed, seeing that We have indeed raised him high in this world, and that, verily, in the life to come he shall be among the righteous?
2:131
When his Sustainer said to him, "Surrender thyself unto Me!" - he answered, "I have surrendered myself unto [Thee,] the Sustainer of all the worlds."
2:132
And this very thing did Abraham bequeath unto his children, and [so did] Jacob: "O my children! Behold, God has granted you the purest faith; so do not allow death to overtake you ere you have surrendered yourselves unto Him."
2:133
Nay, but you [yourselves, O children of Israel,] bear witness107 that when death was approaching Jacob, he said unto his sons: "Whom will you worship after I am gone?"
They answered: "We will worship thy God, the God of thy forefathers Abraham and Ishmael108 and Isaac, the One God; and unto Him will we surrender ourselves."
106 Lit., "within them".
107 I.e., "in the religious traditions to which you adhere". It is to be noted that the
conjunction am which stands at the beginning of this sentence is not always used in the
interrogative sense ("is it that ...?"): sometimes - and especially when it is
syntactically unconnected with the preceding sentence, as in this case - it is an
equivalent of bal ("rather", or "nay, but"), and has no interrogative connotation.
108 In classical Arabic, as in ancient Hebrew usage, the term ab ("father") was applied
not only to the direct male parent but also to grandfathers and even more distant
ancestors, as well as to paternal uncles: which explains why Ishmael, who was Jacob's
uncle, is mentioned in this context. Since he was the first-born of Abraham's sons,
his name precedes that of Isaac.
2:134
Now those people have passed away; unto them shall be accounted what they have earned, and unto you, what you have earned; and you will not be, judged on the strength of what they did.109
2:135
AND THEY say, "Be Jews" - or, "Christians" - "and you shall be on the right path." Say: "Nay, but [ours is] the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false,110 and was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God."
2:136
Say: "We believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, and that which has been bestowed upon Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and their descendants,111 and that which has been vouchsafed to Moses and Jesus; and that which has been vouchsafed to all the [other] prophets by their Sustainer: we make no distinction between any of them.112 And it is unto Him that we surrender ourselves."
109 Lit., "you will not be asked about what they did". This verse, as well as verse 141 below,
stresses the fundamental Islamic tenet of individual responsibility, and denies the Jewish
idea of their being "the chosen people" by virtue of their descent, as well as - by
implication - the Christian doctrine of an "original sin" with which all human beings
are supposedly, burdened because of Adam's fall from grace.
110 The expression hanif is derived from the verb hanafa, which literally means "he inclined
[towards a right state or tendency]" (cf. Lane II, 658). Already in pre-Islamic times,
this term had a definitely monotheistic connotation, and was used to describe a man who
turned away from sin and worldliness and from all dubious beliefs, especially idol-worship;
and tahannuf denoted the ardent devotions, mainly consisting of long vigils and prayers,
of the unitarian God-seekers of pre-Islamic times. Many instances of this use of the terms
hanif and tahannuf occur in the verses of pre-Islamic poets, e.g., Umayyah ibn Abi's -
Salt and Juan al-'Awd (cf. Lisan al-'Arab, art. hanafa).
111 Lit., "the grandchildren" (al-asbat, sing. sibt) - a term used in the Qur'an to describe,
in the first instance, Abraham's, Isaac's and Jacob's immediate descendants, and, consequently,
the twelve tribes which evolved from this ancestry.
112 Le., "we regard them all as true prophets of God".
2:137
And if [others] come to believe in the way you believe, they will indeed find themselves on the right path; and if they turn away, it is but they who will be deeply in the wrong, and God will protect thee from them: for He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing.
2:138
[Say: "Our life takes its] hue from God! And who could give a better hue [to life] than God, if we but truly worship Him?"
2:139
Say [to the Jews and the Christians]: "Do you argue with us about God?113 But He is our Sustainer as well as your Sustainer - and unto us shall be accounted our deeds, and unto you, your deeds; and it is unto Him alone that we devote ourselves.
2:140
"Do you claim that Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and their descendants were 'Jews' or 'Christians'?"114 Say: "Do you know more than God does? And who could be more wicked than he who suppresses a testimony given to him by God?115 Yet God is not unmindful of what you do.
113 I.e., about God's will regarding the succession of prophethood and man's ultimate salvation.
The Jews believe that prophethood was a privilege granted to the children of Israel alone,
while the Christians maintain that Jesus - who, too, descended from the children of Israel -
was God's final manifestation on earth; and each of these two denominations claims that
salvation is reserved to its followers alone (see 2:111 and 135). The Qur'an refutes these
ideas by stressing, in the next sentence, that God is the Lord of all mankind, and that
every individual will be judged on the basis of his own beliefs and his own behaviour alone.
114 Regarding the term asbat (rendered here as well as in verse 136 as "descendants"), see
note I li above. In the above words the Qur'an alludes to the fact that the concept of
"Jewry" came into being many centuries after the time of the Patriarchs, and even long
after the time of Moses, while the concepts of "Christianity" and "Christians" were
unknown in Jesus' time and represent later developments.
115 A reference to the Biblical prediction of the coming of the Prophet Muhammad
(see note 33 on verse 42 of this surah), which effectively contradicts the Judaeo-Christian
claim that all true prophets, after the Patriarchs, belonged to the children of Israel.
2:141
"Now those people have passed away; unto them shall be accounted what they have earned, and unto you, what you have earned; and you will not be judged on the strength of what they did."
2:142
THE WEAK-MINDED among people will say, "What has turned them away from the direction of prayer which they have hitherto observed?"116 Say: "God's is the east and the west; He guides whom He wills onto a straight way."117
2:143
And thus have We willed you to be a community of the middle way,118 so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind, and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you.119
And it is only to the end that We might make a clear distinction between those who follow the Apostle and those who turn about on their heels that We have appointed [for this community] the direction of prayer which thou [O Prophet] hast formerly observed: for this was indeed a hard test for all but those whom God has guided aright.120 But God will surely not lose sight of your faith - for, behold, God is most compassionate towards man, a dispenser of grace.
116 Before his call to prophethood, and during the early Meccan period of his ministry, the
Prophet - and his community with him - used to turn in prayer towards the Ka'bah. This
was not prompted by any specific revelation, but was obviously due to the fact that the
Ka'bah - although it had in the meantime been filled with various idols to which the
pre-Islamic Arabs paid homage - was always regarded as the first temple ever dedicated
to the One God (cf. 3:96). Since he was aware of the sanctity of Jerusalem - the other
holy centre of the unitarian faith - the Prophet prayed, as a rule, before the southern
wall of the Ka'bah, towards the north, so as to face both the Ka'bah and Jerusalem. After
the exodus to Medina he continued to pray northwards, with only Jerusalem as his qiblah
(direction of prayer). About sixteen months after his arrival at Medina, however, he
received a revelation (verses 142-150 of this surah) which definitively established the
Ka'bah as the qiblah of the followers of the Qur'an. This "abandonment" of Jerusalem
obviously displeased the Jews of Medina, who must have felt gratified when they saw the
Muslims praying towards their holy city; and it is to them that the opening sentence of
this passage refers. If one considers the matter from the historical point of view, there
had never been any change in the divine commandments relating to the qiblah: there had
simply been no ordinance whatever in this respect before verses 142-150 were revealed.
Their logical connection with the preceding passages, which deal, in the main, with
Abraham and his creed, lies in the fact that it was Abraham who erected the earliest
structure of the temple which later came to be known as the Ka'bah.
117 Or: "He guides onto a straight way him that wills [to be guided]".
118 Lit., "middlemost community" - i.e., a community that keeps an equitable balance between
extremes and is realistic in its appreciation of man's nature and possibilities, rejecting
both licentiousness and exaggerated asceticism. In tune with its oft-repeated call to
moderation in every aspect of life, the Qur'an exhorts the believers not to place too great
an emphasis on the physical and material aspects of their lives, but postulates, at the
same time, that man's urges and desires relating to this "life of the flesh" are God-willed
and, therefore, legitimate. On further analysis, the expression "a community of the middle
way" might be said to summarize, as it were, the Islamic attitude towards the problem of
man's existence as such: a denial of the view that there is an inherent conflict between
the spirit and the flesh, and a bold affirmation of the natural, God-willed unity in this
twofold aspect of human life. This balanced attitude, peculiar to Islam, flows directly
from the concept of God's oneness and, hence, of the unity of purpose underlying all
His creation: and thus, the mention of the "community of the middle way" at this place is
a fitting introduction to the theme of the Ka'bah, a symbol of God's oneness.
119 I.e., "that your way of life be an example to all mankind, just as the Apostle is an
example to you".
120 I.e., "whom He has given understanding" (Razi). The "hard test" (kabirah) consisted in the
fact that ever since their exodus to Medina the Muslims had become accustomed to praying
towards Jerusalem - associated in their minds with the teachings of most of the earlier
prophets mentioned in the Qur'an - and were now called upon to turn in their prayers towards
the Ka'bah, which at that time (in the second year after the hijrah) was still used by
the pagan Quraysh as a shrine dedicated to the worship of their numerous idols. As against
this, the Qur'an states that true believers would not find it difficult to adopt the Ka'bah
once again as their qiblah: they would instinctively realize the divine wisdom underlying
this commandment which established Abraham's Temple as a symbol of God's oneness and a
focal point of the ideological unity of Islam. (See also note 116 above.)
2:144
We have seen thee [O Prophet] often turn thy face towards heaven [for guidance]: and now We shall indeed make thee turn in prayer in a direction which will fulfil thy desire. Turn, then, thy face towards the Inviolable House of Worship; and wherever you all may be, turn your faces towards it [in prayer].
And, verily, those who have been vouchsafed revelation aforetime know well that this [commandment] comes in truth from their Sustainer; and God is not unaware of what they do.
2:145
And yet, even if thou wert to place all evidence121 before those who have been vouchsafed earlier revelation, they would not follow thy direction of prayer; and neither mayest thou follow their direction of prayer, nor even do they follow one another's direction. And if thou shouldst follow their errant views after all the knowledge that has come unto thee thou wouldst surely be among the evildoers.
2:146
They unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know it as they know their own children: but, behold, some of them knowingly suppress the truth - (2:147) the truth from thy Sustainer!122 Be not, then, among the doubters: (2:148) for, every community faces a direction of its own, of which He is the focal point.123 Vie, therefore, with one another in doing good works. Wherever you may be, God will gather you all unto Himself: for, verily, God has the power to will anything.
2:149
Thus, from wherever thou mayest come forth, turn thy face [in prayer] towards the Inviolable House of Worship - for, behold, this [commandment] comes in truth from thy Sustainer; and God is not unaware of what you do. (2:150) Hence, from wherever thou mayest come forth, turn thy face [in prayer] towards the Inviolable House of Worship; and wherever you all may be, turn your faces towards it, so that people should have no argument against you unless they are bent upon wrongdoing.124 And hold not them in awe, but stand in awe of Me, and [obey Me,] so that I might bestow upon you the full measure of My blessings, and that you might follow the right path.
121 Lit., "every sign (ayah)", i.e., of its being a revealed commandment.
122 This refers, in the first instance, to the fact that the Ka'bah was Abraham's qiblah, as
well as to the Biblical prophecies relating to Ishmael as the progenitor of a "great nation"
(Genesis xxi, 13 and 18) from whom a prophet "like unto Moses" would one day arise: for
it was through Ishamel's descendant, the Arabian Prophet, that the commandment relating to
the qiblah was revealed. (Regarding the still more explicit predictions of the future advent
of the Prophet Muhammad, forthcoming from the canonical Gospels, see 61:6 and the
corresponding note.)
123 Lit., "everyone has a direction...", etc. Almost all of the classical commentators, from
the Companions of the Prophet downwards, interpret this as a reference to the various religious
communities and their different modes of "turning towards God" in worship. Ibn Kathir, in
his commentary on this verse, stresses its inner resemblance to the phrase occurring in 5:48:
"unto every one of you have We appointed a [different] law and way of life". The statement
that "every community faces a direction of its own" in its endeavour to express its submission
to God implies, firstly, that at various times and in various circumstances man's desire to
approach God in prayer has taken different forms (e.g., Abraham's choice of the Ka'bah as
his qiblah. the Jewish concentration on Jerusalem, the eastward orientation of the early
Christian churches, and the Qur'anic commandment relating to the Ka'bah); and, secondly,
that the direction of prayer however important its symbolic significance may be - does not
represent the essence of faith as such: for, as the Qur'an says, "true piety does not consist
in turning your faces towards the east or the west" (2:177), and, "God's is the east and
the west" (2:115 and 142). Consequently, the revelation which established the Ka'bah as
the qiblah of the Muslims should not be a matter of contention for people of other faiths,
nor a cause of their disbelief in the truth of the Qur'anic revelation as such (Manor 11, 21 f.).
124 Lit., "except such among them as are bent upon wrongdoing" (regarding the intent implied
in the use of the past tense in expressions like alladhrna zalama or alladhrna kafaru, see
note 6 on verse 6 of this surah). The Qur'an stresses repeatedly that the Muslims are true
followers of Abraham. This claim, however, might have been open to objection so long as
they prayed in a direction other than Abraham's qiblah, the Ka'bah. The establishment of
the latter as the qiblah of the followers of the Qur'an would invalidate any such argument
and would leave it only to "those who are bent upon wrongdoing" (in this case, distorting
the truth) to challenge the message of the Qur'an on these grounds.
2:151
Even as We have sent unto you an apostle from among yourselves to convey unto you Our messages, and to cause you to grow in purity, and to impart unto you revelation and wisdom, and to teach you that which you knew not: (2:152) so remember Me, and I shall remember you; and be grateful unto Me, and deny Me not.
2:153
O YOU who have attained to faith! Seek aid in steadfast patience and prayer: for, behold, God is with those who are patient in adversity.
2:154
And say not of those who are slain in God's cause, "They are dead": nay, they are alive, but you perceive it not.
2:155
And most certainly shall We try you by means125 of danger, and hunger, and loss of worldly goods, of lives and of [labour's] fruits. But give glad tidings unto those who are patient in adversity - (2:156) who, when calamity befalls them, say, "Verily, unto God do we belong and, verily, unto Him we shall return." (2:157) It is they upon whom their Sustainer's blessings and grace are bestowed, and it is they, they who are on the right path!
125 Lit., "with something".
2:158
[Hence,] behold, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the symbols set up by God;126 and thus, no wrong does he who, having come to the Temple on pilgrimage or on a pious visit, strides to and fro between these two:127 for, if one does more good than he is bound to do - behold, God is responsive to gratitude, all-knowing.128
2:159
BEHOLD, as for those who suppress aught of the evidence of the truth and of the guidance which We have bestowed from on high, after We have made it clear unto mankind through the divine writ - these it is whom God will reject, and whom all who can judge will reject.129 (2:160) Excepted, however, shall be they that repent, and put themselves to rights, and make known the truth: and it is they whose repentance I shall accept - for I alone am the Acceptor of Repentance, the Dispenser of Grace.
126 Lit., "God's symbols". The space between the two low outcrops of rock called As-Safa and
Al-Marwah, situated in Mecca in the immediate vicinity of the Ka'bah, is said to have
been the scene of Hagar's suffering when Abraham, following God's command, abandoned her
and their infant son Ishmael in the desert (see note 102 above). Distraught with thirst
and fearing for the life of her child, Hagar ran to and fro between the two rocks and
fervently prayed to God for succour: and, finally, her reliance on God and her patience
were rewarded by the discovery of a spring-existing to this day and known as the Well of
Zamzam - which saved the two from death through thirst. It was in remembrance of Hagar's
extreme trial, and of her trust in God, that As-Safa and Al-Marwah had come to be regarded,
even in pre-Islamic times, as symbols of faith and patience in adversity: and this explains
their mention in the context of the passages which deal with the virtues of patience and
trust in God (Razi).
127 It is in commemoration of Hagar's running in distress between As-Safa and Al-Marwah
that the Mecca pilgrims are expected to walk, at a fast pace, seven times between these
two hillocks. Because of the fact that in pre-Islamic times certain idols had been standing
there, some of the early Muslims were reluctant to perform a rite which seemed to them to
be associated with recent idolatry (Razi, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas). The above verse
served to reassure them on this score by pointing out that this symbolic act of remembrance
was much older than the idolatry practiced by the pagan Quraysh.
128 From the phrase "if one does more good than he is bound to do", read in conjunction with
no wrong does he who..." (or, more literally, "there shall be no blame upon him who..."),
some of the great Islamic scholars - e.g., Imam Abu Hanifah - conclude that the walking to
and fro between As-Safa and Al-Marwah is not one of the obligatory rites of pilgrimage but
rather a supererogatory act of piety (see Zamakhshari and Razi). Most scholars, however,
hold the view that it is an integral part of the pilgrimage.
129 Lit., "whom all who reject will reject" - i.e., all righteous persons who are able to
judge moral issues. God's rejection (la'nah) denotes "exclusion from His grace" (Manor II, 50).
In classical Arabic usage, the primary meaning of la'nah is equivalent to ib'ad
("estrangement" or "banishment"); in the terminology of the Qur'an, it signifies "rejection
from all that is good" (Lisan al-'Arab). According to Ibn 'Abbas and several outstanding
scholars of the next generation, the divine writ mentioned here is the Bible; thus, the
above verse refers to the Jews and the Christians.
2:161
Behold, as for those who are bent on denying the truth and die as deniers of the truth - their due is rejection by God, and by the angels, and by all [righteous] men. (2:162) In this state shall they abide; [and] neither will their suffering, be lightened, nor will they be granted respite.
2:163
AND YOUR GOD is the One God: there is no deity save Him, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace. (2:164) Verily, in the creation of the heavens and of the earth, and the succession of night and day: and in the ships that speed through the sea with what is useful to man: and in the waters which God sends down from the sky, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless, and causing all manner of living creatures to multiply thereon: and in the change of the winds, and the clouds that run their appointed courses between sky and earth: [in all this] there are messages indeed for people who use their reason.130
2:165
And yet there are people who choose to believe in beings that allegedly rival God,131 loving them as [only] God should be loved: whereas those who have attained to faith love God more than all else. If they who are bent on evildoing could but see - as see they will when they are made to suffer132 [on Resurrection Day] - that all might belongs to God alone, and that God is severe in [meting out] punishment!
2:166
[On that Day] it will come to pass that those who had been [falsely] adored133 shall disown their followers, and the latter shall see the suffering [that awaits them], with all their hopes134 cut to pieces! (2:167) And then those followers shall say: "Would that we had a second chance [in life],135 so that we could disown them as they have disowned us!"
Thus will God show them their works [in a manner that will cause them] bitter regrets; but they will not come out of the fire.136
130 This passage is one of the many in which the Qur'an appeals to "those who use their reason"
to observe the daily wonders of nature, including the evidence of man's own ingenuity
("the ships that speed through the sea"), as so many indications of a conscious, creative
Power pervading the universe.
131 Lit., "there are among the people such as take [to worshipping] compeers beside God".
Regarding the term andad, see note 13 on verse 22 of this surah.
132 Lit., "when they see the suffering" (or "chastisement").
133 Lit., "followed" - i.e., as saints or alleged "divine personalities".
134 Asbab (sing. sabab) denotes, in its primary meaning, "ties" or "attachments", and in a
tropical sense, "means [towards any end]" (cf. Lisan al-'Arab, and Lane IV, 1285). In
the above context, asbab obviously refers to means of salvation, and may thus be rendered
as "hopes".
135 Lit., "Would that there were a return for us".
136 Sc., back to the life of this world, with a second chance before them (Manar 11, 81).
2:168
O MANKIND! Partake of what is lawful and good on earth, and follow not Satan's footsteps: for, verily, he is your open foe, (2:169) and bids you only to do evil, and to commit deeds of abomination, and to attribute unto God something of which you have no knowledge.137
2:170
But when they are told, "Follow what God has bestowed from on high," some answer, "Nay, we shall follow [only] that which we found our forefathers believing in and doing." Why, even if their forefathers did not use their reason at all, and were devoid of all guidance?
2:171
And so, the parable of those who are bent on denying the truth is that of the beast which hears the shepherd's cry, and hears in it nothing but the sound of a voice and a call.138 Deaf are they, and dumb, and blind: for they do not use their reason.
137 This refers to an arbitrary attribution to God of commandments or prohibitions in excess
of what has been clearly ordained by Him (Zamakhshari). Some of the commentators (e.g.,
Muhammad 'Abduh in Manar 11, 89 f.) include within this expression the innumerable supposedly
"legal" injunctions which, without being clearly warranted by the wording of the Qur'an or
an authentic Tradition, have been obtained by individual Muslim scholars through subjective
methods of deduction and then put forward as "God's ordinances". The connection between this
passage and the preceding ones is obvious. In verses 165-167 the Qur'an speaks of those
"who choose to believe in beings that supposedly rival God": and this implies also a false
attribution, to those beings, of a right to issue quasi-religious ordinances of their own,
as well as an attribution of religious validity to customs sanctioned by nothing but ancient
usage (see next verse).
138 This is a very free rendering of the elliptic sentence which, literally, reads thus: "The
parable of those who are bent on denying the truth is as that of him who cries unto what
hears nothing but a cry and a call." The verb na'qa is mostly used to describe the
inarticulate cry with which the shepherd drives his flock.
2:172
O you who have attained to faith! Partake of the good things which We have provided for you as sustenance, and render thanks unto God, if it is [truly] Him that you worship.
2:173
He has forbidden to you only carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any name other than God's has been invoked;139 but if one is driven by necessity - neither coveting it nor exceeding his immediate need - no sin shall be upon him: for, behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
2:174
VERILY, as for those who suppress aught of the revelation140 which God has bestowed from on high, and barter it away for a trifling gain - they but fill their bellies with fire. And God will not speak unto them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He cleanse them [of their sins]; and grievous suffering awaits them.(2:175) It is they who take error in exchange for guidance, and suffering in exchange for forgiveness: yet how little do they seem to fear the fire!
139 I.e., all that has been dedicated or offered in sacrifice to an idol or a saint or a person
considered to be "divine". For a more comprehensive enumeration of the forbidden kinds of
flesh, see 5:3.
140 This term is used here in its generic sense, comprising both the Qur'an and the earlier
revelations.
2:176
Thus it is: since it is God who bestows141 the divine writ from on high, setting forth the truth, all those who set their own views against the divine writ142 are, verily, most deeply in the wrong.
2:177
True piety does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or the west143 - but truly pious is he who believes in God, and the Last Day; and the angels, and revelation,144 and the prophets; and spends his substance - however much he himself may cherish it - upon his near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer,145 and the beggars, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage;146 and is constant in prayer, and renders the purifying dues; and [truly pious are] they who keep their promises whenever they promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril: it is they that have proved themselves true, and it is they, they who are conscious of God.
141 Lit., "has been bestowing". Since the form nazzala implies gradualness and continuity
in the process of revelation, it can best be rendered by the use of the present tense.
142 Lit., "who hold discordant views about the divine writ"- i.e., either suppressing or
rejecting parts of it, or denying its divine origin altogether (Razi).
143 Thus, the Qur'an stresses the principle that mere compliance with outward forms does
not fulfil the requirements of piety. The reference to the turning of one's face in
prayer in this or that direction flows from the passages which dealt, a short while ago,
with the question of the qiblah.
144 In this context, the term "revelation" (al-kitab) carries, according to most of the
commentators, a generic significance: it refers to the fact of divine revelation as such.
As regards belief in angels, it is postulated here because it is through these spiritual
beings or force's (belonging to the realm of al-ghayb, i.e., the reality which is beyond
the reach of human perception) that God reveals His will to the prophets and, thus, to
mankind at large.
145 The expression ibn as-sabil (lit., "son of the road") denotes any person who is far from
his home, and especially one who, because of this circumstance, does not have sufficient
means of livelihood at his disposal (cf. Lane IV, 1302). In its wider sense it describes a
person who, for any reason whatsoever, is unable to return home either temporarily or
permanently: for instance, a political exile or refugee.
146 Ar-raqabah (of which ar-riqab is the plural) denotes, literally, "the neck", and signifies
also the whole of a human person. Metonymically, the expression fi'r-riqab denotes "in
the cause of freeing human beings from bondage", and applies to both the ransoming of
captives and the freeing of slaves. By including this kind of expenditure within the
essential acts of piety, the Qur'an implies that the freeing of people from bondage - and,
thus, the abolition of slavery - is one of the social objectives of Islam. At the time of
the revelation of the Qur'an, slavery was an established institution throughout the world,
and its sudden abolition would have been economically impossible. In order to obviate this
difficulty, and at the same time to bring about an eventual abolition of all slavery, the
Qur'an ordains in 8:67 that henceforth only captives taken in a just war (jihad) may be
kept as slaves. But even with regard to persons enslaved in this or - before the revelation
of 8:67 - in any other way, the Qur'an stresses the great merit inherent in the freeing of
slaves, and stipulates it as a means of atonement for various transgressions (see, e.g.,
4:92, 5:89, 58:3). In addition, the Prophet emphatically stated on many occasions that,
in the sight of God, the unconditional freeing of a human being from bondage is among the
most praiseworthy acts which a Muslim could perform. (For a critical discussion and analysis
of all the authentic Traditions bearing on this problem, see Nayl al-Awtar VI, 199 ff.)
2:178
O YOU who have attained to faith! Just retribution is ordained for you in cases of killing: the free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the woman for the woman.147 And if something [of his guilt] is remitted to a guilty person by his brother,148 this [remission] shall be adhered to with fairness, and restitution to his fellow-man shall be made in a goodly manner.149
This is an alleviation from your Sustainer, and an act of His grace. And for him who, none the less, 150 wilfully transgresses the bounds of what is right, there is grievous suffering in store: (2:179) for, in [the law of] just retribution, O you who are endowed with insight, there is life for you, so that you might remain conscious of God!151
147 After having pointed out that true piety does not consist in mere adherence to outward
forms and rites, - the Qur'an opens, as it were, a new chapter relating to the problem of
man's behaviour. Just as piety cannot become effective without righteous action, individual
righteousness cannot become really effective in the social sense unless there is agreement
within the community as to the social rights and obligations of its members: in other words,
as to the practical laws which should govern the behaviour of the individual within the
society and the society's attitude towards the individual and his actions. This is the
innermost reason why legislation plays so great a role within the ideology of Islam, and
why the Qur'an consistently intertwines its moral and spiritual exhortation with ordinances
relating to practical aspects of social life. Now one of the main problems facing any society
is the safeguarding of the lives and the individual security of its members: and so it is
understandable that laws relating to homicide and its punishment are dealt with prominently
at this place. (It should be borne in mind that "The Cow" was the first surah revealed in
Medina, that is, at the time when the Muslim community had just become established as an
independent social entity.)
As for the term qisas occurring at the beginning of the above passage, it must be pointed out
that - according to all the classical commentators - it is almost synonymous with musawah,
i.e., "making a thing equal [to another thing]": in this instance, making the punishment
equal (or appropriate) to the crime - a meaning which is best rendered as "just retribution"
and not (as has been often, and erroneously, done) as "retaliation". Seeing that the Qur'an
speaks here of "cases of killing" (fi'l-qatla, lit., "in the matter of the killed") in
general, and taking into account that this expression covers all possible cases of homicide -
premeditated murder, murder under extreme provocation, culpable homicide, accidental manslaughter,
and so forth - it is obvious that the taking of a life for a life (implied in the term
"retaliation") would not in every case correspond to the demands of equity. (This has been
made clear, for instance, in 4:92, where legal restitution for unintentional homicide is
dealt with.) Read in conjunction with the term "just retribution" which introduces this passage,
it is clear that the stipulation "the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman
for the woman" cannot - and has not been intended to - be taken in its literal, restrictive
sense: for this would preclude its application to many cases of homicide, e.g., the killing
of a free man by a slave, or of a woman by a man, or vice-versa. Thus, the above stipulation
must be regarded as an example of the elliptical mode of expression (ijaz) so frequently employed
in the Qur'an, and can have but one meaning, namely: "if a free man has committed the crime,
the free man must be punished; if a slave has commited the crime...", etc.- in other words,
whatever the status of the guilty person, he or she (and he or she alone) is to be punished
in a manner appropriate to the crime.
148 Lit., "and he to whom [something] is remitted by his brother". There is no linguistic
justification whatever for attributing - as some of the commentators have done - the pronoun
"his" to the victim and, thus, for assuming that the expression "brother" stands for the
victim's "family" or "blood relations". The pronoun "his" refers, unquestionably, to the
guilty person; and since there is no reason for assuming that by "his brother" a real brother
is meant, we cannot escape the conclusion that it denotes here "his brother in faith" of
"his fellow-man" - in either of which terms the whole community is included. Thus, the
expression "if something is remitted to a guilty person by his brother" (i.e., by the community
or its legal organs) may refer either to the establishment of mitigating circumstances in a
case of murder, or to the finding that the case under trial falls within the categories of
culpable homicide or manslaughter - in which cases no capital punishment is to be exacted
and restitution is to be made by the payment of an indemnity called diyyah (see 4:92) to
the relatives of the victim. In consonance with the oft-recurring Qur'anic exhortation to
forgiveness and forbearance, the "remission" mentioned above may also (and especially in
cases of accidental manslaughter) relate to a partial or even total waiving of any claim
to indemnification.
149 Lit., "and restitution to him in a goodly manner", it being understood that the pronoun
in ilayhi ("to him") refers to the "brother in faith" or "fellow-man" mentioned earlier in
this sentence. The word ada (here translated as "restitution") denotes an act of acquitting
oneself of a duty or a debt (cf. Lane I, 38), and stands here for the act of legal reparation
imposed on the guilty person. This reparation or restitution is to be made "in a goodly manner" -
by taking into account the situation of the accused and, on the latter's part, by acquitting
himself of his obligation willingly and sincerely (cf. Manar II, 129).
150 Lit., "after this" - i.e., after the meaning of what constitutes "just retribution" (qisas)
has been made clear in the above ordinance (Razi).
151 I.e., "there is a safeguard for you, as a community, so that you might be able to live
in security, as God wants you to live". Thus, the objective of qisds is the protection of
the society, and not "revenge".
2:180
IT IS ordained for you, when death approaches any of you and he is leaving behind much wealth, to make bequests in favour of his parents and [other] near of kin in accordance with what is fair:152 this is binding on all who are conscious of God. (2:181) And if anyone alters such a provision after having come to know it, the sin of acting thus shall fall only upon those who have altered it.153 Verily, God is all-hearing, all-knowing.
2:182
If, however, one has reason to fear that the testator has committed a mistake or a [deliberate] wrong, and thereupon brings about a settlement between the heirs,154 he will incur no sin [thereby]. Verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
2:183
O YOU who have attained to faith! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you, so that you might remain conscious of God: (2:184) [fasting] during a certain number of days.155 But whoever of you is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days; and [in such cases] it is incumbent upon those who can afford it to make sacrifice by feeding a needy person.156
And whoever does more good than he is bound to do157 does good unto himself thereby; for to fast is to do good unto yourselves - if you but knew it.
152 The word khayr occurring in this sentence denotes "much wealth" and not simply "property":
and this explains the injunction that one who leaves much wealth behind should make bequests
to particularly deserving members of his family in addition to - and preceding the
distribution of - the legally - fixed shares mentioned in 4:11-12. This interpretation of
khayr is supported by sayings of 'A'ishah and 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, both of them referring to
this particular verse (cf. Zamakhshari and Baydawi).
153 Lit., "and as for him who alters it" - i.e., after the testator's death - "after having
heard it, the sin thereof is only upon those who alter it": that is, not on anyone who may
have unwittingly benefited by this alteration. It is to be noted that the verb sami'a
(lit., "he heard") has also the connotation of "he came to know".
154 Lit., "between them" - i.e., a settlement overriding the testamentary provisions which, by
common consent of the parties concerned, are considered unjust.
155 I.e., during the twenty-nine or thirty days of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar
calendar (see next verse). It consists of a total abstention from food, drink and sexual
intercourse from dawn until sunset. As the Qur'an points out, fasting has been widely practiced
at all times of man's religious history. The extreme rigour and the long duration of the Islamic
fast - which is incumbent on every healthy adult, man or woman - fulfils, in addition to the
general aim of spiritual purification, a threefold purpose: (1) to commemorate the beginning of
the Qur'anic revelation, which took place in the month of Ramadan about thirteen years before
the Prophet's exodus to Medina; (2) to provide an exacting exercise of self-discipline; and
(3) to make everyone realize, through his or her own experience, how it feels to be hungry and
thirsty, and thus to gain a true appreciation of the needs of the poor.
156 This phrase has been subject to a number of conflicting and sometimes highly laboured
interpretations. My rendering is based on the primary meaning of alladhina yutiqunahu
("those who are capable of it" or "are able to do it" or "can afford it"), with the pronoun
hu relating to the act of "feeding a needy person".
157 Some commentators are of the opinion that this refers to a voluntary feeding of more
than one needy person, or to feeding the needy for more than the number of days required
by the above ordinance. Since, however, the remaining part of the sentence speaks of the
benefits of fasting as such, it is more probable that "doing more good than one is bound
to do" refers, in this context, to supererogatory fasting (such as the Prophet sometimes
undertook) apart from the obligatory one during the month of Ramadan.
2:185
It was the month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was [first] bestowed from on high as a guidance unto man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false. Hence, whoever of you lives to see158 this month shall fast throughout it; but he that is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days. God wills that you shall have ease, and does not will you to suffer hardship; but [He desires] that you complete the number [of days required], and that you extol God for His having guided you aright, and that you render your thanks [unto Him].
2:186
AND IF My servants ask thee about Me - behold, I am near; I respond to the call of him who calls, whenever he calls unto Me: let them, then, respond unto Me, and believe in Me, so that they might follow the right way.
2:187
IT IS lawful for you to go in unto your wives during the night preceding the [day's] fast: they are as a garment for you, and you are as a garment for them. God is aware that you would have deprived yourselves of this right,159 and so He has turned unto you in His mercy and removed this hardship from you. Now, then, you may lie with them skin to skin, and avail yourselves of that which God has ordained for you,160 and eat and drink until you can discern the white streak of dawn against the blackness of night,161 and then resume fasting until nightfall; but do not lie with them skin to skin when you are about to abide in meditation in houses of worship.162
These are the bounds set by God: do not, then, offend against them - [for] it is thus that God makes clear His messages unto mankind, so that they might remain conscious of Him.
158 Lit., "witnesses" or "is present in".
159 Lit., "deceived" of "defrauded yourselves [in this respect]": an allusion to the idea
prevalent among the early Muslims, before the revelation of this verse, that during the
period of fasting all sexual intercourse should be avoided, even at night-time, when
eating and drinking are allowed (Razi). The above verse removed this misconception.
160 Lit., "and seek that which God has ordained for you": an obvious stress on the God-willed
nature of sexual life.
161 Lit., "the white line of dawn from the black line [of night]". According to all Arab
philologists, the "black line" (al-khayt al'-aswad) signifies "the blackness of night"
(Lane II, 831); and the expression al-khaytan ("the two lines" or "streaks") denotes
"day and night" (Lisan al-'Arab).
162 It was the practice of the Prophet to spend several days and nights during Ramadan -
and occasionally also at other times - in the mosque, devoting himself to prayer and
meditation to the exclusion of all worldly activities; and since he advised his followers
as well to do this from time to time, seclusion in a mosque for the sake of meditation,
called i'tikaf, has become a recognized though optional - mode of devotion among Muslims,
especially during the last ten days of Ramadan.
2:188
AND DEVOUR NOT one another's possessions wrongfully, and neither employ legal artifices163 with a view to devouring sinfully, and knowingly, anything that by right belongs to others.164
2:189
THEY WILL ASK thee about the new moons. Say: "They indicate the periods for [various doings of] mankind, including the pilgrimage."165
However, piety does not consist in your entering houses from the rear, [as it were,] but truly pious is he who is conscious of God.166 Hence, enter houses through their doors, and remain conscious of God, so that you might attain to a happy state.
163 Lit., "and do not throw it to the judges" - i.e., with a view to being decided by them
contrary to what is right (Zamakhshari, Baydawi).
164 Lit., "a part of [other] people's possessions".
165 The reference, at this stage, to lunar months arises from the fact that the observance of
several of the religious obligations instituted by Islam - like the fast of Ramadan, or the
pilgrimage to Mecca (which is dealt with in verses 196-203)- is based on the lunar calendar,
in which the months rotate through the seasons of the solar year. This fixation on the lunar
calendar results in a continuous variation of the seasonal circumstances in which those
religious observances are performed (e.g., the length of the fasting-period between dawn and
sunset, heat or cold at the time of the fast or the pilgrimage), and thus in a corresponding,
periodical increase or decrease of the hardship involved. In addition to this, reckoning by
lunar months has a bearing on the tide and ebb of the oceans, as well as on human physiology
(e.g., a woman's monthly courses - a subject dealt with later on in this surah).
166 I.e., true piety does not consist in approaching questions of faith through a "back door",
as it were - that is,'through mere observance of the forms and periods set for the performance
of various religious duties (cf. 2:177). However important these forms and time-limits may
be in themselves, they do not fulfil their real purpose unless every act is approached through
its spiritual "front door", that is, through God-consciousness. Since, metonymically, the
word bab ("door") signifies "a means of access to, or of attainment of, a thing" (see Lane I,
272), the metaphor of "entering a house through its door" is often used in classical Arabic
to denote a proper approach to a problem (Razi).
2:190
AND FIGHT in God's cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression - for, verily, God does not love aggressors.167 (2:191) And slay them wherever you may come upon them, and drive them away from wherever they drove you away - for oppression is even worse than killing.168 And fight not against them near the Inviolable House of Worship unless they fight against you there first;169 but if they fight against you, slay them: such shall be the recompense of those who deny the truth.
2:192
But if they desist - behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
2:193
Hence, fight against them until there is no more oppression and all worship is devoted to God alone;170 but if they desist, then all hostility shall cease, save against those who [wilfully] do wrong.
167 This and the following verses lay down unequivocally that only self-defence (in the widest
sense of the word) makes war permissible for Muslims. Most of the commentators agree in that
the expression la ta'tadu signifies, in this context, "do not commit aggression"; while by
al-mu'tadin "those who commit aggression" are meant. The defensive character of a fight
"in God's cause" - that is, in the cause of the ethical principles ordained by God - is,
moreover, self-evident in the reference to "those who wage war against you", and has been
still further clarified in 22:39 - "permission [to fight] is given to those against whom war
is being wrongfully waged" - which, according to all available Traditions, constitutes the
earliest (and therefore fundamental) Qur'anic reference to the question of jihad, or
holy war (see Tabari and Ibn Kathir in their commentaries on 22:39). That this early,
fundamental principle of self-defence as the only possible justification of war has been
maintained throughout the Qur'an is evident from 60:8, as well as from the concluding
sentence of 4:91, both of which belong to a later period than the above verse.
168 In view of the preceding ordinance, the injunction "slay them wherever you may come upon
them" is valid only within the context of hostilities already in progress (Razi), on the
understanding that "those who wage war against you" are the aggressors or oppressors (a
war of liberation being a war "in God's cause"). The translation, in this context, of
fitnah as "oppression" is justified by the application of this term to any affliction which
may cause man to go astray and to lose his faith in spiritual values (cf. Lisan al-'Arab).
169 This reference to warfare in the vicinity of Mecca is due to the fact that at the time
of the revelation of this verse the Holy City was still in the possession of the pagan Quraysh,
who were hostile to the Muslims. However - as is always the case with historical references
in the Qur'an - the above injunction has a general import, and is valid for all times
and circumstances.
170 Lit., "and religion belongs to God [alone]" - i.e., until God can be worshipped without
fear of persecution, and none is compelled to bow down in awe before another human being.
(See also 22:40.) The term din is in this context more suitably translated as "worship"
inasmuch as it comprises here both the doctrinal and the moral aspects of religion: that
is to say, man's faith as well as the obligations arising from that faith.
2:194
Fight during the sacred months if you are attacked:171 for a violation of sanctity is [subject to the law of] just retribution. Thus, if anyone commits aggression against you, attack him just as he has attacked you - but remain conscious of God, and know that God is with those who are conscious of Him.172
2:195
And spend [freely] in God's cause, and let not your own hands throw you into destruction;173 and persevere in doing good: behold, God loves the doers of good.
171 This is a free rendering of the phrase "the sacred month for the sacred month", which
is interpreted by all commentators in the sense given above. The "sacred months" during which,
according to ancient Arab custom, all fighting was deemed utterly wrong, were the first,
seventh, eleventh and twelfth months of the lunar calendar.
172 Thus, although the believers are enjoined to fight back whenever they are attacked,
the concluding words of the above verse make it clear that they must, when fighting,
abstain from all atrocities, including the killing of non-combatants.
173 I.e., "you might bring about your own destruction by withholding your personal and
material contribution to this common effort".
2:196
AND PERFORM the pilgrimage and the pious visit [to Mecca]174 in honour of God; and if you are held back, give instead whatever offering you can easily afford. And do not shave your heads until the offering has been sacrificed;175 but he from among you who is ill or suffers from an ailment of the head shall redeem himself by fasting, or alms, or [any other] act of worship. And if you are hale and secure,176 then he who takes advantage of a pious visit before the [time of] pilgrimage shall give whatever offering he can easily afford;177 whereas he who cannot afford it shall fast for three days during the pilgrimage and for seven days after your return: that is, ten full [days]. All this relates to him who does not live near the Inviolable House of Worship.178
And remain conscious of God, and know that God is severe in retribution.179
174 The Mecca pilgrimage (hajj) takes place once a year, in the month of Dhu'l-Hijjah,
whereas a pious visit ('umrah) may be performed at any time. In both hajj and 'umrah,
the pilgrims are required to walk seven times around the Ka'bah and seven times between
As-Safa and Al-Marwah (see notes 127 and 128 above); in the course of the hajj, they
must, in addition, attend the gathering on the plain of 'Arafat on the 9th of Dhu'l-Hijjah
(see note 182 below) irrespective of whether they are performing a full hajj or only an
'umrah, the pilgrims must refrain from cutting or even trimming the hair on their heads
from the time they enter the state of pilgrimage (ihram) until the end of the pilgrimage,
respectively the pious visit. As mentioned in the sequence, persons who are ill or suffer
from an ailment which necessitates the cutting or shaving of one's hair are exempted from
this prohibition.
175 Lit., "until the offering has reached its destination" - i.e., in time or in place;
according to Razi, the time of sacrifice is meant here, namely, the conclusion of the
pilgrimage, when those who participate in the hajj are expected - provided they can afford
it - to sacrifice a sheep, a goat, or the like; and to distribute most of its flesh in
charity.
176 The expression idha amantum (lit., "when you are safe") refers here to safety both from
external dangers (e.g., war) and from illness, and is, therefore, best rendered as "hale
and secure" - the implication being that the person concerned is in a position, and intends,
to participate in the pilgrimage.
177 This relates to an interruption, for the sake of personal comfort, of the state of
pilgrimage (ihram) during the time intervening between the completion of an 'umrah and
the performance of the hajj (cf. Manar 11, 222). The pilgrim who takes advantage of this
facility is obliged to sacrifice an animal (see note 175 above) at the termination of the
pilgrimage or, alternatively, to fast for ten days.
178 Lit., "whose people are not present at the Inviolable House of Worship" - i.e., do not
permanently reside there: for, obviously, the inhabitants of Mecca cannot remain permanently
in the state of ihram.
179 This refers not merely to a possible violation of the sanctity of the pilgrimage but also,
in a more general way, to all deliberate violations of God's ordinances.
2:197
The pilgrimage shall take place in the months appointed for it.180 And whoever undertakes the pilgrimage in those [months] shall, while on pilgrimage, abstain from lewd speech, from all wicked conduct, and from quarrelling; and whatever good you may do, God is aware of it.
And make provision for yourselves - but, verily, the best of all provisions is God-consciousness: remain, then, conscious of Me, O you who are endowed with insight! (2:198) [However,] you will be committing no sin if [during the pilgrimage] you seek to obtain any bounty from your Sustainer.181
And when you surge downward in multitudes from 'Arafat, 182 remember God at the holy place, and remember Him as the One who guided you after you had indeed been lost on your way;183 (2:199) and surge onward together with the multitude of all the other people who surge onward,184 and ask God to forgive you your sins: for, verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
180 Lit., "in the well-known months". Since the hajj culminates in one particular month
(namely, Dhu'l-Hijjah), the plural apparently refers to its annual recurrence. It should,
however, be noted that some commentators understand it as referring to the last three
months of the lunar year.
181 I.e., by trading while in the state of ihram. Muhammad 'Abduh points out (in Manar II, 231)
that the endeavour "to obtain any bounty from your Sustainer" implies God-consciousness and,
therefore, constitutes a kind of worship-provided, of course, that this endeavour does not
conflict with any other, more prominent religious requirement.
182 The gathering of all pilgrims on the plain of 'Arafat, east of Mecca, takes place on the
9th of Dhu'l-Hijjah and constitutes the climax of the pilgrimage. The pilgrims are required
to remain until sunset on that plain, below the hillock known as Jabal ar-Rahmah ("the Mount
of Grace") - a symbolic act meant to bring to mind that ultimate gathering on Resurrection Day,
when every soul will await God's judgment. Immediately after sunset, the multitudes of pilgrims
move back in the direction of Mecca, stopping overnight at a place called Muzdalifah, the
"holy place" referred to in the next clause of this sentence.
183 Lit., "and remember Him as He has guided you, although before that you had indeed been among
those who go astray".
184 Lit., "surge onward in multitudes whence the people surge onward in multitudes": thus the
pilgrims are called upon to submerge their individualities, at that supreme moment of the
pilgrimage, in the consciousness of belonging to a community of people who are all equal
before God, with no barrier of race or class or social status separating one person from
another.
2:200
And when you have performed your acts of worship, [continue to] bear God in mind as you would bear your own fathers in mind - nay, with a yet keener remembrance!185 For there are people who [merely] pray, "O our Sustainer! Give us in this world" - and such shall not partake in the blessings of the life to come. (2:201) But there are among them such as pray, "O our Sustainer! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come, and keep us safe from suffering through the fire": (2:202) it is these that shall have their portion [of happiness] in return for what they have earned. And God is swift in reckoning.
2:203
And bear God in mind during the appointed days;186 but he who hurries away within two days shall incur no sin, and he who tarries longer shall incur no sin, provided that he is conscious of God. Hence, remain conscious of God, and know that unto Him you shall be gathered.
2:204
NOW THERE IS a kind of man187 whose views on the life of this world may please thee greatly, and [the more so as] he cites God as witness to what is in his heart and is, moreover, exceedingly skillful in argument.188 (2:205) But whenever he prevails, he goes about the earth spreading corruption and destroying [man's] tilth and progeny:189 and God does not love corruption. (2:206) And whenever he is told, "Be conscious of God," his false pride drives him into sin: wherefore hell will be his allotted portion - and how vile a resting-place!
185 Most of the commentators see in this passage a reference to the custom of the pre-Islamic
Arabs to extol, on the occasion of various gatherings, the greatness and the supposed virtues
of their ancestors. Some of the earliest Islamic scholars, however - e.g., Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi
and Abu Muslim - are of the opinion that what is meant here are actual fathers (or, by
implication, both parents), whom a child usually considers to be the embodiment of all that
is good and powerful (see Razi's commentary on this verse).
186 These are the days following the "Festival of Sacrifices" ('id al-adha'), which takes place
on the 10th of Dhu'l-Hijjah. The pilgrims are obliged to spend at least two of these days in
the valley of Mina, about half-way between 'Arafat and Mecca.
187 Lit., "among the people there is he" (or "such as"). Since there is no valid reason to
suppose, as some commentators do, that this refers to a particular person - a contemporary
of the Prophet - the most reliable authorities hold that the above passage has a general
meaning (cf. Razi). As the context shows, it is a further elaboration of the allusion, made
in 2:200-201, to two contrasting attitudes: the attitude of people whose only real concern
is the life of this world, and that of people who are mindful of the hereafter as well as,
or even more than, their present life.
188 Lit., "the most contentious of adversaries in a dispute". According to Az-Zajjaj (quoted
by Razi), this signifies a person who is always able to defeat his opponent in a controversy
by the use of extremely adroit and often misleading arguments. It is obvious that this passage
refers to people who hold plausible and even admirable views regarding a possible improvement
of human society and of man's lot on earth, but at the same time refuse to be guided by what
they regard as "esoteric" considerations - like belief in a life after death - and justify
their exclusive preoccupation with the affairs of this world by seemingly sound arguments
and a stress on their own ethical objectives ("they cite God as witness to what is in their
hearts"). There is an inescapable affinity between the mental attitude described in the above
passage and the one spoken of in 2:8-12.
189 Lit., "he hastens about the earth [or "strives on earth"] to spread corruption therein and
to destroy tilth and progeny". Most of the commentators see in this sentence an indication of
a conscious intent on the part of the person thus described; but it is also possible that the
particle li in li-yufsida (generally taken to mean "in order that he might spread corruption")
plays in this context the role of what the grammarians call a lam al-dqibah, "the [letter] lam
used to denote a consequence"- i.e., regardless of the existence or non-existence of a conscious
intent. (By rendering the sentence the way I do it, both possibilities are left open.) As regards
the expression harth (rendered by me as "tilth"), its primary significance is "gain" or
"acquisition" through labour; and thus it often signifies "worldly goods" (see Lane II, 542),
and especially the crops obtained by tilling land, as well as the tilled land itself. If
harth is understood in this context as "tilth", it would apply, metaphorically, to human endeavours
in general, and to social endeavours in particular. However, some commentators - basing their
opinion on the Qur'anic sentence, "your wives are your tilth" (2:223)- maintain that harth
stands here for "wives" (cf. Razi, and the philologist Al-Azhari, as quoted in Manar II, 248):
in which case the "destruction of tilth and progeny" would be synonymous with an upsetting
of family life and, consequently, of the entire social fabric. According to either of these
two interpretations, the passage has the following meaning: As soon as the mental attitude
described above is generally accepted and made the basis of social behaviour, it unavoidably
results in widespread moral decay and, consequently, social disintegration.
2:207
But there is [also] a kind of man who would willingly sell his own self in order to please God:190 and God is most compassionate towards His servants.
2:208
O you who have attained to faith! Surrender yourselves wholly unto God,191 and follow not Satan's footsteps, for, verily, he is your open foe. (2:209) And if you should stumble after all evidence of the truth has come unto you, then know that, verily, God is almighty, wise.
2:210
Are these people192 waiting, perchance, for God to reveal Himself unto them in the shadows of the clouds, together with the angels - although [by then] all will have been decided, and unto God all things will have been brought back?193
190 Lit., "there is such as would sell his own self out of a desire for God's pleasure": i.e.,
would give up all his personal interests if compliance with God's will were to demand it.
191 Lit., "enter wholly into self-surrender". Since self-surrender to God is the basis of all
true belief, some of the greatest commentators (e.g., Zamakhshari, Razi) hold that the
address, "O you who have attained to faith" cannot refer here to Muslims - a designation
which, throughout the Qur'an, literally means "those who have surrendered themselves to God" -
but must relate to people who have not yet achieved such complete self-surrender: that is,
to the Jews and the Christians, who do believe in most of the earlier revelations but do
not regard the message of the Qur'an as true. This interpretation would seem to be borne
out by the subsequent passages.
192 Lit., "they"- obviously referring to the people addressed in the preceding two verses.
193 I.e., it will be too late for repentance. All commentators agree in that the "decision"
relates to the unequivocal manifestation of God's will on the Day of Judgment, which is
alluded to in the words, "when unto God all things will have been brought back". Since,
in the next verse, the children of Israel are addressed, it is possible that this
rhetorical question is connected with their refusal, in the time of Moses, to believe
in the divine message unless they "see God face to face" (cf. 2:55).
2:211
Ask the children of Israel how many a clear message We have given them! And if one alters God's blessed message194 after it has reached him - verily, God is severe in retribution!
2:212
Unto those who are bent on denying the truth the life of this world [alone] seems goodly;195 hence, they scoff at those who have attained to faith: but they who are conscious of God shall be above them on Resurrection Day. And God grants sustenance unto whom He wills, beyond all reckoning.196
2:213
ALL MANKIND were once one single community; [then they began to differ - ] whereupon God raised up the prophets as heralds of glad tidings and as warners, and through them bestowed revelation from on high, setting forth the truth, so that it might decide between people with regard to all on which they had come to hold divergent views.197 Yet none other than the selfsame people who had been granted this [revelation] began, out of mutual jealousy, to disagree about its meaning after all evidence of the truth had come unto them. But God guided the believers unto the truth about which, by His leave, they had disagreed: for God guides onto a straight way him that wills [to be guided].198
194 Lit., "God's blessing".
195 Lit., "has been made beauteous".
196 I.e., He cannot be called to account for the way in which He distributes worldly benefits,
sometimes granting them to the morally deserving and sometimes to sinners.
197 By using the expression ummah wahidah ("one single community") to describe the original
state of mankind, the Qur'an does not propound, as might appear at first glance, the
idea of a mythical "golden age" obtaining at the dawn of man's history. What is alluded
to in this verse is no more than the relative homogeneity of instinctive perceptions and
inclinations characteristic of man's primitive mentality and the primitive social order
in which he lived in those early days. Since that homogeneity was based on a lack of
intellectual and emotional differentiation rather than on a conscious agreement among
the members of human society, it was bound to disintegrate in the measure of man's
subsequent development. As his thought-life became more and more complex, his emotional
capacity and his individual needs, too, became more differentiated, conflicts of views
and interests came to the fore, and mankind ceased to be "one single community" as regards
their outlook on life and their moral valuations: and it was at this stage that divine
guidance became necessary. (It is to be borne in mind that the term al-kitab refers here -
as in many other places in the Qur'an - not to any particular scripture but to divine
revelation as such.) This interpretation of the above Qur'anic passage is supported by
the fact that the famous Companion 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud used to read it thus: "All
mankind were once one single community, and then they began to differ (fakhtalafu)-
whereupon God raised up ...... etc. Although the word fakhtalafu interpolated here by
Ibn Mas'ud does not appear in the generally-accepted text of the Qur'an, almost all of
the authorities are of the opinion that it is implied in the context.
198 Or: "God guides whomever He wills onto a straight way." As is made clear in the second
part of verse 253 of this surah, man's proneness to intellectual dissension is not an
accident of history but an integral, God-willed aspect of human nature as such: and it
is this natural circumstance to which the words "by His leave" allude. For an explanation
of the phrase "out of mutual jealousy", see 23:53 and the corresponding note 30.
2:214
[But] do you think that you could enter paradise without having suffered like those [believers] who passed away before you?199 Misfortune and hardship befell them, and so shaken were they that the apostle, and the believers with him, would exclaim, "When will God's succour come?"200 Oh, verily, God's succour is [always] near!
2:215
THEY WILL ASK thee as to what they should spend on others. Say: "Whatever of your wealth you spend shall [first] be for your parents, and for the near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer; and whatever good you do, verily, God has full knowledge thereof."
2:216
FIGHTING is ordained for you, even though it be hateful to you; but it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you, and it may well be that you love a thing the while it is bad for you: and God knows, whereas you do not know.201
199 Lit., "while yet there has not come to you the like of [what has come to] those who
passed away before you". This passage connects with the words, "God guides onto a straight
way him that wills [to be guided]", which occur at the end of the preceding verse. The
meaning is that intellectual cognition of the truth cannot, by itself, be a means of
attaining to ultimate bliss: it must be complemented by readiness to sacrifice and
spiritual purification through suffering.
200 The preceding reference to "those who passed away before you" makes it obvious that the
term "the apostle" is used here in a generic sense, applying to all the apostles (Manar II, 301).
201 Insofar as it relates to fighting, this verse must be read in conjunction with 2:190-193
and 22:39: but it expresses, in addition, a general truth applicable to many situations.
2:217
They will ask thee about fighting in the sacred month.202 Say: "Fighting in it is an awesome thing; but turning men away from the path of God and denying Him, and [turning them away from] the Inviolable House of Worship and expelling its people therefrom - [all this] is yet more awesome in the sight of God, since oppression is more awesome than killing."
[Your enemies] will not cease to fight against you till they have turned you away from your faith, if they can. But if any of you should turn away from his faith and die as a denier of the truth - these it is whose works will go for nought in this world and in the life to come; and these it is who are destined for the fire, therein to abide.
2:218
Verily, they who have attained to faith, and they who have forsaken the domain of evil203 and are striving hard in God's cause - these it is who may look forward to God's grace: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
202 For an explanation of the "sacred months", see note 171 above.
203 The expression alladhina hajaru (lit., "those who have forsaken their homelands") denotes,
primarily, the early Meccan Muslims who migrated at the Prophet's bidding to Medina - which
was then called Yathrib - in order to be able to live in freedom and in accordance with the
dictates of Islam. After the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims in the year 8 H., this exodus
(hijrah) from Mecca to Medina ceased to be a religious obligation. Ever since the earliest days
of Islam, however, the term hijrah has had a spiritual connotation as well-namely, a "forsaking
of the domain of evil" and turning towards God: and since this spiritual connotation applies
both to the historical muhajirun ("emigrants") of early Islam and to all believers of later
times who forsake all that is sinful and "migrate unto God", I am using this expression frequently.
2:219
THEY WILL ASK thee about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: "In both there is great evil204 as well as some benefit for man; but the evil which they cause is greater than the benefit which they bring."205
And they will ask thee as to what they should spend [in God's cause]. Say: "Whatever you can spare." In this way God makes clear unto you His messages, so that you might reflect (2:220) on this world and on the life to come.
And they will ask thee about [how to deal with] orphans. Say: "To improve their condition is best." And if you share their life, [remember that] they are your brethren:206 for God distinguishes between him who spoils things and him who improves. And had God so willed, He would indeed have imposed on you hardships which you would not have been able to bear:207 [but,] behold, God is almighty, wise!
2:221
AND DO NOT many women who ascribe divinity to aught beside God ere they attain to [true] belief: for any believing bondwoman [of God]208 is certainly better than a woman who ascribes divinity to aught beside God, even though she please you greatly. And do not give your women in marriage to men who ascribe divinity to aught beside God ere they attain to [true] belief: for any believing bondman [of God] is certainly better than a man who ascribes divinity to aught beside God, even though he please you greatly. [Such as] these invite unto the fire, whereas God invites unto paradise, and unto [the achievement of] forgiveness by His leave; and He makes clear His messages unto mankind, so that they might bear them in mind.
2:222
AND THEY will ask thee about [woman's] monthly courses. Say: "It is a vulnerable condition. Keep, therefore, aloof from women during their monthly courses, and do not draw near unto them until they are cleansed; and when they are cleansed, go in unto them as God has bidden you to do."209
Verily, God loves those who turn unto Him in repentance210 and He loves those who keep themselves pure.
204 Lit., "sin", or anything that is conducive to sinning. As some of the classical commentators
(e.g., Razi) point out, the term ithm is used in this verse as the antithesis of manafi'
("benefits"); it can, therefore, be suitably rendered as "evil".
205 Lit., "their evil is greater than their benefit". For a clear-cut prohibition of intoxicants
and games of chance, see 5:90-91 and the corresponding notes.
206 The implication is that if one shares the life of an orphan in his charge, one is
permitted to benefit by such an association - for instance, through a business partnership -
provided this does not damage the orphan's interests in any way.
207 I.e., "by putting you under an obligation to care for the orphans, and at the same time
prohibiting you from sharing their life" (see preceding note).
208 Although the majority of the commentators attribute to the term amah, occurring in this context,
its usual connotation of "slave-girl", some of them are of the opinion that it stands here
for "God's bondwoman". Thus, Zamakhshari explains the words amah mu'minah (lit., "a believing
bondwoman") as denoting "any believing woman, whether she be free or slave; and this applies
to [the expression] 'believing bondman as well: for all human beings are God's bondmen
and bondwoman". My rendering of the above passage is based on this eminently plausible
interpretation.
209 This is one of the many references in the Qur'an to the positive, God-ordained nature of sexuality.
210 I.e., if they have transgressed against the above restriction.
2:223
Your wives are your tilth; go, then, unto your tilth as you may desire, but first provide something for your souls,211 and remain conscious of God, and know that you are destined to meet Him. And give glad tidings unto those who believe.
2:224
AND DO NOT allow your oaths in the name of God to become an obstacle to virtue and God-consciousness and the promotion of peace between men:212 for God is all-hearing, all-knowing. (2:225) God will not take you to task for oaths which you may have uttered without thought, but will take you to task [only] for what your hearts have conceived [in earnest]: for God is much-forgiving, forbearing.
2:226
Those who take an oath that they will not approach their wives shall have four months of grace; and if they go back [on their oath]213 - behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenseer of grace. (2:227) But if they are resolved on divorce - behold, God is all-hearing, all-knowing.
211 In other words, a spiritual relationship between man and woman is postulated as the
indispensable basis of sexual relations.
212 Lit., "do not make God, because of your oaths...", etc. As can be seen from verse 226, this
injunction refers primarily to oaths relating to divorce but is, nevertheless, general in
its import. Thus, there are several authentic Traditions to the effect that the Prophet
Muhammad said: "If anyone takes a solemn oath [that he would do or refrain from doing
such-and-such a thing], and thereupon realizes that something else would be a more righteous
course, then let him do that which is more righteous, and let him break his oath and then
atone for it" (Bukhari and Muslim; and other variants of the same Tradition in other
compilations). As regards the method of atonement, see 5:89.
213 I.e., during this period of grace.
2:228
And the divorced women shall undergo, without remarrying,214 a waiting-period of three monthly courses: for it is not lawful for them to conceal what God may have created in their wombs,215 if they believe in God and the Last Day. And during this period their husbands are fully entitled to take them back, if they desire reconciliation; but, in accordance with justice, the rights of the wives [with regard to their husbands] are equal to the [husbands'] rights with regard to them, although men have precedence over them [in this respect].216 And God is almighty, wise.
214 Lit., "by themselves".
215 The primary purpose of this waiting-period is the ascertainment of possible pregnancy, and
thus of the parentage of the as yet unborn child. In addition, the couple are to be given
an opportunity to reconsider their decision and possibly to resume the marriage. See also
65:1 and the corresponding note 2.
216 A divorced wife has the right to refuse a resumption of marital relations even if the
husband expresses, before the expiry of the waiting-period, his willingness to have the
provisional divorce rescinded; but since it is the husband who is responsible for the
maintenance of the family, the first option to rescind a provisional divorce rests with him.
2:229
A divorce may be [revoked] twice, whereupon the marriage must either be resumed in fairness or dissolved in a goodly manner.217
And it is not lawful for you to take back anything of what you have ever given to your wives unless both [partners] have cause to fear that they may not be able to keep within the bounds set by God: hence, if you have cause to fear that the two may not be able to keep within the bounds set by God, there shall be no sin upon either of them for what the wife may give up [to her husband] in order to free herself.218
These are the bounds set by God; do not, then, transgress them: for they who transgress the bounds set by God - it is they, they who are evildoers!
217 Lit., "whereupon either retention in fairness or release in a goodly manner". In other
words, a third pronouncement of divorce makes it final and irrevocable.
218 All authorities agree in that this verse relates to the unconditional right on the part
of the wife to obtain a divorce from her husband; such a dissolution of marriage at the wife's
instance is called khul'. There exist a number of highly-authenticated Traditions to the effect
that the wife of Thabit ibn Qays, Jamilah, came to the Prophet and demanded a divorce from her
husband on the ground that, in spite of his irreproachable character and behaviour, she
"disliked him as she would dislike falling into unbelief after having accepted Islam". Thereupon
the Prophet ordained that she should return to Thabit the garden which he has given her as
her dower (mahr) at the time of their wedding, and decreed that the marriage should be dissolved.
(Several variants of this Tradition have been recorded by Bukhari, Nasa'i, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah
and Bayhaqi, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas.) Similar Traditions, handed down on the authority
of 'A'ishah and relating to a woman called Hubaybah bint Sahl, are to be found in the Muwaya'
of Imam Malik, in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, and in the compilations of Nasa'i and Abu Da'ud
(in one variant, the latter gives the woman's name as Hafsah bint Sahl). In accordance with
these Traditions, Islamic Law stipulates that whenever a marriage is dissolved at the wife's
instance without any offence on the part of the husband against his marital obligations, the
wife is the contract-breaking party and must, therefore, return the dower which she received
from him at the time of concluding the marriage: and in this event "there shall be no sin upon
either of them" if the husband takes back the dower which the wife gives up of her own free
will. An exhaustive discussion of all these Traditions and their legal implications is found
in Nayl al-Awtar VII, pp. 34-41. For a summary of the relevant views of the various schools of
Islamic jurisprudence, see Biddyat al-Mujtahid 11, pp. 54-57.
2:230
And if he divorces her [finally], she shall thereafter not be lawful unto him unless she first takes another man for husband; then, if the latter divorces her, there shall be no sin upon either of the two if they return to one another - provided that both of them think that they will be able to keep within the bounds set by God: for these are the bounds of God which He makes clear unto people of [innate] knowledge.
2:231
And so, when you divorce women and they are about to reach the end of their waiting-term, then either retain them in a fair manner or let them go in a fair manner. But do not retain them against their will in order to hurt [them]: for he who does so sins indeed against himself.
And do not take [these] messages of God in a frivolous spirit; and remember the blessings with which God has graced you, and all the revelation and the wisdom which He has bestowed on you from on high in order to admonish you thereby; and remain conscious of God, and know that God has full knowledge of everything.
2:232
And when you divorce women, and they have come to the end of their waiting-term, hinder them not from marrying other men if they have agreed with each other in a fair manner. This is an admonition unto every one of you who believes in God and the Last Day; it is the most virtuous [way] for you, and the cleanest. And God knows, whereas you do not know.
2:233
And the [divorced] mothers may nurse their children for two whole years, if they wish to complete the period of nursing; and it is incumbent upon him who has begotten the child to provide in a fair manner for their sustenance and clothing. No human being shall be burdened with more than he is well able to bear: neither shall a mother be made to suffer because of her child, nor, because of his child, he who has begotten it. And the same duty rests upon the [father's] heir.
And if both [parents] decide, by mutual consent and counsel, upon separation [of mother and child],219 they will incur no sin [thereby]; and if you decide to entrust your children to foster-mothers, you will incur no sin provided you ensure, in a fair manner, the safety of the child which you are handing over.220 But remain conscious of God, and know that God sees all that you do.
2:234
And if any of you die and leave wives behind, they shall undergo, without remarrying,221 a waiting period of four months and ten days; whereupon, when they have reached the end of their waiting-term, there shall be no sin222 in whatever they may do with their persons in a lawful manner. And God is aware of all that you do.
219 Most of the commentators understand the word fisal as being synonymous with "weaning"
(i.e., before the end of the maximum period of two years). Abu Muslim, however, is of the
opinion that it stands here for "separation" - i.e., of the child from its mother (Razi).
It appears to me that this is the better of the two interpretations inasmuch as it provides
a solution for cases in which both parents agree that, for some reason or other, it would
not be fair to burden the divorced mother with the upbringing of the child despite the
father's obligation to support them materially, while, on the other hand. it would not be
feasible for the father to undertake this duty single-handed.
220 Lit., "provided you make safe [or "provided you surrender"] in a fair manner that which you
are handing over". While it cannot be denied that the verb sallamahu can mean "he surrendered
it" as well as "he made it safe", it seems to me that the latter meaning (which is the primary
one) is preferable in this context since it implies the necessity of assuring the child's
future safety and well-being. (The commentators who take the verb sallamtum in the sense
of "you surrender" interpret the phrase idha sallamtum ma ataytum bi'l-ma'ruf as meaning
"provided you hand over the agreed-upon [wages to the foster-mothers] in a fair manner" -
which, to my mind, unduly limits the purport of the above injunction.)
221 Lit., "by themselves".
222 Lit., "you will incur no sin'". Since, obviously, the whole community is addressed here
(Zamakhshari), the rendering "there shall be no sin" would seem appropriate.
2:235
But you will incur no sin if you give a hint of [an intended] marriage-offer to [any of] these women, or if you conceive such an intention without making it obvious: [for] God knows that you intend to ask them in marriage.223 Do not, however, plight your troth with them in secret, but speak only in a decent manner; and do not proceed with tying the marriage-knot ere the ordained [term of waiting] has come to its end. And know that God knows what is in your minds, and therefore remain conscious of Him; and know, too, that God is much-forgiving, forbearing.
2:236
You will incur no sin if you divorce women while you have not yet touched them nor settled a dower upon them;224 but [even in such a case] make provision for them - the affluent according to his means, and the straitened according to his means - a provision in an equitable manner: this is a duty upon all who would do good.225
223 Lit., "if you conceal [such an intention] within yourselves: [for] God knows that you will
mention [it] to them". In classical Arabic usage, the expression dhakaraha ("he mentioned
[it] to her") is often idiomatically synonymous with "he demanded her in marriage" (see
Lane III, 969). The above passage relates to a marriage-offer - or to an intention of making
such an offer - to a newly-widowed or divorced woman before the expiry of the prescribed
waiting-term.
224 The term faridah denotes the dower (often also called mahr) which must be agreed upon by
bridegroom and bride before the conclusion of the marriage-tie. While the amount of this
dower is left to the discretion of the two contracting parties (and may even consist of no
more than a token gift), its stipulation is an essential part of an Islamic marriage contract.
For exceptions from this rule, see 33:50 and the corresponding note 58.
225 Lit., "upon the doers of good" - i.e., all who are determined to act in accordance with God's will.
2:237
And if you divorce them before having touched them, but after having settled a dower upon them, then [give them] half of what you have settled - unless it be that they forgo their claim or he in whose hand is the marriage-tie226 forgoes his claim [to half of the dower]: and to forgo what is due to you is more in accord with God-consciousness. And forget not [that you are to act with] grace towards one another: verily, God sees all that you do.
2:238
BE EVER mindful of prayers, and of praying in the most excellent way;227 and stand before God in devout obedience. (2:239) But if you are in danger, [pray] walking or riding;228 and when you are again secure, bear God in mind - since it is He who taught you what you did not previously know.
226 According to some of the most prominent Companions of the Prophet (e.g., 'Ali) and their
immediate successors (e.g., Said ibn al-Musayyab and Said ibn Jubayr), this term denotes
the husband (cf. Tabari, Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi and Ibn Kathir).
227 Lit., "the midmost [or "the most excellent"] prayer". It is generally assumed that this
refers to the mid-afternoon ('asr) prayer, although some authorities believe that it denotes
the prayer at dawn (fajr). Muhammad 'Abduh, however, advances the view that it may mean
"the noblest kind of prayer - that is, a prayer from the fullness of the heart, with the
whole mind turned towards God, inspired by awe of Him, and reflecting upon His word"
(Manor II, 438). - In accordance with the system prevailing throughout the Qur'an, any
lengthy section dealing with social laws is almost invariably followed by a call to
God-consciousness: and since God-consciousness comes most fully to its own in prayer,
this and the next verse are interpolated here between injunctions relating to marital
life and divorce.
228 This relates to any dangerous situation - for instance, in war - where remaining for any
length of time at one place would only increase the peril: in such an event, the obligatory
prayers may be offered in any way that is feasible, even without consideration of the qiblah.
2:240
AND IF any of you die and leave wives behind, they bequeath thereby to their widows [the right to] one year's maintenance without their being obliged to leave [the dead husband's home].229 If, however, they leave [of their own accord], there shall be no sin in whatever they may do with themselves in a lawful manner.230 And God is almighty, wise.
2:241
And the divorced women, too, shall have [a right to] maintenance in a goodly manner:231 this is a duty for all who are conscious of God.
229 Lit., "[it is] a bequest to their wives [of] one year's maintenance without being dislodged".
(As regards the justification of the rendering adopted by me, see Manor II, 446 ff.). The
question of a widow's residence in her dead husband's house arises, of course, only in the
event that it has not been bequeathed to her outright under the provisions stipulated in 4:12.
230 For instance, by remarrying - in which case they forgo their claim to additional maintenance
during the remainder of the year. Regarding the phrase "there shall be no sin", see note 222 above.
231 This obviously relates to women who are divorced without any legal fault on their part. The
amount of alimony - payable unless and until they remarry - has been left unspecified since
it must depend on the husband's financial circumstances and on the social conditions of the time.
2:242
In this way God makes clear unto you His messages, so that you might [learn to] use your reason.
2:243
ART THOU NOT aware of those who forsook their homelands in their thousands for fear of death whereupon God said unto them, "Die," and later brought them back to life?232
Behold, God is indeed limitless in His bounty unto man - but most people are ungrateful.
2:244
Fight, then, in God's cause,233 and know that God is all-hearing, all-knowing.
2:245
Who is it that will offer up unto God a goodly loan,234 which He will amply repay, with manifold increase? For, God takes away, and He gives abundantly; and it is unto Him that you shall be brought back.
2:246
Art thou not aware of those elders of the children of Israel, after the time of Moses, how they said unto a prophet of theirs,235 "Raise up a king for us, [and] we shall fight in God's cause"? Said he: "Would you, perchance, refrain from fighting if fighting is ordained for you?"
They answered: "And why should we not fight in God's cause when we and our children have been driven from our homelands?"236 Yet, when fighting was ordained for them, they did turn back, save for a few of them; but God had full knowledge of the evildoers.
232 After the conclusion of the injunctions relating to marital life, the Qur'an returns here to
the problem of warfare in a just cause by alluding to people who - obviously under a hostile
attack -"forsook their homelands for fear of death". Now, neither the Qur'an nor any authentic
Tradition offers any indication as to who the people referred to in this verse may have been.
The "historical" explanations given by some of the commentators are most contradictory; they
seem to have been derived from Talmudic stories current at the time, and cannot be used in
this context with any justification. We must, therefore, assume (as Muhammad 'Abduh does in
Manar II, 455 ff.) that the above allusion is parabolically connected with the subsequent call
to the faithful to be ready to lay down their lives in God's cause: an illustration of the fact
that fear of physical death leads to the moral death of nations and communities, just as their
regeneration (or "coming back to life") depends on their regaining their moral status through
overcoming the fear of death. This is undoubtedly the purport of the elliptic story of Samuel,
Saul and David told in verses 246-251.
233 I.e., in a just war in self-defence against oppression or unprovoked aggression (cf. 2:190-194).
234 I.e., by sacrificing one's life in, or devoting it to, His cause.
235 The prophet referred to here is Samuel (cf. Old Testament, I Samuel viii ff.).
236 Obviously a reference to the many invasions of their homelands by their perennial enemies,
the Philistines, Amorites, Amalekites and other Semitic and non-Semitic tribes living in and -
around Palestine; and, by implication, a reminder to believers of all times that "fighting
in God's cause" (as defined in the Qur'an) is an act of faith.
2:247
And their prophet said unto those elders:237 "Behold, now God has raised up Saul to be your king." They said: "How can he have dominion over us when we have a better claim to dominion than he, and he has not [even] been endowed with abundant wealth?"
[The prophet] replied: "Behold, God has exalted him above you, and endowed him abundantly with knowledge and bodily perfection. And God bestows His dominion238 upon whom He wills: for God is infinite, all-knowing."
2:248
And their prophet said unto them: "Behold, it shall be a sign of his [rightful] dominion that you will be granted a heart239 endowed by your Sustainer with inner peace and with all that is enduring in the angel-borne heritage left behind by the House of Moses and the House of Aaron.240 Herein, behold, there shall indeed be a sign for you if you are [truly] believers."
237 Lit., "to them" - but the next sentence shows that the elders were thus addressed by Samuel.
238 An allusion to the Qur'anic doctrine that all dominion and all that may be "owned" by man
belongs to God alone, and that man holds it only in trust from Him.
239 Lit., "that there will come to you the heart". The word tabut - here rendered as "heart" -
has been conventionally interpreted as denoting the Ark of the Covenant mentioned in the Old
Testament, which is said to have been a highly-ornamented chest or box. The explanations
offered by most of the commentators who adopt the latter meaning are very contradictory, and
seem to be based on Talmudic legends woven around that "ark". However, several authorities
of the highest standing attribute to tabut the meaning of "bosom" or "heart" as well: thus,
Baydawi in one of the alternatives offered in his commentary on this verse, as well as
Zamakhshari in his Asas (though not in the Kashshaf ), Ibn al-Athir in the Nihdyah, Raghib,
and Taj al-'Arus (the latter four in the article tabata ); see also Lane I, 321, and IV, 1394
(art. sakfnah). If we take this to be the meaning of tabut in the above context, it would
be an allusion to the Israelites' coming change of heart (a change already indicated, in
general terms, in verse 243 above). In view of the subsequent mention of the "inner peace"
in the tabut, its rendering as "heart" is definitely more appropriate than "ark".
240 Lit., "and the remainder of that which the House (al) of Moses and the House of Aaron
left behind. borne by the angels". The expression "borne by the angels" or "angel-borne"
is an allusion to the God-inspired nature of the spiritual heritage left by those two
prophets; while the "remainder" (baqiyyah) denotes that which is "lasting" or "enduring"
in that heritage.
2:249
And when Saul set out with his forces, he said: "Behold, God will now try you by a river: he who shall drink of it will not belong to me, whereas he who shall refrain from tasting it - he, indeed, will belong to me; but forgiven shall be he241 who shall scoop up but a single handful." However, save for a few of them, they all drank [their fill] of it.
And as soon as he and those who had kept faith with him had crossed the river, the others said: "No strength have we today [to stand up] against Goliath and his forces!"
[Yet] those who knew with certainty that they were destined to meet God, replied: "How often has a small host overcome a great host by God's leave! For God is with those who are patient in adversity."
2:250
And when they came face to face with Goliath and his forces, they prayed: "O our Sustainer! Shower us with patience in adversity, and make firm our steps, and succour us against the people who deny the truth!"
2:251
And thereupon, by God's leave, they routed them. And David slew Goliath; and God bestowed upon him dominion, and wisdom, and imparted to him the knowledge of whatever He willed. And if God had not enabled people to defend themselves against one another,242 corruption would surely overwhelm the earth: but God is limitless in His bounty unto all the worlds.
2:252
THESE are God's messages: We convey them unto thee, [O Prophet,] setting forth the truth - for, verily, thou art among those who have been entrusted with a message. (2:253) Some of these apostles have We endowed more highly than others: among them were such as were spoken to by God [Himself], and some He has raised yet higher.'243 And We vouchsafed unto Jesus, the son of Mary, all evidence of the truth, and strengthened him with holy inspiration.244
And if God had so willed, they who succeeded those [apostles] would not have contended with one another after all evidence of the truth had come to them; but [as it was,] they did take to divergent views, and some of them attained to faith, while some of them came to deny the truth. Yet if God had so willed, they would not have contended with one another: but God does whatever He wills.245
241 Lit., "excepting him". The symbolic implication is that faith - and, thus, belief in the
justice of one's cause - has no value unless it is accompanied by heightened self-discipline
and disregard of one's material interests.
242 Lit., "were it not that God repels some people by means of others": an elliptic reference
to God's enabling people to defend themselves against aggression or oppression. Exactly
the same phrase occurs in 22:40, which deals with fighting in self-defence.
243 This appears to be an allusion to Muhammad inasmuch as he was the Last Prophet and the
bearer of a universal message applicable to all people and to all times. By "such as were
spoken to by God" Moses is meant (see the last sentence of 4: 164).
244 The mention, in this context, of Jesus by name is intended to stress the fact of his
having been a prophet, and to refute the claims of those who deify him. For an explanation
of the term ruh al-qudus (rendered by me as "holy inspiration"), see note 71 on verse
87 of this surah.
245 Once again - as in verse 213 above - the Qur'an alludes to the inevitability of dissension
among human beings: in other words, it is the will of God that their way to the truth should
be marked by conflicts and trial by error.
2:254
O YOU who have attained to faith! Spend [in Our way] out of what We have granted you as sustenance ere there come a Day246 when there will be no bargaining, and no friendship, and no intercession. And they who deny the truth - it is they who are evildoers!
246 Le., the Day of Judgment. With this exhortation the Qur'an returns to the subject of verse 245:
"Who is it that will offer up unto God a goodly loan?" We may, therefore, infer that the
"spending in God's way" relates here to every kind of sacrifice in God's cause, and not merely
to the spending of one's possessions.
2:255
GOD - there is no deity save Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent Fount of All Being. Neither slumber overtakes Him, nor sleep. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Who is there that could intercede with Him, unless it be by His leave?
He knows all that lies open before men and all that is hidden from them,247 whereas they cannot attain to aught of His knowledge save that which He wills [them to attain].
His eternal power248 overspreads the heavens and the earth, and their upholding wearies Him not. And he alone is truly exalted, tremendous.
2:256
THERE SHALL BE no coercion in matters of faith.249 Distinct has now become the right way from [the way of] error: hence, he who rejects the powers of evil250 and believes in God has indeed taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way: for God is all-hearing, all-knowing.
247 Lit., "that which is between their hands and that which is behind them". The commentators
give most conflicting interpretations to this phrase. Thus, for instance, Mujahid and 'Ata'
assume that "that which is between their hands" means "that which has happened to them in
this world", while "that which is behind them" is an allusion to "that which will happen to
them in the next world"; Ad-Dahhak and Al-Kalbi, on the other hand, assume the exact opposite
and say that "that which is between their hands" refers to the next world, "because they
are going towards it", while "that which is behind them" means this world, "because they
are leaving it behind" (Razi). Another explanation is "that which took place before them
and that which will take place after them" (Zamakhshari). It would seem, however, that in
all these interpretations the obvious meaning of the idiomatic expression ma bayna yadayhi
("that which lies open between one's hands") is lost sight of: namely, that which is evident
or known, or perceivable; similarly, ma khalfahu means that which is beyond one's ken or
perception. Since the whole tenor of the above Qur'an-verse relates to God's omnipotence
and omniscience, the translation given by me seems to be the most appropriate.
248 Lit., "His seat [of power]". Some of the commentators (e.g., Zamakhshari) interpret this
as "His sovereignty" or "His dominion", while others take it to mean "His knowledge"
(see Muhammad 'Abduh in Manar III, 33); Razi inclines to the view that this word denotes
God's majesty and indescribable eternal glory.
249 The term din denotes both the contents of and the compliance with a morally binding law;
consequently, it signifies "religion" in the widest sense of this term, extending over
all that pertains to its doctrinal contents and their practical implications, as well as
to man's attitude towards the object of his worship, thus comprising also the concept of
"faith". The rendering of din as "religion", "faith","religious law" or "moral law"
(see note 3 on 109:6) depends on the context in which this term is used. - On the strength
of the above categorical prohibition of coercion (ikrah) in anything that pertains to faith
or religion, all Islamic jurists (fuqaha), without any exception, hold that forcible
conversion is under all circumstances null and void, and that any attempt at coercing
a non-believer to accept the faith of Islam is a grievous sin: a verdict which disposes
of the widespread fallacy that Islam places before the unbelievers the alternative of
"conversion or the sword".
250 At-taghut denotes, primarily, anything that is worshipped instead of God and, thus, all
that may turn man away from God and lead him to evil. It has both a singular and a
plural significance (Razi) and is, therefore, best rendered as "the powers of evil".
2:257
God is near unto those who have faith, taking them out of deep darkness into the light - whereas near unto those who are bent on denying the truth are the powers of evil that take them out of the light into darkness deep: it is they who are destined for the fire, therein to abide.
2:258
ART THOU NOT aware of that [king] who argued with Abraham about his Sustainer, [simply] because God had granted him kingship? Lo! Abraham said: "My Sustainer is He who grants life and deals death." [The king] replied: "I [too] grant life and deal death!"
Said Abraham: "Verily, God causes the sun to rise in the east; cause it, then, to rise in the west!" Thereupon he who was bent on denying the truth remained dumbfounded: for God does not guide people who [deliberately] do wrong.[251]
2:259
Or [art thou, O man, of the same mind] as he[252] who passed by a town deserted by its people, with its roofs caved in, [and] said, "How could God bring all this back to life after its death?"[253]
Thereupon God caused him to be dead for a hundred years; whereafter He brought him back to life [and] said: "How long hast thou remained thus?" He answered: "I have remained thus a day, or part of a day."
Said [God]: "Nay, but thou hast remained thus for a hundred years! But look at thy food and thy drink - untouched is it by the passing of years - and look at thine ass![254] And [We did all this so that We might make thee a symbol unto men. And look at the bones [of animals and men] - how We put them together and then clothe them with flesh!"[255]
And when [all this] became clear to him, he said: "I know [now] that God has the power to will anything!"
251 According to Muhammad 'Abduh, the wrong (zulm) referred to here consists in "one's
deliberately turning away from the light [of guidance] provided by God" (Manor III, 47).
252 Lit., "Or like him". The words interpolated by me between brackets are based on Zamakhshari's
interpretation of this passage, which connects with the opening of the preceding verse.
253 The story told in this verse is obviously a parable meant to illustrate God's power to bring
the dead back to life: and, thus, it is significantly placed between Abraham's words in verse
258, "My Sustainer is He who grants life and deals death", and his subsequent request, in
verse 260, to be shown how God resurrects the dead. The speculations of some of the earlier
commentators as to the "identity" of the man and the town mentioned in this story are without
any substance, and may have been influenced by Talmudic legends.
254 Sc., "and observe that it is alive": thus pointing out that God has the power to grant
life indefinitely, as well as to resurrect the dead.
255 The Qur'an frequently points to the ever-recurring miracle of birth, preceded by the gradual
evolution of the embryo in its mother's womb, as a visible sign of God's power to create -
and therefore also to re-create life.
2:260
And, lo, Abraham said: "O my Sustainer! Show me how Thou givest life unto the dead!"
Said He: "Hast thou, then, no faith?" (Abraham) answered: "Yea, but [let me see it] so that my heart may be set fully at rest."
Said He: "Take, then, four birds and teach them to obey thee;[256] then place them separately on every hill [around thee]; then summon them: they will come flying to thee. And know that God is almighty, wise."[257]
256 Lit., "make them incline towards thee" (Zamakhshari; see also Lane IV, 1744).
257 My rendering of the above parable is based on the primary meaning of the imperative
surhunna ilayka ("make them incline towards thee", i.e., "teach them to obey thee"). The
moral of this story has been pointed out convincingly by the famous commentator Abu Muslim
(as quoted by Razi): "If man is able - as he undoubtedly is - to train birds in such a
way as to make them obey his call, then it is obvious that God, whose will all things obey,
can call life into being by simply decreeing, 'Be!'"
2:261
THE PARABLE of those who spend their possessions for the sake of God is that of a grain out of which grow seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains: for God grants manifold increase unto whom He wills; and God is infinite, all-knowing.
2:262
They who spend their possessions for the sake of God and do not thereafter mar[258] their spending by stressing their own benevolence and hurting [the feelings of the needy] shall have their reward with their Sustainer, and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve. (2:263) A kind word and the veiling of another's want[259] is better than a charitable deed followed by hurt; and God is self-sufficient, forbearing.
258 Lit., "do not follow up".
259 For the rendering of maghfarah (lit.; "forgiveness") in this context as "veiling another's
want" I am indebted to Baghawi's explanation of this verse.
2:264
O you who have attained to faith! Do not deprive your charitable deeds of all worth by stressing your own benevolence and hurting [the feelings of the needy], as does he who spends his wealth only to be seen and praised by men, and believes not in God and the Last Day: for his parable is that of a smooth rock with [a little] earth upon it - and then a rainstorm smites it and leaves it hard and bare. Such as these shall have no gain whatever from all their [good] works: for God does not guide people who refuse to acknowledge the truth.
2:265
And the parable of those who spend their possessions out of a longing to please God, and out of their own inner certainty, is that of a garden on high, fertile ground: a rainstorm smites it, and thereupon it brings forth its fruit twofold; and if no rainstorm smites it, soft rain [falls upon it]. And God sees all that you do.
2:266
Would any of you like to have a garden of date-palms and vines, through which running waters flow, and have all manner of fruit therein - and then be overtaken by old age, with only weak children to [look after] him - and then [see] it smitten by a fiery whirlwind and utterly scorched? In this way God makes clear His messages unto you, so that you might take thought.
2:267
O you who have attained to faith! Spend on others out of the good things which you may have acquired, and out of that which We bring forth for you from the earth; and choose not for your spending the bad things which you yourselves would not accept without averting your eyes in disdain. And know that God is self-sufficient, ever to be praised.
2:268
Satan threatens you with the prospect of poverty and bids you to be niggardly, whereas God promises you His forgiveness and bounty; and God is infinite, all-knowing, (2:269) granting wisdom unto whom He wills: and whoever is granted wisdom has indeed been granted wealth abundant. But none bears this in mind save those who are endowed with insight.
2:270
For, whatever you may spend on others, or whatever you may vow [to spend], verily, God knows it; and those who do wrong [by withholding charity] shall have none to succour them.
2:271
If you do deeds of charity openly, it is well; but if you bestow it upon the needy in secret, it will be even better for you, and it will atone for some of your bad deeds. And God is aware of all that you do.
2:272
It is not for thee [O Prophet] to make people follow the right path,[260] since it is God [alone] who guides whom He wills.
And whatever good you may spend on others is for your own good, provided that you spend only out of a longing for God's countenance: for, whatever good you may spend will be repaid unto you in full, and you shall not be wronged.
260 Lit., "their guidance is not upon thee" - i.e., "thou art responsible only for conveying
God's message to them, and not for their reaction to it": the people referred to being the
needy spoken of in the preceding verses. It appears that in the early days after his
migration to Medina, the Prophet - faced by the great poverty prevalent among his own
community - advised his Companions that "charity should be bestowed only on the followers
of Islam" - a view that was immediately corrected by the revelation of the above verse
(a number of Traditions to this effect are quoted by Tabari, Razi and Ibn Kathir, as well
as in Manar III, 82 f.). According to several other Traditions (recorded, among others,
by Nasa'i and Abu Da'ud and quoted by all the classical commentators), the Prophet thereupon
explicitly enjoined upon his followers to disburse charities upon all who needed them,
irrespective of the faith of the person concerned. Consequently, there is full agreement
among all the commentators that the above verse of the Qur'an - although expressed in the
singular and, on the face of it, addressed to the Prophet - lays down an injunction binding
upon all Muslims. Razi, in particular, draws from it the additional conclusion that charity -
or the threat to withhold it - must never become a means of attracting unbelievers to
Islam: for, in order to be valid, faith must be an outcome of inner conviction and free
choice. This is in consonance with verse 256 of this surah: "There shall be no coercion
in matters of faith."
2:273
[And give] unto [such of] the needy who, being wholly wrapped up in God's cause, are unable to go about the earth [in search of livelihood].[261] He who is unaware [of their condition] might think that they are wealthy, because they abstain [from begging]; [but] thou canst recognize them by their special mark: they do not beg of men with importunity. And whatever good you may spend [on them], verily, God knows it all.
2:274
Those who spend their possessions [for the sake of God] by night and by day, secretly and openly, shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.
2:275
THOSE who gorge themselves on usury[262] behave but as he might behave whom Satan has confounded with his touch; for they say, "Buying and selling is but a kind of[263] usury" - the while God has made buying and selling lawful and usury unlawful. Hence, whoever becomes aware of his Sustainer's admonition,[264] and thereupon desists [from usury], may keep his past gains, and it will be for God to judge him; but as for those who return to it - they are destined for the fire, therein to abide!
261 I.e., those who have devoted themselves entirely to working in the cause of the Faith - be
it by spreading, elucidating or defending it physically or intellectually - or to any of
the selfless pursuits extolled in God's message, such as search for knowledge, work for
the betterment of man's lot, and so forth; and, finally, those who, having suffered personal
or material hurt in such pursuits, are henceforth unable to fend for themselves.
262 For a discussion of the concept of riba ("usury"), see note 35 on 30: 39, where this term
occurs for the first time in the chronological order of revelation. The passage dealing
with the prohibition of riba, which follows here, is believed to have been among the last
revelations received by the Prophet. The subject of usury connects logically with the
preceding long passage on the subject of charity because the former is morally the exact
opposite of the latter: true charity consists in giving without an expectation of material
gain, whereas usury is based on an expectation of gain without any corresponding effort
on the part of the lender.
263 Lit., "like".
264 Lit., "he to whom an admonition has come from his Sustainer".
2:276
God deprives usurious gains of all blessing, whereas He blesses charitable deeds with manifold increase.[265] And God does not love anyone who is stubbornly ingrate and persists in sinful ways.
2:277
Verily, those who have attained to faith and do good works, and are constant in prayer, and dispense charity - they shall have their reward with their Sustainer, and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.
2:278
O you who have attained to faith! Remain conscious of God. and give up all outstanding gains from usury, if you are [truly] believers;[266] (2:279) for if you do it not, then know that you are at war with God and His Apostle. But if you repent, then you shall be entitled to [the return of] your principal:[267] you will do no wrong, and neither will you be wronged. (2:280) If, however, [the debtor] is in straitened circumstances, [grant him] a delay until a time of ease; and it would be for your own good - if you but knew it - to remit [the debt entirely] by way of charity.
2:281
And be conscious of the Day on which you shall be brought back unto God, whereupon every human being shall be repaid in full for what he has earned, and none shall be wronged.[268]
265 Lit., "whereas He causes [the merit of] charitable deeds to increase with interest (yurbi)".
266 This refers not merely to the believers at the time when the prohibition of usury was
proclaimed, but also to people of later times who may come to believe in the Qur'anic
message.
267 I.e., without interest.
268 According to the uncontested evidence of Ibn 'Abbas, the above verse was the last
revelation granted to the Prophet, who died shortly afterwards (Bukhari: see also
Fath al-Bari VIII. 164 f.).
2:282
O YOU who have attained to faith! Whenever you give or take credit[269] for a stated term, set it down in writing. And let a scribe write it down equitably between you; and no scribe shall refuse to write as God has taught him:[270] thus shall he write. And let him who contracts the debt dictate; and let him be conscious of God, his Sustainer, and not weaken anything of his undertaking.[271] And if he who contracts the debt is weak of mind or body, or, is not able to dictate himself,[272] then let him who watches over his interests dictate equitably. And call upon two of your men to act as witnesses; and if two men are not available, then a man and two women from among such as are acceptable to you as witnesses, so that if one of them should make a mistake, the other could remind her.[273] And the witnesses must not refuse [to give evidence] whenever they are called upon.
And be not loath to write down every contractual provision,[274] be it small or great, together with the time at which it falls due; this is more equitable in the sight of God, more reliable as evidence, and more likely to prevent you from having doubts [later]. If, however, [the transaction] concerns ready merchandise which you transfer directly unto one another, you will incur no sin if you do not write it down.
And have witnesses whenever you trade with one another, but neither scribe nor witness must suffer harm;[275] for if you do [them harm], behold, it will be sinful conduct on your part. And remain conscious of God, since it is God who teaches you [herewith] - and God has full knowledge of everything.
269 The above phrase embraces any transaction on the basis of credit, be it an outright
loan or a commercial deal. It relates (as the grammatical form tadayantum shows) to both
the giver and taker of credit, and has been rendered accordingly.
270 I.e., in accordance with the laws promulgated in the Qur'an.
271 Lit., "and do not diminish anything thereof". Thus, the formulation of the undertaking
is left to the weaker party, i.e., to the one who contracts the debt.
272 E.g., because he is physically handicapped, or does not fully understand the business
terminology used in such contracts, or is not acquainted with the language in which the
contract is to be written. The definition "weak of mind or body" (lit.. "lacking in
understanding or weak") applies to minors as well as to very old persons who are no longer
in full possession of their mental faculties.
273 The stipulation that two women may be substituted for one male witness does not imply
any reflection on woman's moral or intellectual capabilities: it is obviously due to the
fact that, as a rule, women are less familiar with business procedures than men and,
therefore, more liable to commit mistakes in this respect (see 'Abduh in Manar 111, 124 f.).
274 Lit., "to write it down" - i.e., all rights and obligations arising from the contract.
275 E.g., by being held responsible for the eventual consequences of the contract as such,
or for the non-fulfilment of any of its provisions by either of the contracting parties.
2:283
And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, pledges [may be taken] in hand: but if you trust one another, then let him who is trusted fulfil his trust, and let him be conscious of God, his Sustainer. And do not conceal what you have witnessed[276] - for, verily, he who conceals it is sinful at heart; and God has full knowledge of all that you do.
2:284
Unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. And whether you bring into the open what is in your minds or conceal it, God will call you to account for it; and then He will forgive whom He wills, and will chastise whom He wills: for God has the power to will anything.
2:285
THE APOSTLE, and the believers with him, believe in what has been bestowed upon him from on high by his Sustainer: they all believe in God, and His angels, and His revelations, and His apostles, making no distinction between any of His apostles;[277] and they say: "We have heard, and we pay heed. Grant us Thy forgiveness, O our Sustainer, for with Thee is all journeys' end!
276 Lit., "do not conceal testimony". This relates not only to those who have witnessed a
business transaction, but also to a debtor who has been given a loan on trust - without
a written agreement and without witnesses - and subsequently denies all knowledge of
his indebtedness.
277 Lit., "we make no distinction between any of His apostles": these words are put, as
it were, in the mouths of the believers. Inasmuch as all the apostles were true bearers
of God's messages, there is no distinction between them, albeit some of them have been
"endowed more highly than others" (see verse 253).
2:286
"God does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear: in his favour shall be whatever good he does, and against him whatever evil he does. "O our Sustainer! Take us not to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong!
"O our Sustainer! Lay not upon us a burden such as Thou didst lay upon those who lived before us![278] O our Sustainer! Make us not bear burdens which we have no strength to bear!
"And efface Thou our sins, and grant us forgiveness, and bestow Thy mercy upon us! Thou art our Lord Supreme: succour us, then, against people who deny the truth!"
278 A reference to the heavy burden of rituals imposed by the Law of Moses upon the children
of Israel, as well as the world-renunciation recommended by Jesus to his followers.
THIS SURAH is the second or (according to some authorities) the third to have been revealed at Medina, apparently in the year 3 H.; some of its verses, however, belong to a much later period, namely, to the year preceding the Prophet's death (10 H.). The title "The House of 'Imran" has been derived from references, in verses 33 and 35, to this common origin of a long line of prophets.
Like the preceding surah, this one begins with the mention of divine revelation and men's reactions to it. In Al-Baqarah the main stress is laid on the contrasting attitudes of those who accept the truth revealed by God and those who reject it; the opening verses of Al-'Imran, on the other hand, refer to the inclination of many misguided believers to interpret the allegorical passages of the Qur'an - and, by implication, of the earlier revealed scriptures as well - in an arbitrary manner, and thus to arrive at esoteric propositions which conflict with the true nature and purpose of the divine message. Since the deification of Jesus by his later followers is one of the most outstanding instances of such an arbitrary interpretation of a prophet's original message, the surah relates the story of Mary and Jesus, as well as of Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, all of whom belonged to the House of 'Imran. Here the Qur'an takes issue with the Christian doctrine of the divinity of Jesus: he himself is quoted as calling upon his followers to worship God alone; his purely human nature and mortality are stressed again and again; and it is described as "inconceivable that a human being unto whom God had granted revelation, and sound judgment, and prophethood, should thereafter have said unto people, 'Worship me beside God'" (verse 79).
The principle of God's oneness and uniqueness and of man's utter dependence on Him is illumined from many angles, and leads logically to the problem of man's faith and to the temptations, arising out of human frailty, to which that faith is continually exposed: and this brings the discourse to the subject of the battle of Uhud - that near-disaster which befell the small Muslim community in the year 3 H., and provided a wholesome, if bitter, lesson for all its future development. More than one-third of Al-'Imran deals with this experience and the many-sided moral to be derived from it.
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
3:1
Alif. Lam. Mim.1
3:2
GOD - there is no deity save Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent Fount of All Being!
3:3
Step by step has He bestowed upon thee from on high this divine writ,2 setting forth the truth which confirms whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations]:3 for it is He who has bestowed from on high the Torah and the Gospel (3:4) aforetime, as a guidance unto mankind, and it is He who has bestowed [upon man] the standard by which to discern the true from the false.4
Behold, as for those who are bent on denying God's messages - grievous suffering awaits them: for God is almighty, an avenger of evil.
1 see Appendix II
2 The gradualness of the Qur'anic revelation is stressed here by means of the grammatical
form nazzala.
3 Most of the commentators are of the opinion that ma bayna yadayhi - lit., "that which
is between its hands" - denotes here "the revelations which came before it", i.e., before
the Qur'an. This interpretation is not, however, entirely convincing. Although there is
not the least doubt that in this context the pronominal ma refers to earlier revelations,
and particularly the Bible (as is evident from the parallel use of the above expression in
other Qur'anic passages), the idiomatic phrase ma bayna yadayhi does not, in itself, mean
"that which came before it" - i.e., in time - but, rather (as pointed out by me in surah 2,
note 247), "that which lies open before it". Since, however, the pronoun "it" relates here
to the Qur'an, the metaphorical expression "between its hands" or "before it" cannot possibly
refer to "knowledge" (as it does in 2:255), but must obviously refer to an objective reality
with which the Qur'an is "confronted": that is, something that was coexistent in time with
the revelation of the Qur'an. Now this, taken together (a) with the fact - frequently
stressed in the Qur'an and since established by objective scholarship - that in the course
of the millennia the Bible has been subjected to considerable and often arbitrary alteration,
and (b) with the fact that many of the laws enunciated in the Qur'an differ from the laws
of the Bible, brings us forcibly to the conclusion that the "confirmation" of the latter
by the Qur'an can refer only to the basic truths still discernible in the Bible, and not to
its time-bound legislation or to its present text - in other words, a confirmation of
whatever was extant of its basic teachings at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an: and
it is this that the phrase ma bayna yadayhi expresses in this context as well as in 5:46
and 48 or in 61:6 (where it refers to Jesus' confirming the truth of "whatever there still
remained [i.e., in his lifetime] of the Torah").
4 It is to be borne in mind that the Gospel frequently mentioned in the Qur'an is not
identical with what is known today as the Four Gospels, but refers to an original, since
lost, revelation bestowed upon Jesus and known to his contemporaries under its Greek name
of Evangelion ("Good Tiding"), on which the Arabicized form Injil is based. It was probably
the source from which the Synoptic Gospels derived much of their material and some of
the teachings attributed to Jesus. The fact of its having been lost and forgotten is
alluded to in the Qur'an in 5:14. - Regarding my rendering of al-furqan as "the standard
by which to discern the true from the false", see also note 38 on the identical phrase
occurring in 2:53.
3:5
Verily, nothing on earth or in the heavens is hidden from God. (3:6) He it is who shapes you in the wombs as He wills. There is no deity save Him, the Almighty, the Truly Wise.
3:7
He it is who has bestowed upon thee from on high this divine writ, containing messages that are clear in and by themselves - and these are the essence of the divine writ - as well as others that are allegorical.5 Now those whose hearts are given to swerving from the truth go after that part of the divine writ6 which has been expressed in allegory, seeking out [what is bound to create] confusion,7 and seeking [to arrive at] its final meaning [in an arbitrary manner]; but none save God knows its final meaning.8 Hence, those who are deeply rooted in knowledge say:
"We believe in it; the whole [of the divine writ] is from our Sustainer - albeit none takes this to heart save those who are endowed with insight.
5 The above passage may be regarded as a key to the understanding of the Qur'an. Tabari
identifies the ayat muhkamat ("messages that are clear in and by themselves") with what
the philologists and jurists describe as nass - namely, ordinances or statements which
are self-evident (zahir) by virtue of their wording (cf. Lisan al-'Arab, art. nass).
Consequently, Tabari regards as ayat muhkamat only those statements or ordinances of the
Qur'an which do not admit of more than one interpretation (which does not, of course,
preclude differences of opinion regarding the implications of a particular ayah muhkamah).
In my opinion, however, it would be too dogmatic to regard any passage of the Qur'an which
does not conform to the above definition as mutashabih ("allegorical"): for there are
many statements in the Qur'an which are liable to more than one interpretation but are,
nevertheless, not allegorical - just as there are many expressions and passages which,
despite their allegorical formulation, reveal to the searching intellect only one possible
meaning. For this reason, the ayat mutashabihat may be defined as those passages of the
Qur'an which are expressed in a figurative manner, with a meaning that is metaphorically
implied but not directly, in so many words, stated. The ayat muhkamat are described as
the "essence of the divine writ" (umm al-kitab) because they comprise the fundamental
principles underlying its message and, in particular, its ethical and social teachings:
and it is only on the basis of these clearly enunciated principles that the allegorical
passages can be correctly interpreted. (For a more detailed discussion of symbolism and
allegory in the Qur'an. see Appendix 1.)
6 Lit., "that of it".
7 The "confusion" referred to here is a consequence of interpreting allegorical passages
in an "arbitrary manner" (Zamakhshari).
8 According to most of the early commentators, this refers to the interpretation of
allegorical passages which deal with metaphysical subjects - for instance, God's attributes,
the ultimate meaning of time and eternity, the resurrection of the dead, the Day of Judgment,
paradise and hell, the nature of the beings or forces described as angels, and so forth -
all of which fall within the category of al-ghayb, i.e., that sector of reality which is
beyond the reach of human perception and imagination and cannot, therefore, be conveyed to
man in other than allegorical terms. This view of the classical commentators, however, does
not seem to take into account the many Qur'anic passages which do not deal with metaphysical
subjects and yet are, undoubtedly, allegorical in intent and expression. To my mind, one
cannot arrive at a correct understanding of the above passage without paying due attention
to the nature and function of allegory as such. A true allegory - in contrast with a mere
pictorial paraphrase of something that could equally well be stated in direct terms - is
always meant to express in a figurative manner something which, because of its complexity,
cannot be adequately expressed in direct terms or propositions and, because of this very
complexity, can be grasped only intuitively, as a general mental image, and not as a series
of detailed "statements": and this seems to be the meaning of the phrase, "none save God
knows its final meaning".
3:8
"O our Sustainer! Let not our hearts swerve from the truth after Thou hast guided us; and bestow upon us the gift of Thy grace: verily, Thou art the [true] Giver of Gifts.
3:9
"O our Sustainer! Verily, Thou wilt gather mankind together to witness the Day about [the coming of] which there is no doubt: verily, God never fails to fulfil His promise."
3:10
BEHOLD, as for those who are bent on denying the truth - neither their worldly possessions nor their offspring will in the least avail them against God; and it is they, they who shall be the fuel of the fire! (3:11) [To them shall - happen] the like of what happened to Pharaoh's people and those who lived before them: they gave the lie to Our messages - and so God took them to task for their sins: for God is severe in retribution.
3:12
Say unto those who are bent on denying the truth: "You shall be overcome and gathered unto hell - and how evil a resting-place!"
3:13
You have already had a sign in the two hosts that met in battle, one host fighting in God's cause and the other denying Him; with their own eyes [the former] saw the others as twice their own number: but God strengthens with His succour whom He wills. In this, behold, there is indeed a lesson for all who have eyes to see.9
3:14
ALLURING unto man is the enjoyment of worldly desires through women, and children, and heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, and horses of high mark, and cattle, and lands. All this may be enjoyed in the life of this world - but the most beauteous of all goals is with God.
3:15
Say: "Shall I tell you of better things than those [earthly joys]? For the God-conscious there are, with their Sustainer, gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide, and spouses pure, and God's goodly acceptance." And God sees all that is in [the hearts of] His servants - (3:16) those who say, "O our Sustainer! Behold, we believe [in Thee]; forgive us, then, our sins, and keep us safe from suffering through the fire" - : (3:17) those who are patient in adversity, and true to their word, and truly devout, and who spend [in God's way], and pray for forgiveness from their innermost hearts.10
9 It is generally assumed that this is an allusion to the battle of Badr, in the third
week of Ramadan, 2H., in which three hundred and odd poorly-equipped Muslims, led by
the Prophet, utterly routed a well-armed Meccan force numbering nearly one thousand men,
seven hundred camels and one hundred horses; it was the first open battle between the
pagan Quraysh and the young Muslim community of Medina. According to some commentators,
however (e.g., Manar III, 234), the above Qur'anic passage has a general import and alludes
to an occurrence often witnessed in history - namely, the victory of a numerically weak
and ill-equipped group of people, filled with a burning belief in the righteousness of
their cause, over a materially and numerically superior enemy lacking a similar conviction.
The fact that in this Qur'an-verse the believers are spoken of as being faced by an enemy
"twice their number" (while at the battle of Badr the pagan Quraysh were more than three
times the number of the Muslims) lends great plausibility to this explanation - and
particularly so in view of the allusion, in the next verse, to material riches and
worldly power.
10 The expression bi'l-ashar is usually taken to mean "at the times before daybreak", or simply
"before daybreak". This is in agreement with the Prophet's recommendation to his followers
(forthcoming from several authentic Traditions) to devote the latter part of the night,
and particularly the time shortly before dawn, to intensive prayer. But while the word sahar
(also spelled sahr and suhr), of which ashar is the plural, undoubtedly denotes "the time
before daybreak", it also signifies - in the spellings sahar and suhr - "the core of the
heart", "the inner part of the heart", or simply "heart" (cf. Lisan al-'Arab; also Lane IV,
1316). It seems to me that in the context of the above Qur'an-verse - as well as of 51:18 -
this latter rendering is preferable to the conventional one: for, although the value of
praying before daybreak has undoubtedly been stressed by the Prophet, it is not very
plausible that the Qur'an should have tied the prayer for forgiveness to a particular
time of day.
3:18
GOD [Himself] proffers evidence11 - and [so do] the angels and all who are endowed with knowledge - that there is no deity save Him, the Upholder of Equity: there is no deity save Him, the Almighty, the Truly Wise.
3:19
Behold, the only [true] religion in the sight of God is [man's] self-surrender unto Him; and those who were vouchsafed revelation aforetime12 took, out of mutual jealousy, to divergent views [on this point] only after knowledge [thereof] had come unto them.13 But as for him who denies the truth of God's messages - behold, God is swift in reckoning!
3:20
Thus, [O Prophet,] if they argue with thee, say, "I have surrendered my whole being unto God, and [so have] all who follow me!" - and ask those who have been vouchsafed revelation aforetime, as well as all unlettered people,14 "Have you [too] surrendered yourselves unto Him?"
And if they surrender themselves unto Him, they are on the right path; but if they turn away - behold, thy duty is no more than to deliver the message: for God sees all that is in [the hearts of] His creatures.
11 Lit., "bears witness" - i.e., through the nature of His creation, which shows plainly that
it has been brought into being by a consciously planning Power.
12 Most of the classical commentators are of the opinion that the people referred to are the
followers of the Bible, or of parts of it - i.e., the Jews and the Christians. It is, however,
highly probable that this passage bears a wider import and relates to all communities which
base their views on a revealed scripture, extant in a partially corrupted form, with parts
of it entirely lost.
13 I.e., all these communities at first subscribed to the doctrine of God's oneness and held
that man's self-surrender to Him (islam in its original connotation) is the essence of all
true religion. Their subsequent divergencies were an outcome of sectarian pride and mutual
exclusiveness.
14 According to Razi, this refers to people who have no revealed scripture of their own.
3:21
Verily, as for those who deny the truth of God's messages, and slay the prophets against all right, and slay people who enjoin equity15 - announce unto them a grievous chastisement. (3:22) It is they whose works shall come to nought both in this world and in the life to come; and they shall have none to succour them.
3:23
Art thou not aware of those who have been granted their share of revelation [aforetime]? They have been called upon to let God's writ be their law16 - and yet some of them turn away [from it] in their obstinacy, (3:24) simply because they claim, "The fire will most certainly not touch us for more than a limited number of days":17 and thus the false beliefs which they invented have [in time] caused them to betray their faith.18
15 See surah 2, note 48. 16 Lit., "decide [all disputes] between them" - the reference being to the Torah. 17 Cf. 2:80, and the corresponding note. 18 Lit., "that which they were wont to invent has deluded them in their faith".
3:25
How, then, [will they fare] when We shall gather them all together to witness the Day about [the coming of] which there is no doubt, and every human being shall be repaid in full for what he has done, and none shall be wronged?
3:26
SAY: "O God, Lord of all dominion! Thou grantest dominion unto whom Thou willest, and takest away dominion from whom Thou willest; and Thou exaltest whom Thou willest, and abasest whom Thou willest. In Thy hand is all good. Verily, Thou hast the power to will anything.
3:27
"Thou makest the night grow longer by shortening the day, and Thou makest the day grow longer by shortening the night. And Thou bringest forth the living out of that which is dead, and Thou bringest forth the dead out of that which is alive. And Thou grantest sustenance unto whom Thou willest, beyond all reckoning."
3:28
LET NOT the believers take those who deny the truth for their allies in preference to the believers19 - since he who does this cuts himself off from God in everything - unless it be to protect yourselves against them in this way.20 But God warns you to beware of Him: for with God is all journeys' end.
3:29
Say: "Whether you conceal what is in your hearts21 or bring it into the open, God knows it: for He knows all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth; and God has the power to will anything."
19 I.e., in cases where the interests of those "deniers of the truth" clash with the interests
of believers (Manar 111, 278). Regarding the deeper implications of the term "allies" (awliya'),
see 4:139 and the corresponding note.
20 Lit., "unless you fear from them something that is to be feared". Zamakhshari explains this
phrase as meaning, "unless you have reason to fear that they might do something which ought
to be guarded against" - obviously referring to situations in which "those who deny the truth"
are more powerful than the Muslims, and are therefore in a position to damage the latter
unless they become their "allies" in a political or moral sense.
21 Lit., "breasts", This is a reference to the real motives underlying the decision of a
Muslim group or power to form an alliance with "those who deny the truth" in preference to,
or against the legitimate interests of, other believers.
3:30
On the Day when every human being will find himself faced with all the good that he has done, and with all the evil that he has done, [many a one] will wish that there were a long span of time between himself and that [Day]. Hence, God warns you to beware of Him; but God is most compassionate towards His creatures.
3:31
Say [O Prophet]: "If you love God, follow me, [and] God will love you and forgive you your sins; for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace."
3:32
Say: "Pay heed unto God and the Apostle."
3:33
BEHOLD, God raised Adam, and Noah, and the House of Abraham, and the House of 'Imran above all mankind, (3:34) in one line of descent.22 And God was all-hearing, all-knowing23 (3:35) when a woman of [the House of] 'Imran prayed: "O my Sustainer! Behold, unto Thee do I vow [the child] that is in, my womb, to be devoted to Thy service. Accept it, then, from me: verily, Thou alone art all-hearing, all-knowing!"
22 Lit., "offspring of one another" - an allusion not merely to the physical descent of
those prophets but also to the fact that all of them were spiritually linked with one
another and believed in one and the same fundamental truth (Tabari). Thus, the above
passage is a logical sequence to verses 31-32, which make God's approval contingent upon
obedience to His chosen message-bearers. The names which appear in this sentence
circumscribe, by implication, all the prophets mentioned in the Qur'an inasmuch as most
of them were descendants of two or more of these patriarchs. The House of 'Imran
comprises Moses and Aaron, whose father was 'Imran (the Amram of the Bible), and
Aaron's descendants, the priestly caste among the Israelites - thus including John the
Baptist, both of whose parents were of the same descent (cf. the reference, in Luke i,
5, to John's mother Elisabeth as one "of the daughters of Aaron"), as well as Jesus,
whose mother Mary - a close relation of John - is spoken of elsewhere in the Qur'an
(19:28) as a "sister of Aaron": in both cases embodying the ancient Semitic custom of
linking a person's or a people's name with that of an illustrious forebear. The reference
to the House of 'Imran serves as an introduction to the stories of Zachariah, John,
Mary, and Jesus.
23 My joining of this phrase with the following passage is in agreement with the interpretation
advanced by Muhammad 'Abduh and Rashid Rida' (Manar III, 289).
3:36
But when she had given birth to the child,24 she said: "O my Sustainer! Behold, I have given birth to a female" - the while God had been fully aware of what she would give birth to, and [fully aware] that no male child [she might have hoped for] could ever have been like this female25 - "and I have named her Mary. And, verily, I seek Thy protection for her and her offspring against Satan, the accursed."
3:37
And thereupon her Sustainer accepted the girl-child with goodly acceptance, and caused her to grow up in goodly growth, and placed her in the care of Zachariah.26 Whenever Zachariah visited her in the sanctuary, he found her provided with food. He would ask: "O Mary, whence came this unto thee?"
She would answer: "It is from God; behold, God grants sustenance unto whom He wills, beyond all reckoning."27
24 Lit., "to her" - implying that it was a girl.
25 Lit., "and the male is not [or "could not be"] like the female". Zamakhshari reads these words
as forming part of the parenthetic sentence relating to God's knowledge, and explains them
thus: "The male [child] which she had prayed for could not have been like the female which
she was granted" - which implies that Mary's excellence would go far beyond any hopes which
her mother had ever entertained.
26 As is evident from verse 44 of this surah, the guardianship of Mary was entrusted to
Zachariah - who was not only her relative but also a priest attached to the Temple - after
lots had been drawn to decide which of the priests should have the responsibility for this
girl who, in consequence of her mother's vow, was to be dedicated to Temple service (Tabari).
27 In spite of all the legends quoted in this connection by most of the commentators, there
is no indication whatsoever either in the Qur'an or in any authentic Tradition that these
provisions were of a miraculous origin. On the other hand, Tabari quotes a story to the
effect that when, in his old age, Zachariah became unable to support Mary by his own means,
the community decided to assume this responsibility through another of its members, who
thereupon provided her daily with food. Whether this story is authentic or not, Mary's
answer to Zachariah reflects no more and no less than her deep consciousness of God as
the ultimate Provider.
3:38
In that self-same place, Zachariah prayed unto his Sustainer, saying: "O my Sustainer! Bestow upon me [too], out of Thy grace, the gift of goodly offspring; for Thou, indeed, hearest all prayer."
3:39
Thereupon, as he stood praying in the sanctuary, the angels called out unto him: "God sends thee the glad tiding of [the birth of] John, who shall confirm the truth of a word from God,28 and [shall be] outstanding among men, and utterly chaste, and a prophet from among the righteous."
3:40
[Zachariah] exclaimed: "O my Sustainer! How can I have a son when old age has already overtaken me, and my wife is barren?" Answered [the angel]: "Thus it is: God does what He wills."
3:41
[Zachariah] prayed: "O my Sustainer! Appoint a sign for me!"
Said [the angel]: "Thy sign shall be that for three days thou wilt not speak unto men other than by gestures.29 And remember thy Sustainer unceasingly, and extol His limitless glory by night and by day."
3:42
AND LO! The angels said: "O Mary! Behold, God has elected thee and made thee pure, and raised thee above all the women of the world. (3:43) O Mary! Remain thou truly devout unto thy Sustainer, and prostrate thyself in worship, and bow down with those who bow down [before Him]."
3:44
This account of something that was beyond the reach of thy perception We [now] reveal unto thee:30 for thou wert not with them when they drew lots as to which of them should be Mary's guardian,31 and thou wert not with them when they contended [about it] with one another.
28 In view of the fact that the expression kalimah is often used in the Qur'an to denote an
announcement from God, or a statement of His will, or His promise (e.g., 4:171, 6:34 and
115, 10:64, 18:27, and so forth), we must conclude that in the above passage, too, the
"word from God" which would be confirmed by the birth of John (described in the Gospels as
"John the Baptist") refers to a divine promise given through revelation: and this, indeed,
is the interpretation adopted by the famous philologist Abu 'Ubaydah Ma'mar ibn al-Muthanna,
who lived in the second century H. and devoted most of his labours to the study of rare
expressions in the Arabic language; his identification, in the context under discussion,
of kalimah with kitab ("revelation" or "divine writ") has been quoted by Razi in his
commentary on this verse and is, moreover, agreeable with a similar announcement conveyed
to Mary regarding the birth of Jesus (see verse 45 of this surah).
29 According to Abu Muslim (quoted with approval by Razi), Zachariah was merely enjoined not
to speak to anyone during the period of three days, and not struck dumb as in the New
Testament narrative (Luke i, 20-22): thus the "sign" was purely spiritual, and was to
consist in Zachariah's utter self-abandonment to prayer and contemplation.
30 This parenthetic passage, addressed to the Prophet, is meant to stress the fact that the
story of Mary, as narrated in the Qur'an, is a direct outcome of revelation and, therefore,
inherently true in spite of all the differences between this account and that given in
the scriptures regarded by the Christians as authentic (Muhammad 'Abduh in Manar III, 301 f.).
31 See note 26 above. The phrase rendered above as "they drew lots" reads literally, "they cast
their reeds" - obviously a reference to an ancient Semitic custom, perhaps similar to the
divination by means of blunt arrows practiced by the pre-Islamic Arabs and comprehensively
described in Lane III, 1247. The pronoun "they" relates to the priests, of whom Zachariah
was one.
3:45
Lo! The angels said: "O Mary! Behold, God sends thee the glad tiding, through a word from Him, [of a son] who shall become known as the Christ32 Jesus, son of Mary, of great honour in this world and in the life to come, and [shall be] of those who are drawn near unto God. (3:46) And he shall speak unto men in his cradle,33 and as a grown man, and shall be of the righteous."
32 Lit., "whose name shall be 'the Anointed' (al-masih)". The designation al-masih is the
Arabicized form of the Aramaic meshiha which, in turn, is derived from the Hebrew mahsiah,
"the anointed" - a term frequently applied in the Bible to the Hebrew kings, whose accession
to power used to be consecrated by a touch with holy oil taken from the Temple. This anointment
appears to have been so important a rite among the Hebrews that the term "the anointed"
became in the course of time more or less synonymous with "king". Its application to Jesus
may have been due to the widespread conviction among his contemporaries (references to which
are found in several places in the Synoptic Gospels) that he was descended in direct - and
obviously legitimate - line from the royal House of David. (It is to be noted that this
could not have related to his mother's side, because Mary belonged to the priestly class
descending from Aaron, and thus to the tribe of Levi, while David descended from the tribe
of Judah.) Whatever may have been the historical circumstances, it is evident that the
honorific "the Anointed" was applied to Jesus in his own lifetime. In the Greek version of
the Gospels - which is undoubtedly based on a now-lost Aramaic original - this designation
is correctly translated as Christos (a noun derived from the Greek verb chriein, "to anoint"):
and since it is in this form - "the Christ" - that the designation al-masih has achieved
currency in all Western languages, I am using it throughout in my translation.
33 A metaphorical allusion to the prophetic wisdom which was to inspire Jesus from a very
early age. As regards the expression min al-muqarrabin ("of those who are drawn near",
i.e., unto God), see 56:11, where the most excellent among the inmates of paradise are
thus described.
3:47
Said she: "O my Sustainer! How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me?"
[The angel] answered: "Thus it is: God creates what He wills:34 when He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it, 'Be' - and it is. (3:48) And he will impart unto thy son35 revelation, and wisdom, and the Torah, and the Gospel, (3:49) and [will make him] an apostle unto the children of Israel."36
"I HAVE COME unto you with a message from your Sustainer. I shall create for you out of clay, as it were, the shape of [your] destiny, and then breathe into it, so that it might become [your] destiny by God's leave;37 and I shall heal the blind and the leper, and bring the dead back to life by God's leave;38 and I shall let you know what you may eat and what you should store up in your houses.39 Behold, in all this there is indeed a message for you, if you are [truly] believers.
34 See 19:16-22 and the corresponding notes. In the context of the story of Mary in Al-'Imran,
the announcement made to her, as well as the parallel one to Zachariah (verses 39-40 above),
is meant to stress God's unlimited power of creation - specifically, in both cases, His
power to create the circumstances in which His will is to manifest itself - and thus to
bring about any event, however unexpected or even improbable it might seem at the time
of the announcement.
35 Lit., "to him".
36 The passage which follows here - up to the end of verse 51 - may be understood in either
of two ways: as part of the announcement made to Mary (implying that he would thus speak
in the future) or, alternatively, as a statement of what, at a later time, he actually did
say to the children of Israel. In view of the narrative form adopted in verses 52 ff.,
the second of these two alternatives seems preferable.
37 Lit., "[something] like the shape of a bird (tayr); and then I shall breathe into it,
so that it might [or "whereupon it will"] become a bird...". The noun tayr is a plural of
ta'ir ("flying creature" or "bird"), or an infinitive noun ("flying") derived from the
verb tara ("he flew"). In pre-Islamic usage, as well as in the Qur'an, the words ta'ir
and tayr often denote "fortune" or "destiny", whether good or evil (as, for instance, in
7:131, 27:47 or 36:19, and still more clearly in 17:13). Many instances of this idiomatic
use of tayr and ta'ir are given in all the authoritative Arabic dictionaries; see also Lane
V, 1904 f. Thus, in the parabolic manner so beloved by him, Jesus intimated to the children
of Israel that out of the humble clay of their lives he would fashion for them the vision
of a soaring destiny, and that this vision, brought to life by his God-given inspiration,
would become their real destiny by God's leave and by the strength of their faith (as pointed
out at the end of this verse).
38 It is probable that the "raising of the dead" by Jesus is a metaphorical description of
his giving new life to people who were spiritually dead; cf. 6:122 - "Is then he who was dead
[in spirit], and whom We thereupon gave life, and for whom We set up a light whereby he can
see his way among men - [is then he] like unto one [who is lost] in darkness deep, out of which
he cannot emerge?" If this interpretation is - as I believe - correct, then the "healing of
the blind and the leper" has a similar significance: namely, an inner regeneration of people
who were spiritually diseased and blind to the truth.
39 I.e., "what good things you may partake of in the life of this world, and what good deeds
you should lay up as a treasure for the life to come".
3:50
"And [I have come] to confirm the truth of whatever there still remains40 of the Torah, and to make lawful unto you some of the things which [aforetime] were forbidden to you. And I have come unto you with a message from your Sustainer; remain, then, conscious of God, and pay heed unto me.
40 Lit., "whatever there is between my hands": for an explanation, see note 3 on verse 3 of this surah.
3:51
"Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship Him [alone]: this is a straight way."
3:52
And when Jesus became aware of their refusal to acknowledge the truth,41 he asked: "Who will be my helpers in God's cause?"
The white-garbed ones42 replied: "We shall be [thy] helpers [in the cause] of God! We believe in God: and bear thou witness that we have surrendered ourselves unto Him! (3:53) O our Sustainer! We believe in what Thou hast bestowed from on high, and we follow this Apostle; make us one,43 then, with all who bear witness [to the truth]!"
3:54
And the unbelievers schemed [against Jesus];44 but God brought their scheming to nought: for God is above all schemers.
41 This relates to a later time, when Jesus was being opposed by the majority of his people,
and particularly the Pharisees.
42 Al-hawariyyun (sing. hawari) is the designation applied in the Qur'an to the disciples of
Jesus. Many interpretations of this term (derived from hawar, "whiteness") are given by the
commentators, ranging from "one who whitens clothes by washing them" (because this was
allegedly the occupation of some of Jesus' disciples) to "one who wears white garments",
or "one whose heart is white", i.e., pure (cf. Tabari, Razi, Ibn Kathir). It is, however,
most probable - and the evidence provided by the recently discovered Dead Sea Scrolls strongly
supports this view - that the term hawari was popularly used to denote a member of the Essene
Brotherhood, a Jewish religious group which existed in Palestine at the time of Jesus, and
to which, possibly, he himself belonged. The Essenes were distinguished by their strong
insistence on moral purity and unselfish conduct, and always wore white garments as the
outward mark of their convictions; and this would satisfactorily explain the name given to
them. The fact that the Prophet once said, "Every prophet has his hawari " (Bukhari and
Muslim) does not conflict with the above view, since he obviously used this term figuratively,
recalling thereby Jesus' "helpers in God's cause".
43 Lit., "write us down" or "inscribe us". It must, however, be borne in mind that the verb kataba
means also "he drew together" or "brought together": hence the noun katibah, "a body of men".
44 Lit., "they schemed" - here referring to those among the Jews who refused to acknowledge
Jesus as a prophet and tried to destroy him.
3:55
Lo! God said: "O Jesus! Verily, I shall cause thee to die, and shall exalt thee unto Me, and cleanse thee of [the presence of] those who are bent on denying the truth; and I shall place those who follow thee [far] above those who are bent on denying the truth, unto the Day of Resurrection. In the end, unto Me you all must return, and I shall judge between you with regard to all on which you were wont to differ.45
3:56
"And as for those who are bent on denying the truth, I shall cause them to suffer a suffering severe in this world and in the life to come, and they shall have none to succour them; (3:57) whereas unto those who attain to faith and do good works He will grant their reward in full: for God does not love evildoers."
3:58
THIS MESSAGE do We convey unto thee, and this tiding full of wisdom:46
3:59
Verily, in the sight of God, the nature of Jesus is as the nature of Adam, whom He created out of dust and then said unto him, "Be" - and he is.47 (3:60) [This is] the truth from thy Sustainer; be not, then, among the doubters!
3:61
And if anyone should argue with thee about this [truth] after all the knowledge that has come unto thee, say: "Come! Let us summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves; and then let us pray [together] humbly and ardently, and let us invoke God's curse upon those [of us] who are telling a lie."48
45 This refers to all who revere Jesus (i.e., the Christians, who believe him to be "the son
of God", and the Muslims, who regard him as a prophet) as well as to those who deny him
altogether. Regarding God's promise to Jesus, "I shall exalt thee unto Me", see surah 4,
note 172.
46 Lit., "This We convey unto thee of the messages and of the wise tiding." The expression
"this of the messages" bears, to my mind, the connotation of one particular message - namely,
the one which follows immediately after this sentence.
47 Lit., "The parable of Jesus is as the parable of Adam...", etc. The expression mathal
(rendered above as "nature") is often metaphorically employed to denote the state or condition
(of a person or a thing), and is in this sense - as the commentators have pointed out -
synonymous with sifah (the "quality" or "nature" of a thing). As is evident from the sequence,
the above passage is part of an argument against the Christian doctrine of the divinity of
Jesus. The Qur'an stresses here, as in many other places, the fact that Jesus, like Adam -
by which name, in this context, the whole human race is meant - was only a mortal "created
out of dust", i.e., out of substances, both organic and inorganic, which are found in their
elementary forms on and in the earth. Cf. also 18:37, 22:5, 30:20, 35:11, 40:67, where the
Qur'an speaks of all human beings as "created out of dust". That "Adam" stands here for the
human race is clearly implied in the use of the present tense in the last word of this sentence.
48 I.e., regarding the true nature of Jesus. According to all the reliable authorities, verses
59-63 of this surah were revealed in the year 10 H., on the occasion of a dispute between the
Prophet and a deputation of the Christians of Najran who, like all other Christians, maintained
that Jesus was "the son of God" and, therefore, God incarnate. Although they refused the
"trial through prayer" (mubahalah) proposed to them by the Prophet, the latter accorded to
them a treaty guaranteeing all their civic rights and the free exercise of their religion.
3:62
Behold, this is indeed the truth of the matter, and there is no deity whatever save God; and, verily, God - He alone - is almighty, truly wise. (3:63) And if they turn away [from this truth] - behold, God has full knowledge of the spreaders of corruption.
3:64
Say: "O followers of earlier revelation! Come unto that tenet which we and you hold in common:49 that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall not ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and that we shall not take human beings for our lords beside God."50 And if they turn away, then say: "Bear witness that it is we who have surrendered ourselves unto Him."
3:65
O FOLLOWERS of earlier revelation! Why do you argue about Abraham,51 seeing that the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till [long] after him? Will you not, then, use your reason? (3:66) Lo! You are the ones who would argue about that which is known to you; but why do you argue about something which is unknown to you?52 Yet God knows [it], whereas you do not know: (3:67) Abraham was neither a "Jew" nor a "Christian", but was one who turned away from all that is false, having surrendered himself unto God; and he was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him.
49 Lit., "a word [that is] equitable between you and us". The term kalimah, primarily meaning
"word" or "utterance", is often used in the philosophical sense of "proposition" or "tenet".
50 Lit., "that we shall not take one another for lords beside God". Since the personal pronoun
"we" obviously applies to human beings, the expression "one another" necessarily bears the
same connotation. In its wider implication, the above call is addressed not merely to
the Christians, who attribute divinity to Jesus and certain aspects of divinity to their
saints, but also to the Jews, who assign a quasi-divine authority to Ezra and even to some
of their great Talmudic scholars (cf. 9:30-31).
51 I.e., as to whether the principles he followed were those of the Jewish faith, according
to which the Torah is considered to be the final Law of God, or of the Christian faith,
which conflicts with the former in many respects.
52 I.e., as to what was the true creed of Abraham. "That which is known to you" is an allusion
to their knowledge of the obvious fact that many of the teachings based on the extant
versions of the Torah and the Gospels conflict with the teachings of the Qur'an (Razi).
3:68
Behold, the people who have the best claim to Abraham are surely those who follow him - as does this Prophet and all who believe [in him] - and God is near unto the believers.
3:69
Some of the followers of earlier revelation would love to lead you astray: yet none do they lead astray but themselves, and perceive it not.
3:70
O followers of earlier revelation! Why do you deny the truth of God's messages to which you yourselves bear witness?53
3:71
O followers of earlier revelation! Why do you cloak the truth with falsehood and conceal the truth of which you are [so well] aware?
3:72
And some of the followers of earlier revelation say [to one another]: "Declare your belief in what has been revealed unto those who believe [in Muhammad] at the beginning of the day, and deny the truth of what came later,54 so that they might go back [on their faith]; (3:73) but do not [really] believe anyone who does not follow your own faith."
Say: "Behold, all [true] guidance is God's guidance, consisting in one's being granted [revelation] such as you have been granted."55 Or would they contend against you before your Sustainer?
Say: "Behold, all bounty is in the hand of God; He grants it unto whom He wills:56 for God is infinite, all-knowing, (3:74) singling out for His grace whom He wills. And God is limitless in His great bounty."
53 Lit., "when you [yourselves] bear witness": an allusion to the Biblical prophecies
relating to the coming of the Prophet Muhammad.
54 Most of the commentators, relying on views current among some of the tabi'un (i.e.,
the generation that came after the Companions of the Prophet), understand this passage
thus: "Declare at the beginning of the day your belief in what has been revealed unto
those who believe in Muhammad, and deny the truth [thereof] in its latter part." This
rendering would imply that the Judaeo-Christian attempts at confusing the Muslims, to
which the above verse refers, consisted in alternatingly declaring belief and disbelief
in the Qur'anic message. On the other hand, the rendering adopted by me (and supported by
Al-Asam, whose interpretation has been quoted by Razi in his commentary on this verse)
implies that some Jews and Christians have been and are hoping to achieve this end by
admitting, however reluctantly, that there may be "some truth" in the early Qur'anic
revelations ("that which has been revealed at the beginning of the day"), while they
categorically reject its later parts inasmuch as they clearly contradict certain
Biblical teachings.
55 This refers to the Jews and the Christians, who are not prepared to accept the Qur'anic
message on the ground that it conflicts with parts of their own scriptures.
56 In this context, the term fadl ("bounty") is synonymous with the bestowal of divine revelation.
3:75
AND AMONG the followers of earlier revelation there is many a one who, if thou entrust him with a treasure, will [faithfully] restore it to thee; and there is among them many a one who, if thou entrust him with a tiny gold coin, will not restore it to thee unless thou keep standing over him - which is an outcome of their assertion,57 "No blame can attach to us [for anything that we may do] with regard to these unlettered folk": and [so] they tell a lie about God, being well aware [that it is a lie]."58
3:76
Nay, but [God is aware of] those who keep their bond with Him,59 and are conscious of Him: and, verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him.
57 Lit., "this, because they say". In Arabic usage, the verb qala (lit., "he said") often
signifies "he asserted" or "expressed an opinion". As is evident from many Traditions,
the people referred to are the Jews.
58 I.e., they falsely claim that God Himself has exempted them from all moral responsibility
towards non-Jews (contemptuously described as "unlettered folk"), knowing well that their
own scriptures provide no basis whatever for such a claim.
59 Some of the commentators relate the personal pronoun in 'ahdihi to the person or persons
concerned, and therefore take 'ahd as meaning "promise" - thus: "[as for] him who fulfils
his promise ...", etc. It is, however, obvious from the next verse that the pronoun in
'ahdihi refers to God; consequently, the phrase must be rendered either as "those who fulfil
their duty towards Him", or "those who keep their bond with Him" - the latter being, in
my opinion, preferable. (For the meaning of man's "bond with God", see surah 2, note 19.)
3:77
Behold, those who barter away their bond with God and their own pledges for a trifling gain - they shall not partake in the blessings of the life to come; and God will neither speak unto them nor look upon them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He cleanse them of their sins; and grievous suffering awaits them.
3:78
And, behold, there are indeed some among them who distort the Bible with their tongues, so as to make you think that [what they say] is from the Bible, the while it is not from the Bible; and who say, "This is from God," the while it is not from God: and thus do they tell a lie about God, being well aware [that it is a lie].60
3:79
It is not conceivable that a human being unto whom God had granted revelation, and sound judgment, and prophethood, should thereafter have said unto people,61 "Worship me beside God"; but rather [did he exhort them], "Become men of God62 by spreading the knowledge of the divine writ, and by your own deep study [thereof]." (3:80) And neither did he bid you to take the angels and the prophets for your lords:63 [for] would he bid you to deny the truth after you have surrendered yourselves unto God?
60 Most of the commentators assume that this refers specifically to the Jews, whom the Qur'an
frequently accuses of having deliberately corrupted the Old Testament. However, since the
next two verses clearly relate to Jesus and to the false beliefs of the Christians regarding
his nature and mission, we must conclude that both Jews and Christians are referred to in
this passage. For this reason, the term al-kitab, which occurs three times in this sentence,
has been rendered here as "the Bible". - According to Muhammad 'Abduh (Manar III, 345), the
above-mentioned distortion of the Bible does not necessarily presuppose a corruption of the
text as such: it can also be brought about "by attributing to an expression a meaning other
than the one which was originally intended". As an example, 'Abduh quotes the metaphorical
use, in the Gospels, of the term "my Father" with reference to God - by which term, as is
evident from the Lord's Prayer, was obviously meant the "Father" - i.e., the Originator and
Sustainer - of all mankind. Subsequently, however, some of those who claimed to be followers
of Jesus lifted this expression from the realm of metaphor and "transferred it to the realm
of positive reality with reference to Jesus alone": and thus they gave currency to the idea
that he was literally "the son of God", that is, God incarnate.
61 This obvious reference to Jesus reads, literally, "It is not [possible] for a human being that
God should grant him... and that thereafter he should say ...". Zamakhshari regards the term
hukm ("judgment" or "sound judgment") occurring in the above sentence as synonymous, in this
context, with hikmah ("wisdom").
62 According to Sibawayh (as quoted by Razi), a rabbani is "one who devotes himself exclusively
to the endeavour to know the Sustainer (ar-rabb) and to obey Him": a connotation fairly close
to the English expression "a man of God".
63 I.e., to attribute divine or semi-divine powers to them: a categorical rejection of the
adoration of saints and angelic beings.
3:81
AND, LO, God accepted, through the prophets, this solemn pledge [from the followers of earlier revelation]:64 "If, after all the revelation and the wisdom which I have vouchsafed unto you, there comes to you an apostle confirming the truth already in your possession, you must believe in him and succour him. Do you" - said He - "acknowledge and accept My bond on this condition?"
They answered: "We do acknowledge it." Said He: "Then bear witness [thereto], and I shall be your witness.65 (3:82) And, henceforth, all who turn away [from this pledge] - it is they, they who are truly iniquitous!"
3:83
Do they seek, perchance, a faith other than in God,66 although it is unto Him that whatever is in the heavens and on earth surrenders itself, willingly or unwillingly, since unto Him all must return?67
64 Lit., "the solemn pledge of the prophets". Zamakhshari holds that what is meant here
is a pledge taken from the community as a whole: a pledge consisting in their acceptance
of the messages conveyed through the prophets.
65 Lit., "and I am with you among the witnesses".
66 Lit., "[any] other than God's religion".
67 Lit., "will be returned". For an explanation of this sentence, see 13:15 and the corresponding notes.
3:84
Say: "We believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, and that which has been bestowed upon Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and their descendants, and that which has been vouchsafed by their Sustainer unto Moses and Jesus and all the [other] prophets: we make no distinction between any of them.68 And unto Him do we surrender ourselves."
3:85
For, if one goes in search of a religion other than self-surrender unto God, it will never be accepted from him, and in the life to come he shall be among the lost.
3:86
How would God bestow His guidance upon people who have resolved to deny the truth after having attained to faith, and having borne witness that this Apostle is true, and [after] all evidence of the truth has come unto them?69 For, God does not guide such evildoing folk. (3:87) Their requital shall be rejection by God, and by the angels, and by all [righteous] men. (3:88) In this state shall they abide; [and] neither will their suffering be lightened, nor will they be granted respite.
68 See 2:136 and the corresponding note 112.
69 The people referred to are the Jews and the Christians. Their acceptance of the Bible,
which predicts the coming of the Prophet Muhammad, has made them "witnesses" to the truth
of his prophethood. See also verses 70 and 81 above.
3:89
But excepted shall be they that afterwards repent and put themselves to rights: for, behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
3:90
Verily, as for those who are bent on denying the truth after having attained to faith, and then grow [ever more stubborn] in their refusal to acknowledge the truth, their repentance [of other sins] shall not be accepted:70 for it is they who have truly gone astray.
3:91
Verily, as for those who are bent on denying the truth and die as deniers of the truth - not all the gold on earth could ever be their ransom.71 It is they for whom grievous suffering is in store; and they shall have none to succour them.
3:92
[But as for you, O believers,] never shall you attain to true piety unless you spend on others out of what you cherish yourselves; and whatever you spend - verily, God has full knowledge thereof.72
3:93
ALL FOOD was lawful unto the children of Israel, save what Israel had made unlawful unto itself [by its sinning] before the Torah was bestowed from on high.73 Say: "Come forward, then, with the Torah and recite it, if what you say is true!"
70 My interpolation, between brackets, of the words "of other sins" is based on Tabari's
convincing explanation of this passage.
71 Lit., "there shall not be accepted from any of them the earth full of gold, were he to
proffer it in ransom". The meaning of this sentence is obviously metaphorical; but in view
of the mention of "ransom", some of the commentators are of the opinion that what is meant
here are otherwise good actions in this world (and, in particular, efforts and possessions
spent for the sake of helping one's fellow-men), on the strength of which such stubborn
"deniers of the truth" might plead for God's clemency on the Day of Judgment - a plea
that would be rejected on the ground of their deliberate denial of fundamental truths.
72 After telling those who deliberately deny the truth that even their benevolent spending
of efforts and possessions during their lifetime will be of no avail to them on the Day
of Judgment, the Qur'an reminds the believers that, on the other hand, their faith in God
cannot be considered complete unless it makes them conscious of the material needs of
their fellow-beings (cf. 2:177).
73 Up to this point, most of this surah dealt with the divine origin of the Qur'an and was
meant to establish the true nature of the mission entrusted to the Prophet - namely, his
call to an acknowledgement of God's oneness and uniqueness. Now, verses 93-97 are devoted
to a refutation of two objections on the part of the Jews to what they consider to be an
infringement, by the Qur'an, of Biblical laws, in spite of the oft-repeated Qur'anic claim
that this revelation confirms the truth inherent in the teachings of the earlier prophets.
These two objections relate to (a) the Qur'anic annulment of certain dietary injunctions and
prohibitions laid down in the Torah, and (b) the alleged "substitution" of Mecca for
Jerusalem as the direction of prayer (qiblah)- see surah 2, note 116. In order to answer
the objection relating to Jewish food laws, the Qur'an calls to mind that originally all
wholesome foods were lawful to the children of Israel, and that the severe restrictions
subsequently imposed upon them in the Torah were but a punishment for their sins (cf. 6:146),
and were, therefore, never intended for a community that truly surrenders itself to God.
For an answer to the second objection, see verse 96.
3:94
And all who henceforth invent lies about God - it is they, they who are evildoers!74
3:95
Say: "God has spoken the truth: follow, then, the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false, and was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God."
3:96
Behold, the first Temple ever set up for mankind was indeed the one at Bakkah:75 rich in blessing, and a [source of] guidance unto all the worlds, (3:97) full of clear messages.76 [It is] the place whereon Abraham once stood; and whoever enters it finds inner peace.77 Hence, pilgrimage unto the Temple is a duty owed to God by all people who are able to undertake it. And as for those who deny the truth - verily, God does not stand in need of anything in all the worlds.
74 This is a reference to the unwarranted Jewish belief that the Mosaic food restrictions
were an eternal law decreed by God. As against this claim, the Qur'an stresses that no
food restrictions had been imposed before the time of Moses and, secondly, that the
restrictions arising from the Mosaic Law were imposed on the children of Israel alone.
To claim that they represent an eternal divine law is described here as "inventing lies
about God".
75 All authorities agree that this name is synonymous with Mecca (which, correctly transliterated,
is spelt Makkah). Various etymologies have been suggested for this very ancient designation;
but the most plausible explanation is given by Zamakhshari (and supported by Razi): in some
old Arabic dialects the labial consonants b and m, being phonetically close to one another,
are occasionally interchangeable. The mention, in this context, of the Temple in Mecca -
that is, the Ka'bah - arises from the fact that it is the direction of prayer (qiblah)
stipulated in the Qur'an. Since the prototype of the Ka'bah was built by Abraham and Ishmael
(see 2:125 ff.) - and is, therefore, much older than the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem -
its establishment as the qiblah of the followers of the Qur'an does not only not imply any
break with the Abrahamic tradition (on which, ultimately, the whole Bible rests), but, on
the contrary, re-establishes the direct contact with that Patriarch: and herein lies the
answer to the second of the two Jewish objections mentioned in note 73 above.
76 Lit., "in it [are] clear messages" - such as the messages relating to God's oneness and
uniqueness (symbolized by the Ka'bah), to the continuity of mankind's religious experience
("the first Temple set up for mankind") and, finally, to the brotherhood of all believers
(who, wherever they may be, turn their faces in prayer towards this one focal point).
77 Or: "is secure" - i.e., in the original sense of amn, which implies "ease of mind and
freedom from fear" (cf. Lane I, 100 f.).
3:98
SAY: "O followers of earlier revelation! Why do you refuse to acknowledge the truth of God's messages, when God is witness to all that you do?"
3:99
Say: "O followers of earlier revelation! Why do you [endeavour to] bar those who have come to believe [in this divine writ] from the path of God by trying to make it appear crooked, when you yourselves bear witness78 [to its being straight]? For, God is not unaware of what you do."
3:100
O you who have attained to faith! If you pay heed to some of those to whom revelation was vouchsafed aforetime, they might cause you to renounce the truth after you have come to believe [in it]. (3:101) And how could you deny the truth when it is unto you that God's messages are being conveyed, and it is in your midst that His Apostle lives? But he who holds fast unto God has already been guided onto a straight way.
3:102
O you who have attained to faith! Be conscious of God with all the consciousness that is due to Him, and do not allow death to overtake you ere you have surrendered yourselves unto Him.
3:103
And hold fast, all together, unto the bond with God, and do not draw apart from one another. And remember the blessings which God has bestowed upon you: how, when you were enemies, He brought your hearts together, so that through His blessing you became brethren; and [how, when] you were on the brink of a fiery abyss.79 He saved you from it. In this way God makes clear His messages unto you, so that you might find guidance, (3:104) and that there might grow out of you a community [of people] who invite unto all that is good, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong: and it is they, they who shall attain to a happy state!
78 I.e., "through your own scriptures" (see note 69 above, as well as note 33 on 2:42). This is an
allusion to the attempts of Jews and Christians to "prove" that Muhammad had "borrowed" the main
ideas of the Qur'an from the Bible and twisted them out of context so as to suit his own alleged
"ambitions".
79 Lit., "a pit of fire" - a metaphor of the sufferings which are the inescapable consequence
of spiritual ignorance. The reminder of their one-time mutual enmity is an allusion to man's
lot on earth (cf. 2:36 and 7:24), from which only God's guidance can save him (see 2:37-38).
3:105
And be not like those who have drawn apart from one another and have taken to conflicting views after all evidence of the truth has come unto them:80 for these it is for whom tremendous suffering is in store (3:106) on the Day [of Judgment] when some faces will shine [with happiness] and some faces will be dark [with grief]. And as for those with faces darkened, [they shall be told:] "Did you deny the truth after having attained to faith? Taste, then, this suffering for having denied the truth!" (3:107) But as for those with faces shining, they shall be within God's grace, therein to abide.
3:108
These are God's messages: We convey them unto thee, setting forth the truth, since God wills no wrong to His creation.81
3:109
And unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth; and all things go back to God [as their source].
3:110
YOU ARE indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] mankind: you enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and you believe in God. Now if the followers of earlier revelation had attained to [this kind of] faith, it would have been for their own good; [but only few] among them are believers, while most of them are iniquitous: (3:111) [but] these can never inflict more than a passing hurt on you; and if they fight against you, they will turn their backs upon you [in flight], and will not be succoured.82
80 I.e., like the followers of the Bible, who became "Jews" and "Christians" in spite of the fact
that their beliefs have a common source and are based on the same spiritual truths
(see also 6:159 and the corresponding note).
81 Lit., "to the worlds". For an explanation of this sentence, see 6:131-132 and note 117.
82 As is obvious from the opening sentence of verse 110, this promise to the followers of the
Qur'an is conditional upon their being, or remaining, a community of people who "enjoin the
doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and [truly] believe in God";
and - as history has shown - this promise is bound to lapse whenever the Muslims fail to
live up to their faith.
3:112
Overshadowed by ignominy are they wherever they may be, save [when they bind themselves again] in a bond with God and a bond with men;83 for they have earned the burden of God's condemnation, and are overshadowed by humiliation: all this [has befallen them] because they persisted in denying the truth of God's messages and in slaying the prophets against all right: all this, because they rebelled [against God], and persisted in transgressing the bounds of what is right.84
3:113
[But] they are not all alike: among the followers of earlier revelation there are upright people,85 who recite God's messages throughout the night, and prostrate themselves [before Him]. (3:114) They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and vie with one another in doing good works: and these are among the righteous. (3:115) And whatever good they do, they shall never be denied the reward thereof: for, God has full knowledge of those who are conscious of Him.
3:116
[But,] behold, as for those who are bent on denying the truth - neither their worldly possessions nor their children will in the least avail them against God: and it is they who are destined for the fire, therein to abide.
3:117
The parable of what they spend on the life of this world is that of an icy wind which smites the tilth of people who have sinned against themselves, and destroys it: for, it is not God who does them wrong, but it is they who are wronging themselves.86
83 I.e., if they return to the concept of God as the Lord and Sustainer of all mankind, and
give up the idea of being "God's chosen people" which creates a barrier between them and all
other believers in the One God.
84 The above passage - as the very similar one in 2:61 - relates specifically to the children
of Israel, although this section as a whole (verses 110-115) obviously refers to the followers
of the Bible in general, that is, to both the Jews and the Christians.
85 Lit., "an upright community": a reference to those among the followers of the Bible who
are truly believers (cf. the last sentence of verse 110 above) and observe the "bond with
God and with men" (verse 112).
86 In a marginal note connected with hit commentary on this verse, Zamakhshari explains this
parable thus: "If the 'tilth' [i.e., the gainful achievement] of those who deny the truth
is lost, it is lost in its entirety, with nothing remaining to them in this world and in
the life to come; while, on the other hand, the 'tilth' of a believer is never lost in its
entirety: for even if it is seemingly lost, there remains to him the expectation of a reward,
in the life to come, for his patience in adversity." In other words, the above Qur'anic
phrase is meant to stress the completeness of loss of all efforts in the case of those who
are bent on denying the truth.
3:118
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take for your bosom-friends people who are not of your kind.87 They spare no effort to corrupt you; they would love to see you in distress.88 Vehement hatred has already come into the open from out of their mouths, but what their hearts conceal is yet worse. We have indeed made the signs [thereof] clear unto you, if you would but use your reason.
3:119
Lo! It is you who [are prepared to] love them, but they will not love you, although you believe in all of the revelation.89 And when they meet you, they assert, "We believe [as you believe]"; but when they find themselves alone, they gnaw their fingers in rage against you.
Say: "Perish in your rage! Behold, God has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men]!"
87 Lit., "from among others than yourselves". Some of the commentators incline to the view that
this expression comprises all non-Muslims: but this view obviously conflicts with 60:8-9,
where the believers are expressly allowed to form friendships with such of the non-believers
as are not hostile to them and to their faith. Moreover, the sequence makes it clear that by
"those who are not of your kind" are meant only people whose enmity to Islam and its followers
has become apparent from their behaviour and their utterances (Tabari). The rendering adopted
by me, "people who are not of your kind", implies that their outlook on life is so fundamentally
opposed to that of the Muslims that genuine friendship is entirely out of the question.
88 Lit., "they love that which causes you distress".
89 I.e., including the revelation of the Bible.
3:120
If good fortune comes to you, it grieves them; and if evil befalls you, they rejoice in it. But if you are patient in adversity and conscious of God, their guile cannot harm you at all: for, verily, God encompasses [with His might] all that they do.
3:121
AND [remember, O Prophet, the day] when thou didst set out from thy home at early morn to place the believers in battle array.90 And God was all-hearing, all-knowing (3:122) when two groups from among you were about to lose heart,91 although God was near unto them and it is in God that the believers must place their trust: (3:123) for, indeed, God did succour you at Badr, when you were utterly weak.92 Remain, then, conscious of God, so that you might have cause to be grateful.
90 This reference to the battle of Uhud, to which many verses of this surah are devoted,
connects with the exhortation implied in the preceding verse, "if you are patient in
adversity and conscious of God, their guile cannot harm you at all". Since this and the
subsequent references cannot be fully understood without a knowledge of the historical
background, a brief account of the battle would seem to be indicated.
In order to avenge their catastrophic defeat at Badr in the second year after the hijrah,
the pagan Meccans - supported by several tribes hostile to the Muslims - mustered in the
following year an army comprising ten thousand men under the command of Abu Sufyan and
marched against Medina. On hearing of their approach, in the month of Shawwal 3 H., the
Prophet held a council of war at which the tactics to be adopted were discussed. In view
of the overwhelming cavalry forces at the disposal of the enemy, the Prophet himself was
of the opinion that the Muslims should give battle from behind the fortifications of Medina
and, if need be, fight in its narrow streets and lanes; and his plan was supported by some
of the most outstanding among his Companions. However, the majority of the Muslim leaders
who participated in the council strongly insisted on going forth and meeting the enemy
in the open field. In obedience to the Qur'anic principle that all communal affairs must be
transacted on the basis of mutually-agreed decisions (see verse 159 of this surah, as well
as 42:38), the Prophet sorrowfully gave way to the will of the majority and set out with
his followers towards the plain below the mountain of Uhud, a little over three miles from
Medina. His army consisted of less than one thousand men; but on the way to Mount Uhud this
number was still further reduced by the defection of some three hundred men led by the
hypocritical 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy, who pretended to be convinced that the Muslims did not
really intend to fight. Shortly before the battle, two other groups from among the Prophet's
forces - namely, the clans of Banu Salamah (of the tribe of Al-Aws) and Banu Harithah (of
the tribe of Khazraj) almost lost heart and were about to join the defectors (3:122) on the
plea that because of their numerical weakness the Muslims must now avoid giving battle; but
at the last moment they decided to follow the Prophet. Having less than seven hundred men
with him, the Prophet arrayed the bulk of his forces with their backs to the mountain and
posted all his archers - numbering fifty - on a nearby hill in order to provide cover against
an outflanking manoeuvre by the enemy cavalry; these archers were ordered not to leave
their post under any circumstances. In their subsequent, death-defying assault upon the
greatly superior forces of the pagan Quraysh, the Muslims gained a decisive advantage over
the former and almost routed them. At that moment, however, most of the archers, believing
that the battle had been won and fearing lest they lose their share of the spoils, abandoned
their covering position and joined the melee around the encampment of the Quraysh. Seizing
this opportunity, the bulk of the Meccan cavalry under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid
(who shortly after this battle embraced Islam and later became one of the greatest Muslim
generals of all times) veered round in a wide arc and attacked the Muslim forces from the
rear. Deprived of the cover of the archers, and caught between two fires, the Muslims retreated
in disorder, with the loss of many lives. The Prophet himself and a handful of his most
stalwart Companions defended themselves desperately; and the Prophet was seriously injured
and fell to the ground. The cry immediately arose, "The Apostle of God has been killed!"
Many of the Muslims began to flee; some among them were even prepared to throw themselves
upon the mercy of the enemy. But a few of the Companions - among them 'Umar ibn al-Khattab
and Talhah - called out, "What good are your lives without him, O believers? Let us die as
he has died!" - and threw themselves with the strength of despair against the Meccans.
Their example at once found an echo among the rest of the Muslims, who in the meantime had
learnt that the Prophet was alive: they rallied and counter-attacked the enemy, and thus
saved the day. But the Muslims were now too exhausted to exploit their chances of victory,
and the battle ended in a draw, with the enemy retreating in the direction of Mecca. On
the next day the Prophet started in pursuit of them at the head of seventy of his Companions.
But when the Muslims reached the place called Hamra' al-Asad, about eight miles south of
Medina, it became obvious that the Meccans were in no mood to risk another encounter and
were rapidly marching home; and thereupon the tiny Muslim army returned to Medina.
91 I.e., the clans of Banu Salamah and Banu Harithah, who had almost joined the deserters
led by 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy (see preceding note).
92 A reference to the battle of Badr, in 2 H., which is dealt with extensively in surah 8.
3:124
[And remember] when thou didst say unto the believers: "Is it not enough for you [to know] that your Sustainer will aid you with three thousand angels sent down [from on high]? (3:125) Nay, but if you are patient in adversity and conscious of Him, and the enemy should fall upon you of a sudden, your Sustainer will aid you with five thousand angels swooping down!"93
3:126
And God ordained this [to be said by His Apostle94] only as a glad tiding for you, and that your hearts should thereby be set at rest - since no succour can come from any save God, the Almighty, the Truly Wise - (3:127) [and] that [through you] He might destroy some of those who were bent on denying the truth, and so abase the others95 that they would withdraw in utter hopelessness.
93 As is evident from the next verse, the Prophet's allusion to God's aiding the believers
with thousands of angels signifies, metaphorically, a strengthening of the believers'
hearts through spiritual forces coming from God (Manar IV, 112 ff., and IX, 612 ff.).
A very similar announcement - relating to the battle of Badr - occurs in 8:9-10, where
"one thousaand" angels are mentioned. As regards these varying numbers (one, three and
five thousand), they would seem to indicate the unlimited nature of God's aid to those
who are "patient in adversity and conscious of Him". It is reasonable to assume that the
Prophet thus exhorted his followers immediately before the battle of Uhud, that is, after
three hundred men under the leadership of 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy had deserted him and some
of the others "almost lost heart" in the face of the greatly superior enemy forces.
94 According to many commentators (see Manar IV, 112), this interpolation is justified by the
preceding two verses, which show that it was the Prophet who, under divine inspiration,
made this promise to his followers. See also 8: 9, where a similar promise is voiced on
the occasion of the battle of Badr.
95 Lit., "that He might destroy some ... or [so] abase them". It is obvious that the particle
aw ("or") does not, in this context, denote an alternative but, rather, a specification
(tanwi') - as, for instance, in the phrase "ten persons were killed or injured": meaning
that some of them were killed and others injured.
3:128
[And] it is in no wise for thee [O Prophet] to decide whether He shall accept their repentance or chastise them - for, behold, they are but wrongdoers, (3:129) whereas unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth: He forgives whom He wills, and He chastises whom He wills; and God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.96
3:130
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not gorge yourselves on usury, doubling and re-doubling it97 - but remain conscious of God, so that you might attain to a happy state; (3:131) and beware of the fire which awaits those who deny the truth!
3:132
And pay heed unto God and the Apostle, so that you might be graced with mercy. (3:133) And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness and to a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for the God-conscious (3:134) who spend [in His way] in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and hold in check their anger, and pardon their fellow-men because God loves the doers of good; (3:135) and who, when they have committed a shameful deed or have [otherwise] sinned against themselves, remember God and pray that their sins be forgiven - for who but God could forgive sins? - and do not knowingly persist in doing whatever [wrong] they may have done.
3:136
These it is who shall have as their reward forgiveness from their Sustainer, and gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide: and how excellent a reward for those who labour!
3:137
[MANY] WAYS of life have passed away before your time.98 Go, then, about the earth and behold what happened in the end to those who gave the lie to the truth: (3:138) this [should be] a clear lesson unto all men, and a guidance and an admonition unto the God-conscious.
96 As recorded in several authentic Traditions, the Prophet invoked, during the battle of Uhud,
God's curse upon the leaders of the pagan Quraysh (Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i and Ahmad ibn
Hanbal); and when he lay on the ground severely injured, he exclaimed, "How could those
people prosper after having done this to their prophet, who but invites them to [acknowledge]
their Sustainer?" - whereupon the above two verses were revealed (Muslim and Ibn Hanbal).
97 For a definition of riba ("usury"), see note 35 on 30: 39, the earliest Qur'anic reference
to this term. As for the connection of the above verse with the subject-matter dealt with
in the foregoing, the best explanation is, to my mind, the one offered by Qiffal (as
quoted by Razi): Since it was mainly through usurious gains that the pagan Meccans had
acquired the wealth which enabled them to equip their powerful army and almost to defeat
the poorly-armed Muslims at Uhud, the latter might have been tempted to emulate their
enemies in this respect; and it was to remove this temptation - from them as well as from
later generations of believers - that the prohibition of usury was once again stressed
through revelation.
98 The word sunnah (of which sunan is the plural) denotes a "way of life" or "conduct"
(hence its application, in Islamic terminology, to the way of life of the Prophet as an
example for his followers). In the above passage, the term sunan refers to the "conditions
(ahwal) characteristic of past centuries" (Razi), in which, despite all the continuous
changes, an ever-recurring pattern can be discerned: a typically Qur'anic reference to the
possibility, and necessity, of learning from man's past experiences.
3:139
Be not, then, faint of heart, and grieve not:99 for you are bound to rise high if you are [truly] believers.
3:140
If misfortune100 touches you, [know that] similar misfortune has touched [other] people as well; for it is by turns that We apportion unto men such days [of fortune and misfortune]: and [this] to the end that God might mark out those who have attained to faith, and choose from among you such as [with their lives] bear witness to the truth101 - since God does not love evildoers - (3:141) and that God might render pure of all dross those who have attained to faith, and bring to nought those who deny the truth.
3:142
Do you think that you could enter paradise unless God takes cognizance of your having striven hard [in His cause], and takes cognizance of your having been patient in adversity?102 (3:143) For, indeed, you did long for death [in God's cause] before you came face to face with it; and now you have seen it with your own eyes!103
99 A reference to the near-disaster at Uhud and the heavy loss of lives (about seventy men)
which the Muslims had suffered.
100 Lit., "a wound" (qarh) or, according to some philologists, "pain caused by a wound".
101 I.e., "His decision to let some of you die as martyrs in His cause is not due to love of
the sinful enemies who oppose you, but to His love for you." The term shuhada' (pl. of shahid)
denotes "witnesses" as well as "martyrs". The rendering adopted by me comprises both the
concepts of "bearing witness to the truth" and of "martyrdom" in God's cause.
102 Lit., "while God has not yet taken cognizance of those of you who have striven ... and
those who are patient in adversity". Since God is all-knowing, His "not taking cognizance"
implies, of course, that the thing or happening referred to has not come about or is
non-existent (Zamakhshari).
103 In Zamakhshari's opinion, this is a twofold reproach addressed to the majority of the
Companions who took part in the battle of Uhud: firstly, on account of their insistence,
against the Prophet's advice, on giving battle to the enemy in the open field and thereby
unnecessarily courting a deadly danger; and, secondly, on account of their failure to live
up to their faith during the earlier part of the battle (see note 90 above). This passage
may have yet another, more positive implication: namely, a reference to the lesson which
the believers should draw from their near-defeat, and a reminder of the fact that their
future depends on the strength of their faith in God (cf. verse 139 above) and not on a
fleeting desire for self-sacrifice.
3:144
AND MUHAMMAD is only an apostle; all the [other] apostles have passed away before him: if, then, he dies or is slain, will you turn about on your heels?104 But he that turns about on his heels can in no wise harm God - whereas God will requite all who are grateful [to Him].
104 This stress on the mortality of the Prophet - and that of all the other prophets who preceded
him in time - connects, in the first instance, with the battle of Uhud and the rumour of
his death, which caused many Muslims to abandon the fight and even brought some of them
close to apostasy (Tabari; see also note 90 above). In its wider implication, however,
the above verse re-states the fundamental Islamic doctrine that adoration is due to God alone,
and that no human being - not even a prophet - may have any share in it. It was this very
passage of the Qur'an which Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, recited immediately after the
Prophet's death, when many faint-hearted Muslims thought that Islam itself had come to
an end; but as soon as Abu Bakr added, "Behold, whoever has worshipped Muhammad may know
that Muhammad has died; but whoever worships God may know that God is ever-living, and
never dies" (Bukhari), all confusion was stilled. - The expression "turning about on
one's heels" denotes - according to circumstances - either actual apostasy or a deliberate
withdrawal from efforts in the cause of God.
3:145
And no human being can die save by God's leave, at a term pre-ordained. And if one desires the rewards of this world, We shall grant him thereof; and if one desires the rewards of the life to come, We shall grant him thereof; and We shall requite those who are grateful [to Us].
3:146
And how many a prophet has had to fight [in God's cause], followed by many God-devoted men: and they did not become faint of heart for all that they had to suffer in God's cause, and neither did they weaken, nor did they abase themselves [before the enemy], since God loves those who are patient in adversity; (3:147) and all that they said was this: "O our Sustainer! Forgive us our sins and the lack of moderation in our doings! And make firm our steps, and succour us against people who deny the truth!" - (3:148) whereupon God granted them the rewards of this world, as well as the goodliest rewards of the life to come: for God loves the doers of good.
3:149
O YOU who have attained to faith! If you pay heed to those who are bent on denying the truth, they will cause you to turn back on your heels, and you will be the losers.
3:150
Nay, but God alone is your Lord Supreme, and His is the best succour.105
3:151
Into the hearts of those who are bent on denying the truth We shall cast dread in return for their ascribing divinity, side by side with God, to other beings - [something] for which He has never bestowed any warrant from on high;106 and their goal is the fire - and how evil that abode of evildoers!
105 Lit., "He is the best of all who bring succour".
106 I.e., something which He never permits. The use of the adverb "never" in my rendering is
based on the grammatical form lam yunazzil (lit., "He has not been sending down" or
"bestowing from on high"), which implies continuity in time.
3:152
AND, INDEED, God made good His promise unto you when, by His leave, you were about to destroy your foes107 - until the moment when you lost heart and acted contrary to the [Prophet's] command,108 and disobeyed after He had brought you within view of that [victory] for which you were longing. There were among you such as cared for this world [alone], just as there were among you such as cared for the life to come:109 whereupon, in order that He might put you to a test, He prevented you from defeating your foes.110 But now He has effaced your sin: for God is limitless in His bounty unto the believers.
3:153
[Remember the time] when you fled, paying no heed to anyone, while at your rear the Apostle was calling out to you - wherefore He requited you with woe in return for [the Apostle's] woe, so that you should not grieve [merely] over what had escaped you, nor over what had befallen you: for God is aware of all that you do.111
107 Lit., "when you were destroying them": a reference to the opening stages of the battle of Uhud.
Regarding the promise alluded to, see verses 124-125 of this surah.
108 Lit., "you disagreed with one another regarding the [Prophet's] command" - an allusion to
the abandonment of their post by most of the archers at the moment when it seemed that victory
had been won (see note 90 above).
109 Out of the fifty Muslim archers less than ten remained at their post, and were killed by
Khalid's cavalry. It is to them, as well as the few Companions who went on fighting after
the bulk of the Muslims had fled, that the second part of the above sentence refers.
110 Lit., "He turned you away from them".
111 I.e., the realization of how shamefully they had behaved at Uhud (see note 90 above) would
be, in the end, more painful to them than the loss of victory and the death of so many of their
comrades: and this is the meaning of the "test" mentioned in the preceding verse.
3:154
Then, after this woe, He sent down upon you a sense of security, an inner calm which enfolded some of you,112 whereas the others, who cared mainly for themselves, entertained wrong thoughts about God - thoughts of pagan ignorance - saying, "Did we, then, have any power of decision [in this matter]?"113
Say: "Verily, all power of decision does rest with God"114 - [but as for them,] they are trying to conceal within themselves that [weakness of faith] which they would not reveal unto thee, [O Prophet, by] saying, "If we had any power of decision, we would not have left so many dead behind."115
Say [unto them]: "Even if you had remained in your homes, those [of you] whose death had been ordained would indeed have gone forth to the places where they were destined to lie down."
And [all this befell you] so that God might put to a test all that you harbour in your bosoms, and render your innermost hearts116 pure of all dross: for God is aware of what is in the hearts [of men].
3:155
Behold, as for those of you who turned away [from their duty] on the day when the two hosts met in battle - Satan caused them to stumble only by means of something that they [themselves] had done.117 But now God has effaced this sin of theirs: verily, God is much-forgiving, forbearing.
112 I.e., those who had remained steadfast throughout the battle. According to some commentators -
in particular Raghib - the term nu'as (lit., "the drowsiness which precedes sleep") is used
here metaphorically, and denotes "inner calm".
113 I.e., in the matter of victory or defeat. The "thoughts of pagan ignorance" is obviously
an allusion to the initial reluctance of those faint-hearted people to admit their moral
responsibility for what had happened, and to their excusing themselves by saying that their
failure to live up to their faith had been "predestined". See also surah 5, note 71.
114 I.e., while it is for God alone to apportion actual success or failure to whomever He
wills, "nought shall be accounted unto man but what he is [or "was"] striving for" (53:39).
115 Lit., "we would not have been killed here".
116 Lit., "all that is in your hearts".
117 This is an illustration of a significant Qur'anic doctrine, which can be thus summarized:
"Satan's influence" on man is not the primary cause of sin but its first consequence: that
is to say, a consequence of a person's own attitude of mind which in moments of moral crisis
induces him to choose the easier, and seemingly more pleasant, of the alternatives open to
him, and thus to become guilty of a sin, whether by commission or omission. Thus, God's
"causing" a person to commit a sin is conditional upon the existence, in the individual
concerned, of an attitude of mind which makes him prone to commit such a sin: which, in
its turn, presupposes man's free will - that is, the ability to make, within cerrtain
limitations, a conscious choice between two or more possible courses of action.
3:156
O you who have attained to faith! Be not like those who are bent on denying the truth and say of their brethren [who die] after having set out on a journey to faraway places118 or gone forth to war, "Had they but remained with us, they would not have died," or, "they would not have been slain" - for God will cause such thoughts to become119 a source of bitter regret in their hearts, since it is God who grants life and deals death. And God sees all that you do.
3:157
And if indeed you are slain or die in God's cause, then surely forgiveness from God and His grace are better than all that one120 could amass [in this world]: (3:158) for, indeed, if you die or are slain, it will surely be unto God that you shall be gathered.
3:159
And it was by God's grace that thou [O Prophet] didst deal gently with thy followers:121 for if thou hadst been harsh and hard of heart, they would indeed have broken away from thee. Pardon them, then, and pray that they be forgiven. And take counsel with them in all matters of public concern; then, when thou hast decided upon a course of action, place thy trust in God: for, verily, God loves those who place their trust in Him.122
118 Lit., "when they travel on earth".
119 Lit.; "so that God causes this to be": but since the particle li in li-yaj'al is obviously
a lam al-aqibah (i.e., the letter lam denoting a causal sequence), it is best rendered in
this context by the conjunctive particle "and", combined with the future tense.
120 Lit., "they".
121 Lit., "with them" - i.e., with those of his followers who had failed in their duty before
and during the disaster at Uhud. According to all available accounts, the Prophet did not
even reproach any of them for what they had done.
122 This injunction, implying government by consent and council, must be regarded as one of
the fundamental clauses of all Qur'anic legislation relating to statecraft. The pronoun
"them" relates to the believers, that is, to the whole community; while the word al-amr
occurring in this context - as well as in the much earlier-revealed phrase amruhum shura
baynahum in 42:38 - denotes all affairs of public concern, including state administration.
All authorities agree in that the above ordinance, although addressed in the first instance
to the Prophet, is binding on all Muslims and for all times. (For its wider implications
see State and Government in Islam, pp. 44 ff.) Some Muslim scholars conclude from the
wording of this ordinance that the leader of the community, although obliged to take counsel,
is nevertheless free to accept or to reject it; but the arbitrariness of this conclusion
becomes obvious as soon as we recall that even the Prophet considered himself bound by
the decisions of his council (see note 90 above). Moreover, when he was asked - according
to a Tradition on the authority of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib - to explain the implications of the
word 'azm ("deciding upon a course of action") which occurs in the above verse, the Prophet
replied, "[It means] taking counsel with knowledgeable people (ahl ar-ra'y) and thereupon
following them [therein]" (see Ibn Kathir's commentary on this verse).
3:160
If God succours you, none can ever overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who could succour you thereafter? In God, then, let the believers place their trust!
3:161
AND IT IS not conceivable that a prophet should deceive123 - since he who deceives shall be faced with his deceit on the Day of Resurrection, when every human being shall be repaid in full for whatever he has done, and none shall be wronged.
3:162
Is then he124 who strives after God's goodly acceptance like unto him who has earned the burden of God's condemnation125 and whose goal is hell? - and how vile a journey's end! (3:163) They are on [entirely] different levels in the sight of God; for God sees all that they do.
3:164
Indeed, God bestowed a favour upon the believers when he raised up in their midst an apostle from among themselves, to convey His messages unto them, and to cause them to grow in purity, and to impart unto them the divine writ as well as wisdom - whereas before that they were indeed, most obviously, lost in error.
3:165
AND DO YOU, now that a calamity has befallen you after you had inflicted twice as much [on your foes],126 ask yourselves, "How has this come about?" Say: "It has come from your own selves."127
Verily, God has the power to will anything: (3:166) and all that befell you on the day when the two hosts met in battle happened by God's leave, so that He might mark out the [true] believers, (3:167) and mark out those who were tainted with hypocrisy and, when they were told, "Come, fight in God's cause" - or, "Defend yourselves"128 - answered, "If we but knew [that it would come to a] fight, we would indeed follow you." Unto apostasy were they nearer on that day than unto faith, uttering with their mouths something which was not in their hearts,129 the while God knew fully well what they were trying to conceal: (3:168) they who, having themselves held back [from fighting, later] said of their [slain] brethren, "Had they but paid heed to us, they would not have been slain." Say: "Avert, then, death from yourselves, if what you say is true!"
123 I.e., by attributing his own opinions to God, and then appealing to the believers to place
their trust in Him alone. However contrary to reason such deceit may be, it is a common
view among non-believers that the Prophet himself "composed" the Qur'an and thereupon falsely
attributed it to divine revelation.
124 An allusion, in this case, to the Prophet Muhammad as well as to prophets in general.
125 I.e., by falsely attributing his own views to God or distorting His messages by
arbitrary interpolations and deliberate changes in the wording of a revelation - an
accusation often levelled in the Qur'an (e.g., 2: 79 and 3:78) against the followers
of earlier revelations.
126 I.e., at the battle of Badr, in the year 2 H.
127 Many of the followers of the Prophet had been convinced that, whatever the circumstances,
God would grant them victory on account of their faith alone. The bitter experience at
Uhud came as a shock to them; and so the Qur'an reminds them that this calamity was a
consequence of their own doings.
128 Only a fight in self-defence - in the widest meaning of this term - can be considered a
"fight in God's cause" (see 2: 190-194, and the corresponding notes); and, thus, the
particle "or" between these two phrases is almost synonymous with the expression "in other
words".
129 This is an allusion to the three hundred men who, on the way from Medina to Mount Uhud,
forsook the Prophet on the specious plea that he did not really intend to give battle
(see note 90 above). But since they knew in their hearts that it would come to a fight,
their defection from God's cause almost amounted to a denial of Him (kufr, here rendered
as "apostasy").
3:169
But do not think of those that have been slain in God's cause as dead. Nay, they are alive! With their Sustainer have they their sustenance, (3:170) exulting in that [martyrdom] which God has bestowed upon them out of His bounty. And they rejoice in the glad tiding given to those [of their brethren] who have been left behind and have not yet joined them, that no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve: (3:171) they rejoice in the glad tiding of God's blessings and bounty, and [in the promise] that God will not fail to requite the believers (3:172) who responded to the call of God and the Apostle after misfortune had befallen them.130 A magnificent requital awaits those of them who have persevered in doing good and remained conscious of God: (3:173) those who have been warned by other people,131 "Behold, a host has gathered against you; so beware of them!" - whereupon this only increased their faith, so that they answered, "God is enough for us; and how excellent a guardian is He!" (3:174) - and returned [from the battle] with God's blessings and bounty, without having been touched by evil:132 for they had been striving after God's goodly acceptance - and God is limitless in His great bounty.
3:175
It is but Satan who instils [into you] fear of his allies:133 so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [truly] believers!
130 Lit., "after injury had afflicted them". Most of the commentators assume that this is an
allusion to the losses sustained by the Muslims at the battle of Uhud. It is, however,
probable that the implication is much wider, the more so since this passage connects
directly with the preceding verses which speak, in general terms, of the martyrs who die
in God's cause. There is a distinct tendency on the part of most of the classical
commentators to read minute historical references into many Qur'anic passages which express
ideas of a far wider import and apply to the human condition as such. Verses 172-175 are
an instance of this. Some commentators are of the opinion that they refer to the fruitless
expedition to Hamra' al-Asad on the day following the battle of Uhud, while others see in
it an allusion to the Prophet's expedition, in the following year, known to history as
the "Little Badr" (Badr as-Sughra ); others, again, think that verse 172 refers to the
former and verses 173-174 to the latter. In view of this obvious lack of unanimity - due
to the absence of a really authoritative support, either in the Qur'an itself or in authentic
Traditions, for any of these speculative assumptions - there is every reason for concluding
that the whole passage under consideration expresses a general moral, rounding off, as it
were, the historical references to the battle of Uhud and the lessons to be drawn therefrom.
131 Lit., "those to whom people said".
132 I.e., the moral evil arising out of weakness of faith and loss of courage: an allusion to what
happened to many Muslims at Uhud.
133 I.e., people who "ally themselves with Satan" by deliberately doing wrong.
3:176
And be not grieved by those who vie with one another in denying the truth: verily, they can in no wise harm God. It is God's will that they shall have no share134 in the [blessings of the] life to come; and tremendous suffering awaits them.
3:177
Verily, they who have bought a denial of the truth at the price of faith can in no wise harm God, whereas grievous suffering awaits them. (3:178) And they should not think - they who are bent on denying the truth - that Our giving them rein is good for them: We give them rein only to let them grow in sinfulness; and shameful suffering awaits them.135
3:179
It is not God's will [O you who deny the truth] to abandon the believers to your way of life:136 [and] to that end He will set apart the bad from the good. And it is not God's will to give you insight into that which is beyond the reach of human perception: but [to that end] God elects whomsoever He wills from among His apostles.137 Believe, then, in God and His apostles; for if you believe and are conscious of Him, a magnificent requital awaits you.
134 Lit., "that He will not assign to them a share".
135 This is an allusion to the doctrine of natural law (in Qur'anic terminology, sunnat Allah,
"God's way") to which man's inclinations and actions - as well as all other happenings in
the universe - are subject. The above verse says, as it were, "Since these people are bent
on denying the truth, Our giving them rein [that is, freedom of choice and time for a
reconsideration of their attitude] will not work out for their benefit but will, on the
contrary, cause them to grow in false self-confidence and, thus, in sinfulness." As in many
similar passages in the Qur'an, God attributes here their "growing in sinfulness" to His own
will because it is He who has imposed on all His creation the natural law of cause and effect.
(See also note 4 on 14:4.)
136 Some commentators (e.g., Razi) assume that the expression ma antum 'alayhi (lit.. "that upon
which you are") denotes here "the condition in which you are" - i.e., the state of weakness
and confusion in which the Muslim community found itself after the battle of Uhud - and that,
therefore, this passage is addressed to the believers. This interpretation, however, is not
plausible. Apart from the fact that the believers are here referred to in the third person,
while ma antum 'alayhi is in the second person plural, the latter expression denotes almost
invariably, both in the Qur'an and in the Traditions, people's mode of life and beliefs.
Moreover, we have reliable reports to the effect that Ibn 'Abbas, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Muqatil
and Al-Kalbi unhesitatingly declared that the people addressed here are "those who deny the
truth" to whom the preceding passages refer (see Tabari's and Baghawi's commentaries on
this verse). Read in this sense, the above passage implies that the believers would, in
time, differ from the unbelievers not only in their convictions but also in their social
aims and their manner of living.
137 I.e., it is through these apostles that God vouchsafes to man a partial glimpse of the reality
of which He alone has full knowledge.
3:180
AND THEY should not think - they who niggardly cling to all that God has granted them out of His bounty - that this is good for them: nay, it is bad for them.138 That to which they [so] niggardly cling will, on the Day of Resurrection, be hung about their necks: for unto God [alone] belongs the heritage of the heavens and of the earth; and God is aware of all that you do.
3:181
God has indeed heard the saying of those who said, "Behold, God is poor while we are rich!"139 We shall record what they have said, as well as their slaying of prophets against all right,140 and We shall say [unto them on Judgment Day]: "Taste suffering through fire (3:182) in return for what your own hands have wrought - for never does God do the least wrong to His creatures!"
3:183
As for those who maintain, "Behold, God has bidden us not to believe in any apostle unless he comes unto us with burnt offerings"141 - say [unto them, O Prophet]: "Even before me there came unto you apostles with all evidence of the truth, and with that whereof you speak: why, then, did you slay them, if what you say is true?"142
138 This is an allusion to the way of life of the unbelievers mentioned in verse 179 above:
a way of life characterized by extreme attachment to the material things of this world -
a materialism based on a lack of belief in anything that transcends the practical
problems of life.
139 According to several authentic Traditions, the Jews of Medina were given to satirizing
the phraseology of the Qur'an, and especially 2:245 - "Who is it that will offer up unto
God a goodly loan, which He will amply repay, with manifold increase?"
140 Regarding this accusation levelled against the Jews, see surah 2, note 48.
141 Lit., "with an offering which the fire consumes" - in other words, unless he conforms to
Mosaic Law, which prescribes burnt offerings as an essential part of divine services.
Although this aspect of the Law had been left in abeyance ever since the destruction of
the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the Jews of post-Talmudic times were convinced that the
Messiah promised to them would restore the Mosaic rites in their entirety; and so they
refused to accept as a prophet anyone who did not conform to the Law of the Torah in
every detail.
142 At the time of the martyrdom of John the Baptist and of Zachariah, of Jesus' exclamation,
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets" (Matthew xxiii, 37), and of the
reference of Paul of Tarsus to the Jews "who killed their own prophets" (I Thessalonians ii, 15),
the Second Temple was still in existence, and burnt offerings were a daily practice: thus,
the refusal of the Jews to accept the prophets alluded to, culminating in their killing,
could not be attributed to those prophets' lack of conformity with Mosaic Law.
3:184
And if they give thee the lie - even so, before thy time, have [other] apostles been given the lie when they came with all evidence of the truth, and with books of divine wisdom, and with light-giving revelation.
3:185
Every human being is bound to taste death: but only on the Day of Resurrection will you be requited in full [for whatever you have done] - whereupon he that shall be drawn away from the fire and brought into paradise will indeed have gained a triumph: for the life of this world is nothing but an enjoyment of self-delusion.
3:186
You shall most certainly be tried in your possessions and in your persons; and indeed you shall hear many hurtful things from those to whom revelation was granted before your time, as well as from those who have come to ascribe divinity to other beings beside God. But if you remain patient in adversity and conscious of Him - this, behold, is something to set one's heart upon.
3:187
AND LO, God accepted a solemn pledge from those who were granted earlier revelation [when He bade them]: "Make it known unto mankind, and do not conceal it!"143 But they cast this [pledge] behind their backs, and bartered it away for a trifling gain: and how evil was their bargain!144
3:188
Think not that those who exult in what they have thus contrived, and who love to be praised for what they have not done145 - think not that they will escape suffering: for grievous suffering does await them [in the life to come].
143 This connects with verses 183-184, where the Jews are spoken of as refusing to accept the
message of the Qur'an. The implication of verse 187 above is that the advent of the Prophet
Muhammad was predicted in both the Old and New Testaments, and that the followers of the
Bible had been called upon to spread this prophecy and not - as they actually have done -
to suppress it.
144 Lit., "that which they are buying" - an allusion to the belief of the Jews that they are
"God's chosen people", and to the conviction of the Christians that their belief in Jesus'
"vicarious atonement" automatically assures to them salvation: the "bargain" being, in
both cases, an illusion of immunity in the life to come.
145 I.e., they have not, in spite of all their claims, preserved the integrity of the Bible and
of Abraham's faith (Razi).
3:189
AND UNTO GOD belongs the dominion over the heavens and the earth: and God has the power to will anything.
3:190
Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are indeed messages for all who are endowed with insight, (3:191) [and] who remember God when they stand, and when they sit, and when they lie down to sleep,146 and [thus] reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth:
"O our Sustainer! Thou hast not created [aught of] this without meaning and purpose.147 Limitless art Thou in Thy glory! Keep us safe, then, from suffering through fire!
3:192
"O our Sustainer! Whomsoever Thou shalt commit to the fire, him, verily, wilt Thou have brought to disgrace [in this world];148 and such evildoers will have none to succour them.
3:193
"O our Sustainer! Behold, we heard a voice149 call [us] unto faith, 'Believe in your Sustainer!' - and so we came to believe. O our Sustainer! Forgive us, then, our sins, and efface our bad deeds; and let us die the death of the truly virtuous!
3:194
"And, O our Sustainer, grant us that which Thou hast promised us through Thy apostles, and disgrace us not on Resurrection Day! Verily, Thou never failest to fulfil Thy promise!"
3:195
And thus does their Sustainer answer their prayer:
"I shall not lose sight of the labour of any of you who labours [in My way], be it man or woman: each of you is an issue of the other.150 Hence, as for those who forsake the domain of evil,151 and are driven from their homelands, and suffer hurt in My cause, and fight [for it], and are slain - I shall most certainly efface their bad deeds, and shall most certainly bring them into gardens through which running waters flow, as a reward from God: for with God is the most beauteous of rewards."
146 Lit., "and [lying] on their sides". 147 Lit., "in vain" (batilan): see note 11 on 10:5. 148 I.e., the suffering which a sinner will have to undergo in the life to come will be a consequence of the spiritual disgrace which he has already brought upon himself by his actions in this world. 149 Lit., "a caller". 150 I.e., "you all are members of one and the same human race, and therefore equal to one another". 151 See surah 2, note 203, and surah 4, note 124.
3:196
LET IT NOT deceive thee that those who are bent on denying the truth seem to be able to do as they please on earth: (3:197) it is [but] a brief enjoyment, with hell thereafter as their goal - and how vile a resting-place! - (3:198) whereas those who remain conscious of their Sustainer shall have gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide: a ready welcome from God. And that which is with God is best for the truly virtuous.
3:199
And, behold, among the followers of earlier revelation there are indeed such as [truly] believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon you as well as in that which has been bestowed upon them. Standing in awe of God, they do not barter away God's messages for a trifling gain. They shall have their reward with their Sustainer - for, behold, God is swift in reckoning!
3:200
O you who have attained to faith! Be patient in adversity, and vie in patience with one another, and be ever ready [to do what is right], and remain conscious of God, so that you might attain to a happy state!
THE TITLE An-Nisa' has been given to this surah because many of its passages deal with the rights of women and with questions relating to family life in general, including laws of inheritance, prohibition of marriage within certain degrees of consanguinity, marital relations, and so forth. The opening verse stresses the essential unity of the human race and the mutual obligations, arising from this kinship, of men and women towards one another. A large part of the surah is devoted to practical legislation bearing on problems of peace and war, as well as to relations of believers with unbelievers, especially with hypocrites. Verses 150-152 refute the possibility of believing in God without believing in His prophets: and this, in turn, leads to the subject of the Jews, who deny the prophethood not only of Muhammad but also of Jesus, as well as of the Christians, who deny Muhammad and deify Jesus although he "never felt too proud to be God's servant" (verse 172). And, finally, as if to stress the inseparability of man's beliefs from his social behaviour, the last verse refers, again, to laws of inheritance.
There is no doubt that this surah belongs in its entirety to the Medina period. In the order of revelation it either follows immediately upon Al 'Imran or - according to some authorities - is separated from the latter, in point of time, by Al-Ahzab and Al-Mumtahanah. On the whole, however, it is most probable that it was revealed in the fourth year after the hijrah, although a few of its verses may belong to an earlier, and verse 58 to a later, period.
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
4:1
O MANKIND! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women.1 And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand [your rights] from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you!
4:2
Hence, render unto the orphans their possessions, and do not substitute bad things [of your own] for the good things [that belong to them], and do not consume their possessions together with your own:2 this, verily, is a great crime.
4:3
And if you have reason to fear that you might not act equitably towards orphans, then marry from among [other] women such as are lawful to you3 - [even] two, or three, or four: but if you have reason to fear that you might not be able to treat them with equal fairness, then [only] one - or [from among] those whom you rightfully possess.4 This will make it more likely that you will not deviate from the right course.
1 Out of the many meanings attributable to the term nafs - soul, spirit, mind, animate being,
living entity, human being, person, self (in the sense of a personal identity), humankind,
life-essence, vital principle, and so forth - most of the classical commentators choose
"human being", and assume that it refers here to Adam. Muhammad 'Abduh, however, rejects
this interpretation (Manar IV, 323 ff.) and gives, instead, his preference to "humankind"
inasmuch as this term stresses the common origin and brotherhood of the human race (which,
undoubtedly, is the purport of the above verse), without, at the same time, unwarrantably
tying it to the Biblical account of the creation of Adam and Eve. My rendering of nafs, in
this context, as "living entity" follows the same reasoning - As regards the expression
zawjaha ("its mate"), it is to be noted that, with reference to animate beings, the term
zawj ("a pair", "one of a pair" or "a mate") applies to the male as well as to the female
component of a pair or couple; hence, with reference to human beings, it signifies a woman's
mate (husband) as well as a man's mate (wife). Abu Muslim - as quoted by Razi - interprets
the phrase "He created out of it (minha) its mate" as meaning "He created its mate [i.e.,
its sexual counterpart] out of its own kind (min jinsiha)", thus supporting the view of
Muhammad 'Abduh referred to above. The literal translation of minha as "out of it" clearly
alludes, in conformity with the text, to the biological fact that both sexes have originated
from "one living entity".
2 This relates to the legal guardians of orphans during the latter's minority.
3 Lit., "such as are good for you" - i.e., women outside the prohibited degrees enumerated
in verses 22-23 of this surah (Zamakhshari, Razi). According to an interpretation suggested
by A'ishah, the Prophet's widow, this refers to the (hypothetical) case of orphan girls whom
their guardians might wish to marry without, however, being prepared or able to give them
an appropriate marriage-portion - the implication being that they should avoid the temptation
of committing such an injustice and should marry other women instead (cf. Bukhari, Kitab
at-Tafsir, as well as Muslim and Nasai). However, not all of A'ishah's contemporaries
subscribed to her explanation of this verse. Thus, according to Said ibn Jubayr, Qatadah,
and other successors of the Companions, the purport of the above passage is this: "Just as
you are, rightly, fearful of offending against the interests of orphans, you must apply the
same careful consideration to the interests and rights of the women whom you intend to marry."
In his commentary on this passage, Tabari quotes several variants of the above interpretation
and gives it his unequivocal approval.
4 Lit., "whom your right hands possess" - i.e., from among the captives taken in a war in God's
cause (regarding which see notes on surah 2, notes 167 and 168, and surah 8, note 72). It is
obvious that the phrase "two, or three, or four: but if you have reason to fear...", etc. is
a parenthetic clause relating to both the free women mentioned in the first part of the
sentence and to female slaves - for both these nouns are governed by the imperative verb
"marry". Thus, the whole sentence has this meaning: "Marry from among [other] women such as
are lawful to you, or [from among] those whom you rightfully possess - [even] two, or three,
or four: but if you have reason to fear that you might not be able to treat them with equal
fairness, then [only] one" - implying that, irrespective of whether they are free women or,
originally, slaves, the number of wives must not exceed four. It was in this sense that
Muhammad 'Abduh understood the above verse (see Manar IV, 350). This view is, moreover,
supported by verse 25 of this surah as well as by 24:32, where marriage with female slaves
is spoken of. Contrary to the popular view and the practice of many Muslims in the past
centuries, neither the Qur'an nor the life-example of the Prophet provides any sanction for
sexual intercourse without marriage.
As regards the permission to marry more than one wife (up to the maximum of four), it is so
restricted by the condition, "if you have reason to fear that you might not be able to treat
them with equal fairness, then [marry only] one", as to make such plural marriages possible
only in quite exceptional cases and under exceptional circumstances (see also the first clause
of 24:32 and the corresponding note). Still, one might ask why the same latitude has not been
given to women as well; but the answer is simple. Notwithstanding the spiritual factor of
love which influences the relations between man and woman, the determinant biological reason
for the sexual urge is, in both sexes, procreation: and whereas a woman can, at one time,
conceive a child from one man only and has to carry it for nine months before she can conceive
another, a man can beget a child every time he cohabits with a woman. Thus, while nature would
have been merely wasteful if it had produced a polygamous instinct in woman, man's polygamous
inclination is biologically justified. It is, of course, obvious that the biological factor
is only one - and by no means always the most important - of the aspects of marital love:
none the less, it is a basic factor and, therefore, decisive in the institution of marriage
as such. With the wisdom that always takes human nature fully into account, Islamic Law
undertakes no more than the safeguarding of the socio-biological function of marriage (which
includes also care of the progeny), allowing a man to have more than one wife and not
allowing a woman to have more than one husband at one time; while the spiritual problem of
marriage, being imponderable and therefore outside the scope of law, is left to the discretion
of the partners. In any event - since marriage in Islam is a purely civil contract - recourse
to divorce is always open to either of the two partners. (Regarding the dissolution of a
marriage at the wife's instance, see note on surah 2, verse 229.)
4:4
And give unto women their marriage portions in the spirit of a gift;5 but if they, of their own accord, give up unto you aught thereof, then enjoy it with pleasure and good cheer.
4:5
And do not entrust to those who are weak of judgment the possessions which God has placed in your charge6 for [their] support; but let them have their sustenance therefrom, and clothe them, and speak unto them in a kindly way. (4:6) And test the orphans [in your charge] until they reach a marriageable age; then, if you find them to be mature of mind, hand over to them their possessions; and do not consume them by wasteful spending, and in haste, ere they grow up. And let him who is rich abstain entirely [from his ward's property]; and let him who is poor partake thereof in a fair manner. And when you hand over to them their possessions, let there be witnesses on their behalf - although none can take count as God does.
5 The expression nihlah signifies the giving of something willingly, of one's own accord,
without expecting a return for it (Zamakhshari). It is to be noted that the amount of the
marriage-portion, or dower which the bridegroom has to give to the bride has not been
circumscribed by the Law: it depends entirely on the agreement of the two parties, and
may consist of anything, even a mere token. According to several authentic Traditions
recorded in most of the compilations, the Prophet made it clear that "even an iron ring"
may be enough if the bride is willing to accept it, or, short of that, even "the imparting
to thy bride of a verse of the Qur'an".
6 Lit., "your possessions which God has assigned to you". The context makes it obvious that
this relates to the property of orphans who have not yet reached the age of discretion and
are, therefore, "weak of judgment" (lit., "weak-minded").
4:7
MEN SHALL have a share in what parents and kinsfolk leave behind, and women shall have a share in what parents and kinsfolk leave behind, whether it be little or much - a share ordained [by God]. (4:8) And when [other] near of kin and orphans and needy persons7 are present at the distribution [of inheritance], give them something thereof for their sustenance, and speak unto them in a kindly way. (4:9) And let them stand in awe [of God], those [legal heirs] - who, if they [themselves] had to leave behind weak offspring, would feel fear on their account - and let them remain conscious of God, and let them speak [to the poor] in a just manner.
4:10
Behold, those who sinfully devour the possessions of orphans but fill their bellies with fire: for [in the life to come] they will have to endure a blazing flame!
4:11
CONCERNING [the inheritance of] your children, God enjoins [this] upon you:8 The male shall have the equal of two females' share; but if there are more than two females, they shall have two-thirds of what [their parents] leave behind; and if there is only one daughter, she shall have one-half thereof.
And as for the parents [of the deceased], each of them shall have one-sixth of what he leaves behind, in the event of his having [left] a child; but if he has left no child and his parents are his [only] heirs, then his mother shall have one-third; and if he has brothers and sisters, then his mother shall have one-sixth after [the deduction of] any bequest he may have made, or any debt [he may have incurred]. As for your parents and your children - you know not which of them is more deserving of benefit from you: [therefore this] ordinance from God. Verily, God is all-knowing, wise.
7 I.e., people who do not have any legal claim to the inheritance, but nevertheless deserve
to be considered.
8 In my notes on verses 11-12, which spell out the legal shares of inheritance due to the next
of kin, no attempt has been made to analyze all the legal implications of this ordinance. The
laws of inheritance are the subject of a special, and very elaborate, branch of Islamic
jurisprudence, and their full elucidation would go far beyond the scope of explanatory notes
which aim at no more than making the text of the Qur'an accessible to the understanding of
the non-specialized reader.
4:12
And you shall inherit one-half of what your wives leave behind, provided they have left no child; but if they have left a child, then you shall have one-quarter of what they leave behind, after [the deduction of] any bequest they may have made, or any debt [they may have incurred]. And your widows9 shall have one-quarter of what you leave behind, provided you have left no child; but if you have left a child, then they shall have one-eighth of what you leave behind, after [the deduction of] any bequest you may have made, or any debt [you may have incurred].
And if a man or a woman has no heir in the direct line, but has a brother or a sister, then each of these two shall inherit one-sixth; but if there are more than two,10 then they shall share in one-third [of the inheritance], after [the deduction of] any bequest that may have been made, or any debt [that may have been incurred], neither of which having been intended to harm [the heirs].11
[This is] an injunction from God: and God is all-knowing, forbearing.
4:13
These are the bounds set by God. And whoever pays heed unto God and His Apostle, him will He bring into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide: and this is a triumph supreme. (4:14) And whoever rebels against God and His Apostle and transgresses His bounds, him will He commit unto fire, therein to abide; and shameful suffering awaits him.
4:15
AND AS FOR those of your women who become guilty of immoral conduct, call upon four from among you who have witnessed their guilt; and if these bear witness thereto, confine the guilty women12 to their houses until death takes them away or God opens for them a way [through repentance]. (4:16) And punish [thus] both of the guilty parties;13 but if they both repent and mend their ways, leave them alone: for, behold, God is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace.14
9 Lit., "they".
10 Lit., "more than that". According to most of the classical commentators, this passage
refers to half-brothers and half-sisters. The inheritance of full brothers and sisters is
dealt with at the end of this surah (verse 176).
11 This refers to bequests and fictitious debts meant to deprive the heirs of their legal
shares. According to several authentic Traditions, the Prophet forbade, in cases where there
are legal heirs, the making of bequests to other persons in excess of one-third of one's
estate (Bukhari and Muslim). If, however, there are no near of kin legally entitled to a
share of the inheritance, the testator is free to bequeath his fortune in any way he desires.
12 Lit., "them".
13 Lit., "and the two from among you who become guilty thereof, punish them both". According to
most of the commentators, this refers to immoral conduct on the part of a man and a woman
as well as to homosexual relations.
14 Some of the commentators attribute to the term fahishah (here rendered as "immoral conduct")
the meaning of "adultery" or "fornication" and are, consequently, of the opinion that this
verse has been "abrogated" by 24:2, which lays down the punishment of one hundred stripes
for each of the guilty parties. This unwarranted assumption must, however, be rejected. Quite
apart from the impossibility of admitting that any passage of the Qur'an could have been
"abrogated" by another of its passages (see note on surah 2 verse 106), the expression
fahishah does not, by itself, connote illicit sexual intercourse: it signifies anything that
is grossly immodest, unseemly, lewd, indecent or abominable in word or in deed (cf. Lane VI,
2344 f.), and is by no means restricted to sexual transgressions. Read in this context, and
in conjunction with 24:2, this expression obviously denotes here immoral conduct not necessarily
amounting to what is termed zina (i.e., "adultery" or "fornication"), and therefore redeemable
by sincere repentance (in contrast to a proven act of zina, which is punishable by flogging).-
It is noteworthy that in all cases of alleged sexual transgressions or misbehaviour the
Qur'an stipulates the direct evidence of four witnesses (instead of the two required in all
other judicial cases) as a sine qua non of conviction. For the reasons underlying this
injunction, as well as for its judicial implications, see note on 24:4.
4:17
Verily, God's acceptance of repentance relates only to those who do evil out of ignorance and then repent before their time runs out:15 and it is they unto whom God will turn again in His mercy - for God is all-knowing, wise; (4:18) whereas repentance shall not be accepted from those who do evil deeds until their dying hour and then say,16 "Behold, I now repent"; nor from those who die as deniers of the truth: it is these for whom We have readied grievous suffering.
4:19
O YOU who have attained to faith! It is not lawful for you to [try to] become heirs to your wives [by holding onto them] against their will;17 and neither shall you keep them under constraint with a view to taking away anything of what you may have given them, unless it be that they have become guilty, in an obvious manner, of immoral conduct.18
And consort with your wives19 in a goodly manner; for if you dislike them, it may well be that you dislike something which God might yet make a source of20 abundant good.
15 The expression min qarib, which here implies nearness in time, could also be rendered as
"soon", i.e., soon after having committed the evil deed; most of the classical commentators,
however, hold that in this context it denotes the time before the actual approach of death.
This interpretation is borne out by the next verse.
16 Lit., "until, when death approaches one of them, he says".
17 According to one of the interpretations advanced by Zamakhshari, this refers to a man's
forcibly keeping an unloved wife - and thus preventing her from marrying another man - in
the hope of inheriting her property under the provisions specified in the first sentence
of verse 12 above. Some authorities, however, are of the opinion that the meaning is:
"It is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will" - thus expressing a
prohibition of the pre-Islamic custom of inheriting the wives of deceased near relatives.
But in view of the fact that Islam does not permit the "inheriting" of women under any
circumstances (and not only "against their will"), the former interpretation is infinitely
more plausible.
18 In the event that a wife's immoral conduct has been proved by the direct evidence of four
witnesses, as stipulated in verse 15 above, the husband has the right, on divorcing her,
to demand the return of the whole or of part of the dower which he gave her at the time
when the marriage was contracted. If - as is permissible under Islamic Law - the dower has
not been actually handed over to the bride at the time of marriage but has taken the form
of a legal obligation on the part of the husband, he is absolved of this obligation in the
case of proven immoral conduct on the part of his wife.
19 Lit., "with them".
20 Lit., "and God might place in it".
4:20
But if you desire to give up a wife and to take another in her stead, do not take away anything of what you have given the first one, however much it may have been.21 Would you, perchance, take it away by slandering her and thus committing a manifest sin?22 (4:21) And how could you take it away after you have given yourselves to one another, and she has23 received a most solemn pledge from you?
4:22
AND DO NOT marry women whom your fathers have previously married - although what is past is past:24 this, verily, is a shameful deed, and a hateful thing, and an evil way.
21 Lit., "if you desire the exchange of a wife in place of a wife, and you have given one of
them a treasure (qintar), do not take away anything thereof". The allusion to the "exchange"
of one wife for another is a clear indication of the Qur'anic view that a monogamous marriage
is the desirable norm.
22 I.e., by falsely accusing her of immoral conduct in the hope of regaining her dower
(see note on verse 19 above).
23 Lit., "they have" - the reference being to all married women.
24 Lit., "except what has come to pass earlier" - i.e., forgiven shall be he who did it before
the promulgation of this Qur'anic ordinance or (in the case of a conversion in later times)
before one's acceptance of Islam.
4:23
Forbidden to you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your aunts paternal and maternal, and a brother's daughters, and a sister's daughters; and your milk-mothers, and your milk-sisters; and the mothers of your wives; and your step-daughters - who are your foster children - born of your wives with whom you have consummated your marriage; but if you have not consummated your marriage, you will incur no sin [by marrying their daughters]; and [forbidden to you are] the spouses of the sons who have sprung from your loins; and [you are forbidden] to have two sisters [as your wives] at one and the same time - but what is past is past:25 for, behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
4:24
And [forbidden to you are] all married women other than those whom you rightfully possess [through wedlock]:26 this is God's ordinance, binding upon you. But lawful to you are all [women] beyond these, for you to seek out, offering them of your possessions,27 taking them in honest wedlock, and not in fornication. And unto those with whom you desire to enjoy marriage, you shall give the dowers due to them; but you will incur no sin if, after [having agreed upon] this lawful due, you freely agree with one another upon anything [else]:28 behold, God is indeed all-knowing, wise.
25 See preceding note.
26 The term muhsanah signifies literally "a woman who is fortified [against unchastity]", and
carries three senses: (1) "a married woman", (2) "a chaste woman", and (3) "a free woman".
According to almost all the authorities, al-muhsanat denotes in the above context "married
women". As for the expression ma malakat aymanukum ("those whom your right hands possess",
i.e., "those whom you rightfully possess"), it is often taken to mean female slaves captured
in a war in God's cause (see in this connection 8:67, and the corresponding note). The
commentators who choose this meaning hold that such slave-girls can be taken in marriage
irrespective of whether they have husbands in the country of their origin or not. However,
quite apart from the fundamental differences of opinion, even among the Companions of the
Prophet, regarding the legality of such a marriage, some of the most outstanding commentators
hold the view that ma malakat aymanukum denotes here "women whom you rightfully possess through
wedlock"; thus Razi in his commentary on this verse, and Tabari in one of his alternative
explanations (going back to 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, and others). Razi, in particular,
points out that the reference to "all married women" (al-muhsanat min an-nisa'), coming as
it does after the enumeration of prohibited degrees of relationship, is meant to stress the
prohibition of sexual relations with any woman other than one's lawful wife.
4:25
And as for those of you who, owing to circumstances, are not in a position29 to marry free believing women, [let them marry] believing maidens from among those whom you rightfully possess.30 And God knows all about your faith; each one of you is an issue of the other.31 Marry them, then, with their people's leave, and give them their dowers in an equitable manner - they being women who give themselves in honest wedlock, not in fornication, nor as secret love-companions.32 And when they are married, and thereafter become guilty of immoral conduct, they shall be liable to half the penalty to which free married women are liable.33 This [permission to marry slave-girls applies] to those of you who fear lest they stumble into evil.34 But it is for your own good to persevere in patience [and to abstain from such marriages]: and God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
27 Lit., "with your possessions" - i.e., offering them, as the Law demands, an appropriate dower.
28 Cf. verse 4 of this surah, and the corresponding note.
29 The phrase lam yastati tawlan is often taken to mean "he is not in a position to afford", i.e.,
in the financial sense; but Muhammad 'Abduh very convincingly expresses the view that it
applies to all manner of preventive circumstances, be they of a material, personal or
social nature (Manar V, 19).
30 In this context, ma malakat aymanukum (lit., "those whom your right hands possess") denotes
women who were captured in a holy war and have subsequently embraced Islam. In the above
phrase, the pronoun "you" refers to the community as a whole.
31 I.e., since all human beings - whatever their outward "social status" - are members of one
and the same human family, and are therefore equal to one another in the sight of God
(cf. 3:195), it is only the strength or weakness of faith which makes one person superior
or inferior to another.
32 Lit., "and not taking unto themselves secret love-companions". This passage lays down in
an unequivocal manner that sexual relations with female slaves are permitted only on the basis
of marriage, and that in this respect there is no difference between them and free women;
consequently, concubinage is ruled out.
33 The weaker social status of a slave makes her, obviously, more accessible to temptation
than a free married woman is presumed to be.
34 I.e., to those who for one reason or another are unable to marry free women and are,
at the same time, not equal to the temptations arising from celibacy. As is made clear in
the next sentence, the Qur'an discourages such marriages - obviously with a view to removing
a major attraction from the institution of slavery as such, and thus promoting its abolition.
4:26
God wants to make [all this] clear unto you, and to guide you onto the [righteous] ways of life of those who preceded you,35 and to turn unto you in His mercy: for God is all-knowing, wise. (4:27) And God wants to turn unto you in His mercy, whereas those who follow [only] their own lusts want you to drift far away from the right path.36
4:28
God wants to lighten your burdens:37 for man has been created weak.
35 An allusion to the genuine religious teachings of the past, which aimed at bringing about
a harmony between man's physical nature and the demands of his spirit - a harmony which
is destroyed whenever asceticism is postulated as the only possible alternative to licentiousness
(see also note on surah 2, verse 143). This allusion arises from the discussion of sexual
morality in the preceding passages devoted to marital relations.
36 Lit., "want you to deviate with a tremendous deviation".
37 I.e., to remove, by means of His guidance, all possibility of conflict between man's spirit
and his bodily urges, and to show him a way of life in which these two elements of human
nature can be harmonized and brought to full fruition.
4:29
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not devour one another's possessions wrongfully - not even by way of trade based on mutual agreement38 - and do not destroy one another: for, behold, God is indeed a dispenser of grace unto you! (4:30) And as for him who does this with malicious intent and a will to do wrong39 - him shall We, in time, cause to endure [suffering through] fire: for this is indeed easy for God.
4:31
If you avoid the great sins, which you have been enjoined to shun, We shall efface your [minor] bad deeds, and shall cause you to enter an abode of glory.40
4:32
Hence, do not covet the bounties which God has bestowed more abundantly on some of you than on others. Men shall have a benefit from what they earn, and women shall have a benefit from what they earn. Ask, therefore, God [to give you] out of His bounty: behold, God has indeed full knowledge of everything.
4:33
And unto everyone have We appointed heirs to what he may leave behind: parents, and near kinsfolk, and those to whom you have pledged your troth:41 give them, therefore, their share. Behold, God is indeed a witness unto everything.
38 If the particle illa preceding the above clause is given its usual meaning of "except" or
"unless it be", the phrase ought to be rendered thus: "unless it be [an act of] trade based
on mutual agreement". This formulation, however, has baffled many a commentator: for, if
taken literally, it would imply that wrongful profits from trading based on mutual agreement
are excepted from the general prohibition, "Devour not one another's possessions wrongfully"-
a supposition impossible to maintain in view of the ethics postulated by the Qur'an. To obviate
this difficulty, most of the commentators express the opinion that the particle illa has in
this context the meaning of "but", and that the clause ought to be understood as follows:
"but it is lawful for you to profit from one another's possessions by way of legitimate trade
based on mutual agreement". However, quite apart from the fact that this interpretation is
highly laboured and artificial, it does not explain why "legitimate trade" should have been
singled out here as a sole means of lawfully deriving economic benefits from one another - for,
as Razi rightly points out in his commentary on this verse, "it is no less lawful to benefit
economically through a gift, a bequest, a legal inheritance, alms, a dower, or an indemnity
for injuries received: for there are, aside from trade, many ways of acquiring possessions
[lawfully]". Why, then, should trade alone have been stressed? - and, moreover, stressed in
a context not particularly devoted to matters of trade? A really satisfactory answer to this
puzzle can, in my opinion, be obtained only through a linguistic consideration of the particle
illa. Apart from its usual connotation of "except" or "unless it be", it has sometimes - as
has been pointed out in both Qamus and Mughni - the meaning of the simple conjunction "and"
(wa); similarly, if it is preceded by a negative clause, it can be synonymous with "nor" or
"and neither" (wa-la): as, for instance, in 27:10-11, "no fear need the message-bearers have
in My Presence, and neither (illa) need he who...", etc. Now if we apply this particular use
of illa to the passage under consideration, we arrive at the reading, "nor [shall you do it]
by means of trade based on mutual agreement", or simply, "not even by way of trade based on
mutual agreement" - whereupon the meaning immediately becomes obvious: the believers are
prohibited from devouring another person's possessions wrongfully even if that other person -
being the weaker party - agrees to such a deprivation or exploitation under the stress of
circumstances. The reading adopted by me logically connects, moreover, with verse 32, which
admonishes the believers not to covet one another's possessions.
39 Lit., "by way of [deliberate] transgression and wrongdoing" ('udwanan wa-zulman).
40 I.e., paradise. However, according to some of the commentators, the expression mudkhal
denotes not the place but the manner of "entering" (Razi) - in which case the above phrase
may be rendered thus: "We shall cause you to enter [upon your afterlife] in a state of glory".
41 I.e., wives and husbands (Abu Muslim, as quoted by Razi).
4:34
MEN SHALL take full care of women with the bounties which God has bestowed more abundantly on the former than on the latter,42 and with what they may spend out of their possessions. And the righteous women are the truly devout ones, who guard the intimacy which God has [ordained to be] guarded.43
And as for those women whose ill-will44 you have reason to fear, admonish them [first]; then leave them alone in bed; then beat them;45 and if thereupon they pay you heed, do not seek to harm them. Behold, God is indeed most high, great!
42 Lit., "more on some of them than on the others".- The expression qawwam is an intensive
form of qa'im ("one who is responsible for" or "takes care of" a thing or a person). Thus,
qama 'ala l-mar'ah signifies "he undertook the maintenance of the woman" or "he maintained
her" (see Lane VIII, 2995). The grammatical form qawwam is more comprehensive than qa'im,
and combines the concepts of physical maintenance and protection as well as of moral
responsibility: and it is because of the last-named factor that I have rendered this phrase
as "men shall take full care of women".
43 Lit., "who guard that which cannot be perceived (al-ghayb) because God has [willed it
to be] guarded".
44 The term nushuz (lit., "rebellion"- here rendered as "ill-will") comprises every kind of
deliberate bad behaviour of a wife towards her husband or of a husband towards his wife,
including what is nowadays described as "mental cruelty"; with reference to the husband,
it also denotes "ill-treatment", in the physical sense, of his wife (cf. verse 128 of this
surah). In this context, a wife's "ill-will" implies a deliberate, persistent breach of
her marital obligations.
45 It is evident from many authentic Traditions that the Prophet himself intensely detested
the idea of beating one's wife, and said on more than one occasion, "Could any of you beat his
wife as he would beat a slave, and then lie with her in the evening?" (Bukhari and Muslim).
According to another Tradition, he forbade the beating of any woman with the words, "Never
beat God's handmaidens" (Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Hibban and
Hakim, on the authority of Iyas ibn 'Abd Allah; Ibn Hibban, on the authority of 'Abd Allah
ibn 'Abbas; and Bayhaqi, on the authority of Umm Kulthum). When the above Qur'an-verse
authorizing the beating of a refractory wife was revealed, the Prophet is reported to have
said: "I wanted one thing, but God has willed another thing - and what God has willed must
be best" (see Manar V, 74). With all this, he stipulated in his sermon on the occasion of
the Farewell Pilgrimage, shortly before his death, that beating should be resorted to only
if the wife "has become guilty, in an obvious manner, of immoral conduct", and that it should
be done "in such a way as not to cause pain (ghayr mubarrih)"; authentic Traditions to this
effect are found in Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. On the basis of these
Traditions, all the authorities stress that this "beating", if resorted to at all, should
be more or less symbolic - "with a toothbrush, or some such thing" (Tabari, quoting the
views of scholars of the earliest times), or even "with a folded handkerchief" (Razi); and
some of the greatest Muslim scholars (e.g., Ash-Shafi'i) are of the opinion that it is just
barely permissible, and should preferably be avoided: and they justify this opinion by the
Prophet's personal feelings with regard to this problem.
4:35
And if you have reason to fear that a breach might occur between a [married] couple, appoint an arbiter from among his people and an arbiter from among her people; if they both want to set things aright, God may bring about their reconciliation. Behold, God is indeed all-knowing, aware.
4:36
AND WORSHIP God [alone], and do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him.46
And do good unto your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbour from among your own people, and the neighbour who is a stranger,47 and the friend by your side, and the wayfarer, and those whom you rightfully possess.48 Verily, God does not love any of those who, full of self-conceit, act in a boastful manner; (4:37) [nor] those who are niggardly, and bid others to be niggardly, and conceal whatever God has bestowed upon them out of His bounty; and so We have readied shameful suffering for all who thus deny the truth.
4:38
And [God does not love] those who spend their possessions on others [only] to be seen and praised by men, the while they believe neither in God nor in the Last Day; and he who has Satan for a soul-mate, how evil a soul-mate has he!49
46 The expression shay'an (here rendered as "in any way") makes it clear that shirk ("the
ascribing of divinity to anything beside God") is not confined to a worship of other
"deities", but implies also the attribution of divine or quasi-divine powers to persons
or objects not regarded as deities: in other words, it embraces also saint-worship, etc.
47 I.e., "whether he belongs to your own or to another community". That the expression "your
own people" (dhu l-qurba) refers to the community and not to one's actual relatives is obvious
from the fact that "the near of kin" have already been mentioned earlier in this sentence.
The Prophet often stressed a believer's moral obligation towards his neighbours, whatever
their faith; and his attitude has been summed up in his words, "Whoever believes in God and
the Last Day, let him do good unto his neighbour" (Bukhari, Muslim, and other compilations).
48 According to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud and other Companions, "the friend
by your side" (as-sahib bi'l-janb) is one's wife or husband (Tabari). By "those whom you
rightfully possess" (lit., "whom your right hands possess") are meant, in this context,
slaves of either sex. Since this verse enjoins the "doing of good" towards all people with
whom one is in contact, and since the best that can be done to a slave is to free him, the
above passage calls, elliptically, for the freeing of slaves (Manar V, 94). See also surah 2,
verse 177, as well as 9:60, where the freeing of human beings from bondage is explicitly
mentioned as one of the objectives to which zakah funds are to be dedicated.
49 An allusion to 2:268, where Satan is spoken of as "threatening you with the prospect of
poverty and bidding you to be niggardly", the implication being that those who obey him
"have Satan for their soul-mate (qarin)". For the derivation of this term, see note on 41:25.
4:39
And what would they have to fear50 if they would but believe in God and the Last Day, and spend [in His way] out of what God has granted them as sustenance - since God has indeed full knowledge of them?
4:40
Verily, God does not wrong [anyone] by as much as an atom's weight; and if there be a good deed, He will multiply it, and will bestow out of His grace51 a mighty reward.
4:41
How, then, [will the sinners fare on Judgment Day,] when We shall bring forward witnesses from within every community,52 and bring thee [O Prophet] as witness against them? (4:42) Those who were bent on denying the truth and paid no heed to the Apostle will on that Day wish that the earth would swallow them:53 but they shall not [be able to] conceal from God anything that has happened.
50 Lit., "what is it that would be upon them". This seems to be a reference to the oft-repeated
Qur'anic statement that those who believe in God and live righteously "need have no fear"
(la khawf alayhim - lit., "no fear [shall be] upon them").
51 Lit., "from himself "- i.e., far in excess of what the doer of good may have merited.
52 I.e., the earlier apostles, of whom every community or civilization has had a share.
53 Lit., "become level with them". The term "the apostle" is probably used here in its
generic sense, and refers to all the apostles who preached God's message at one time
or another.
4:43
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not attempt to pray while you are in a state of drunkenness,54 [but wait] until you know what you are saying; nor yet [while you are] in a state requiring total ablution,55 until you have bathed - except if you are travelling [and are unable to do so]. But if you are ill, or are travelling, or have just satisfied a want of nature,56 or have cohabited with a woman, and can find no water - then take resort to pure dust, passing [therewith] lightly over your face and your hands.57 Behold, God is indeed an absolver of sins, much-forgiving.
54 The reference to prayer at this place arises from the mention, in the preceding verses, of
the Day of Judgment, when man will have to answer before God for what he did during his life
in this world: for it is in prayer that man faces God, spiritually, during his earthly life,
and reminds himself of his responsibility towards the Creator. As regards the prohibition of
attempting to pray "while in a state of drunkenness", some of the commentators assume that
this ordinance represented the first stage of the total prohibition of intoxicants, and
has been, consequently, "abrogated" by the promulgation of the law of total abstinence from
all intoxicants (5:90). However, quite apart from the fact that the doctrine of "abrogation"
is entirely untenable (see surah 2, verse 106), there is no warrant whatever for regarding
the above verse as a "first step" which has become redundant, as it were, after total
prohibition was ordained. It is, of course, true that the Qur'an forbids the use of intoxicants
at all times, and not merely at the time of prayer; but since "man has been created weak"
(4:28), his lapse from the way of virtue is always a possibility: and it is to prevent him
from adding the sin of praying while in a state of drunkenness to the sin of using intoxicants
as such that the above verse was promulgated. Moreover, the expression "while you are in a
state of drunkenness (sukara)" does not apply exclusively to alcoholic intoxication, since
the term sukr, in its wider connotation, signifies any state of mental disequilibrium which
prevents man from making full use of his intellectual faculties: that is to say, it can apply
also to a temporary clouding of the intellect by drugs or giddiness or passion, as well as
to the state metaphorically described as "drunk with sleep"- in brief, to any condition in
which normal judgment is confused or suspended. And because the Qur'an insists throughout
on consciousness as an indispensable element in every act of worship, prayer is permitted
only when man is in full possession of his mental faculties and "knows what he is saying".
55 I.e., after sexual intercourse. The term junub (rendered by me as "in a state requiring
total ablution") is derived from the verb janaba, "he made (a thing) remote", and signifies
one's remoteness from prayer because of immersion in sexual passion.
56 Lit., "if one of you comes from the place in which one satisfies...", etc.
57 This symbolic ablution, called tayammum, consists in touching the earth, or anything
supposed to contain dust, with the palms of one's hands and then passing them lightly over
face and hands. Whenever water is not within reach - or cannot be used because of illness -
the tayammum takes the place of both the total ablution after sexual intercourse (ghusl)
and the partial ablution before prayers (wudu).
4:44
ART THOU NOT aware of those who, having been granted their share of the divine writ,58 now barter it away for error, and want you [too] to lose your way? (4:45) But God knows best who are your enemies: and none can befriend as God does, and none can give succour as God does.
4:46
Among those of the Jewish faith there are some who distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them out of their context and saying, [as it were,] "We have heard, but we disobey," and, "Hear without hearkening,"59 and, "Hearken thou unto us, (O Muhammad)" - thus making a play with their tongues, and implying that the [true] Faith is false.60 And had they but said, "We have heard, and we pay heed," and "Hear [us], and have patience with us," it would indeed have been for their own good, and more upright: but God has rejected them because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth - for it is in but few things that they believe.61
58 The people referred to are the followers of the Bible. Thus, after having touched in the
preceding verse upon the question of prayer, the Qur'an resumes its cardinal theme: man's
responsibility for his actions and, in particular, for the manner in which he responds to
the guidance offered to him through God's revelations.
59 Cf. 2:93. figure of speech "hear without hearkening" addressed, as it were, by the Jews to
themselves, describes their attitude towards both their own scriptures and the message of
the Qur'an.
60 Lit., "making a thrust (ta'n) against the Faith" - i.e., attributing to it a fundamental
defect. The saying "Hearken thou unto us" is meant to convey the conviction of the Jews that
they had nothing to learn from the teaching propounded by the Prophet Muhammad, and that
he should rather defer to their views on religious matters. See, in this connection, their
assertion, "Our hearts are already full of knowledge", in 2:88.
61 See surah 2, verse 88.
4:47
O you who have been granted revelation [aforetime]! Believe in what We have [now] bestowed from on high in confirmation of whatever [of the truth] you already possess, lest We efface your hopes and bring them to an end62 - just as We rejected those people who broke the Sabbath: for God's will is always done.63
4:48
VERILY, God does not forgive the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him, although He forgives any lesser sin64 unto whomever He wills: for he who ascribes divinity to aught beside God has indeed contrived an awesome sin.65
62 Lit., "lest We obliterate the faces"- i.e., that towards which one turns, or that which
one faces, with expectation ('Abduh in Manar V, 144 ff.) - "and bring them back to their
ends". It is to be noted that the term dubur (of which adbar is the plural) does not
always signify the "back" of a thing - as most of the translators assume - but often stands
for its "last part" or "end" (cf. Lane III, 846).
63 This is an allusion to the story of the Sabbath-breakers (lit., "the people of the Sabbath")
referred to in 2:65 and fully explained in 7:163-166.
64 Lit., "anything below that".
65 The continuous stress, in the Qur'an, on God's transcendental oneness and uniqueness aims at
freeing man from all sense of dependence on other influences and powers, and thus at
elevating him spiritually and bringing about the "purification" alluded to in the next verse.
Since this objective is vitiated by the sin of shirk ("the ascribing of divine qualities to
aught beside God"), the Qur'an describes it as "unforgivable" so long as it is persisted in,
i.e., unless and until the sinner repents (cf. verses 17 and 18 of this surah).
4:49
Art thou not aware of those who consider themselves pure?66 Nay, but it is God who causes whomever He wills to grow in purity; and none shall be wronged by as much as a hair's breadth.67
4:50
Behold how they attribute their own lying inventions to God - than which there is no sin more obvious.68
66 I.e., the Jews, who consider, themselves to be "God's chosen people" and, therefore, a priori
destined for God's grace, and the Christians, who believe in Jesus' "vicarious atonement"
for the sins of mankind. There is also an obvious connection between this observation and
the reference to shirk in the preceding verse, inasmuch as the Jews and the Christians, while
not actually believing in the existence of any deity apart from God, ascribe divine or
semi-divine qualities, in varying degrees, to certain human beings: the Christians by their
elevation of Jesus to the status of a manifestation of God in human form and their open
worship of a hierarchy of saints, and the Jews by their attribution of law-giving powers
to the great Talmudic scholars, whose legal verdicts are supposed to override, if need be,
any ordinance of the scriptures (cf. in this respect 9: 31). It goes without saying that
this condemnation applies also to those Muslims who have fallen into the sin of worshipping
saints and according them something of the reverence which is due to God alone. Consequently,
the expression "those who consider themselves pure" comprises, in this context, all who
think of themselves as believing in the One God (simply because they do not consciously
worship a plurality of deities) but are, nevertheless, guilty of the sin of shirk in the
deeper sense of this term.
67 According to most of the philological authorities (e.g., Qamus), a 'fatil' is any
"slender thread which one rolls between one's fingers" - a term which is also, but by
no means exclusively, applied to the tiny fibre adhering to the cleft of the date-stone
(cf. Lane VI, 2334). Idiomatically, it is best rendered as "a hair's breadth". The above
passage implies, firstly, that spiritual purity is not the privilege of any particular
group or community, and, secondly, that one can become or remain pure only by God's
grace, for "man has been created weak" (verse 28 above). See also note on the second
paragraph of 53:32.
68 Lit., "and this is enough as an obvious sin". This passage refers to various theological
statements of an arbitrary nature, such as the Jewish assertion that they are "the chosen
people" and, thus, immune from God's condemnation; the Christian doctrine of "vicarious
atonement"; the definition of God as a "trinity" with Jesus as its "second person"; and
so forth.
4:51
Art thou not aware of those who, having been granted their share of the divine writ, [now] believe in baseless mysteries and in the powers of evil,69 and maintain that those who are bent on denying the truth are more surely guided than those who have attained to faith? (4:52) It is they whom God has rejected: and he whom God rejects shall find none to succour him.
4:53
Have they, perchance, a share in [God's] dominion?70 But [if they had], lo, they would not give to other people as much as [would fill] the groove of a date-stone!
4:54
Do they, perchance, envy other people for what God has granted them out of His bounty?71 But then, We did grant revelation and wisdom unto the House of Abraham, and We did bestow on them a mighty dominion: (4:55) and among them are such as [truly] believe in him,72 and among them are such as have turned away from him. And nothing could be as burning as [the fire of] hell:
4:56
for, verily, those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages We shall, in time, cause to endure fire: [and] every time their skins are burnt off, We shall replace them with new skins, so that they may taste suffering [in full]73 Verily, God is almighty, wise.
69 The word al-jibt - rendered by me as "baseless mysteries" - is probably, as the Lisan al-'Arab
points out, of non-Arabic origin. It denotes, according to some authorities, "something which
is worthless in itself" or "something in which there is no good" (Qamus, Baydawi); according
to others, it signifies "enchantment" (Umar ibn al-Khattab, Mujahid and Sha'bi as quoted
by Tabari; also Qamus); others, again, interpret it as "anything that is worshipped instead
of God" (Zamakhshari), and consequently apply it also to idols and idol-worship (Qamus,
Lisan al-'Arab) and - according to a Tradition quoted by Abu Da'ud - to all manner of
superstitious divination and soothsaying as well. Taking all these interpretations into
account, al-jibt may be defined as "a combination of confusing ideas (dijl), fanciful
surmises (awham) and fictitious stories (khurafat)" (Manar V, 157) - in other words, abstruse
mysteries without any foundation in fact. - As regards the expression "the powers of evil"
(at-taghut), it seems to refer here to superstitious beliefs and practices - like soothsaying,
foretelling the future, relying on "good" and "bad" omens, and so forth - all of which are
condemned by the Qur'an. See also surah 2, verse 256.
70 An allusion to the Jewish belief that they occupy a privileged position in the sight of God.
71 I.e., revelation, which - according to the Jews - has been reserved to them alone.
72 I.e., in Abraham - implying that they are faithful to his message. It is to be borne in
mind that the Prophet Muhammad, too, was a direct-line descendant of Abraham, whose message
is confirmed and continued in the Qur'an.
73 This awesome allegory of suffering in the life to come is obviously meant to bring out the
long-lasting nature of that suffering (Razi).
4:57
But those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds We shall bring into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide beyond the count of time; there shall they have spouses pure: and [thus] We shall bring them unto happiness abounding.74
4:58
BEHOLD, God bids you to deliver all that you have been entrusted with unto those who are entitled thereto, and whenever you judge between people, to judge with justice.75 Verily, most excellent is what God exhorts you to do: verily, God is all-hearing, all-seeing!
4:59
O you who have attained to faith! Pay heed unto God, and pay heed unto the Apostle and unto those from among you76 who have been entrusted with authority; and if you are at variance over any matter, refer it unto God and the Apostle,77 if you [truly] believe in God and the Last Day. This is the best [for you], and best in the end.78
74 The primary meaning of zill is "shade", and so the expression zill zalil could be rendered
as "most shading shade"- i.e., "dense shade". However, in ancient Arabic usage, the word
zill denotes also "a covering" or "a shelter" and, figuratively, "protection" (Raghib); and,
finally, "a state of ease, pleasure and plenty" (cf. Lane V, 1915 f.), or simply "happiness" -
and in the combination of zill zalil, "abundant happiness" (Razi) - which seems to agree
best with the allegorical implications of the term "paradise".
75 I.e., in the judicial sense, as well as in the sense of judging other people's motives,
attitudes and behaviour. - The term amanah denotes anything one has been entrusted with,
be it in the physical or moral sense (Razi). If one reads this ordinance in the context of
the verses that precede and follow it, it becomes obvious that it relates to the message or -
in view of the plural form amanat - to the truths which have been conveyed to the believers
by means of the divine writ, and which they must regard as a sacred trust, to be passed on
to "those who are entitled thereto" - i.e., to all mankind, for whom the message of the
Qur'an has been intended. This, of course, does not preclude the ordinance from having a
wider scope as well - that is, from its being applied to any material object or moral
responsibility which may have been entrusted to a believer - and, in particular, to the
exercise of worldly power and political sovereignty by the Muslim community or a Muslim
state, to which the next verse refers.
76 I.e., from among the believers.
77 I.e., to the Qur'an and to the sunnah (the sayings and the practice) of the Prophet. See
also verse 65 of this surah.
78 Read in conjunction with 3:26, which speaks of God as "the Lord of all dominion" - and
therefore the ultimate source of all moral and political authority - the above passage lays
down a fundamental rule of conduct for the individual believer as well as the conceptual
basis for the conduct of the Islamic state. Political power is held in trust (amanah) from
God; and His will, as manifested in the ordinances comprising the Law of Islam, is the
real source of all sovereignty. The stress, in this context, on "those from among you who
have been entrusted with authority" makes it clear that the holders of authority (ulu l-amr)
in an Islamic state must be Muslims.
4:60
ART THOU NOT aware of those who claim that they believe in what has been bestowed from on high upon thee, [O Prophet,] as well as in what was bestowed from on high before thee, [and yet] are willing to defer to the rule of the powers of evil79 - although they were bidden to deny it, seeing that Satan but wants to lead them far astray? (4:61) And so, whenever they are told, "Come unto that which God has bestowed from on high, and unto the Apostle," thou canst see these hypocrites turn away from thee with aversion.80
4:62
But how [will they fare] when calamity befalls them [on the Day of Judgment] because of what they have wrought in this world81 - whereupon they will come to thee, swearing by God, "Our aim was but to do good, and to bring about harmony"?82
4:63
As for them - God knows all that is in their hearts; so leave them alone, and admonish them, and speak unto them about themselves in a gravely searching manner: (4:64) for We have never sent any apostle save that he should be heeded by God's leave.83 If, then, after having sinned against themselves, they would but come round to thee and ask God to forgive them - with the Apostle, too, praying that they be forgiven - they would assuredly find that God is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace.
79 Lit., "who summon one another to the judgment [or "rule"] of the powers of evil (at-taghut):
an allusion to people like those mentioned in verse 51 above, who, by their deference to what
the Qur'an describes as at-taghut (see surah 2, verse 256), nullify all the good that they
could derive from guidance through revelation.
80 The classical commentators see in verses 60-64 a reference to the hypocrites of Medina who,
at the time of the Prophet, outwardly professed to be his followers but did not really
believe in his teachings. It seems to me, however, that this passage goes far beyond the
possible historical occasion of its revelation, inasmuch as it touches upon an often-encountered
psychological problem of faith. People who are not fully convinced that there exists a
reality beyond the reach of human perception (al-ghayb, in the sense explained in surah 2,
verse 3) find it, as a rule, difficult to dissociate their ethical views from their personal
predilections and morally questionable desires - with the result that they are only too
often "willing to defer to what the powers of evil tell them". Although they may half-heartedly
concede that some of the moral teachings based on revelation (in this case, the Qur'an)
contain "certain verities", they instinctively recoil from those teachings whenever they
conflict with what their own idiosyncrasies represent to them as desirable: and so they
become guilty of hypocrisy in the deepest, religious connotation of this word.
81 Lit., "what their hands have sent ahead": an allusion to their ambivalent attitude and
the confusion which it may have created in others.
82 I.e., they will plead that their aim was no more than a harmonization of the Qur'anic ethics
with a "humanistic" (that is, man-centred) world-view: a plea which the Qur'an implicitly
rejects as being hypocritical and self-deceptive (cf. 2:11-12). As regards the phrase
"whereupon they will come to thee", see verse 41 of this surah.
83 The expression "by God's leave" is to be understood, in this context, as "with God's help"
or "by God's grace" (Zamakhshari, Razi). As so often in the Qur'an, the sudden change,
within one and the same sentence, from the pronoun "We" or "I" to "He", or from "We" to
"God", is meant to impress upon the listener or reader of the Qur'an the fact that God
is not a "person" but an all-embracing Power that cannot be defined or even adequately
referred to within the limited range of any human language.
4:65
But nay, by thy Sustainer! They do not [really] believe unless they make thee [O Prophet] a judge of all on which they disagree among themselves, and then find in their hearts no bar to an acceptance of thy decision and give themselves up [to it] in utter self-surrender.84
4:66
Yet if We were to ordain for them,85 "Lay down your lives," or, "Forsake your homelands," only a very few of them would do it86 - although, if they did what they are admonished to do, it would indeed be for their own good and apt to strengthen them greatly [in faith], (4:67) whereupon We should indeed grant them, out of Our grace, a mighty reward, (4:68) and indeed guide them onto a straight way.
4:69
For, all who pay heed unto God and the Apostle shall be among those upon whom God has bestowed His blessings: the prophets, and those who never deviated from the truth, and those who [with their lives] bore witness to the truth, and the righteous ones: and how goodly a company are these!
4:70
Such is the bounty of God - and none has the knowledge which God has.
4:71
O YOU who have attained to faith! Be fully prepared against danger, whether you go to war in small groups or all together.87
84 This verse lays down in an unequivocal manner the obligation of every Muslim to submit
to the ordinances, which the Prophet, under divine inspiration, promulgated with a view
to exemplifying the message of the Qur'an and enabling the believers to apply it to actual
situations. These ordinances constitute what is described as the sunnah (lit., "way")
of the Prophet Muhammad, and have (whenever they are authenticated beyond any possibility
of doubt) full legal force side by side with the Qur'an: see verse 80 of this surah.
85 I.e., by means of the God-inspired commands issued by the Prophet (see preceding note).
86 Lit., "they would not do it, save for a few of them": the pronoun obviously relates
to the half-hearted, who are not prepared to undergo the sacrifices which their faith
demands of them. The reference to laying down one's life in the defence of faith and
freedom and, if necessary, abandoning one's homeland, introduces, as it were, the long
passage beginning with verse 71, which deals with fighting in God's cause.
87 Lit., "and then go forth, [be it] in small detachments or all together" - the latter
expression applying to what nowadays is called "total war". The term hidhr connotes not
merely an effort to guard oneself against imminent danger but also the making of all
necessary preparations with regard to (in this context) military organization, equipment,
etc. The problem of war as such arises from the principles of ideological statehood
postulated in verse 59 of this surah. Since the Muslims are expected to organize their
communal life within the framework of a state based on the ideological premises laid
down in the Qur'an, they must be prepared for hostility on the part of groups or nations
opposed to the world-view and the social system of Islam and, conceivably, bent on its
destruction: consequently, the concept of a defensive war in God's cause (jihad) plays
a very prominent role in the socio-political scheme of Islam and is frequently alluded
to throughout the Qur'an.
4:72
And, behold, there are indeed among you such as would lag behind, and then, if calamity befalls you, say, "God has bestowed His favour upon me in that I did not accompany them." (4:73) But if good fortune comes to you from God, such a person88 is sure to say - just as if there had never been any question of love between you and him - : "Oh, would that I had been with them, and thus had a [share in their] mighty triumph!"
4:74
Hence, let them fight in God's cause - all who are willing to barter the life of this world for the life to come: for unto him who fights in God's cause, whether he be slain or be victorious, We shall in time grant a mighty reward.
4:75
And how could you refuse to fight89 in the cause of God and of the utterly helpless men and women and children who are crying, "O our Sustainer! Lead us forth [to freedom] out of this land whose people are oppressors, and raise for us, out of Thy grace, a protector, and raise for us, out of Thy grace, one who will bring us succour!"
4:76
Those who have attained to faith fight in the cause of God, whereas those who are bent on denying the truth fight in the cause of the powers of evil. Fight, then, against those friends of Satan: verily, Satan's guile is weak indeed!90
88 Lit., "he".
89 Lit., "what is amiss with you that you do not fight" - implying that they have no moral
excuse for such a refusal.
90 Thus the Qur'an implies that "evil" is not an independent, esoteric factor of life,
but rather a result of man's succumbing to the temptations arising from his own moral
weakness and thereby "denying the truth". In other words, the "power" of the negative
principle symbolized by Satan has no intrinsic reality ("Satan's guile is weak indeed"):
it becomes real only through man's wilfully choosing a wrong course of action.
4:77
ART THOU NOT aware of those who have been told, "Curb your hands,91 and be constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues"? But as soon as fighting [in God's cause] is ordained for them, lo, some of them stand in awe of men as one should stand in awe of God - or in even greater awe - and say, "O our Sustainer! Why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? If only Thou hadst granted us a delay for a little while!"
Say: "Brief is the enjoyment of this world, whereas the life to come is the best for all who are conscious of God - since none of you shall be wronged by as much as a hair's breadth. (4:78) Wherever you may be, death will overtake you - even though you be in towers raised high.
"Yet, when a good thing happens to them, some [people] say, "This is from God," whereas when evil befalls them, they say, "This is from thee [O fellowman]!"92 Say: "All is from God."
What, then, is amiss with these people that they are in no wise near to grasping the truth of what they are told?93
4:79
Whatever good happens to thee is from God; and whatever evil befalls thee is from thyself.94
AND WE have sent thee [O Muhammad] as an apostle unto all mankind: and none can bear witness [thereto] as God does. (4:80) Whoever pays heed unto the Apostle pays heed unto God thereby; and as for those who turn away - We have not sent thee to be their keeper.
91 I.e., from unrighteous violence, to which man so often inclines. The fact that most people
have to be told to refrain from violence is contrasted, in the next sentence, with the
unwillingness on the part of many of them to expose themselves to physical danger in a
righteous cause.
92 I.e., they do not realize that the evil happening may possibly be a consequence of their
own actions or their own wrong choice between several courses open to them, but are prone
to attribute it to the failings of others.
93 Lit., "something [which they are] told" - i.e., a truth which their own reason as well as
the teachings of all the prophets should have made obvious to them.
94 There is no contradiction between this statement and the preceding one that "all is from God".
In the world-view of the Qur'an, God is the ultimate source of all happening: consequently,
all good that comes to man and all evil that befalls him flows, in the last resort, from
God's will. However, not everything that man regards as "evil fortune" is really, in its
final effect, evil - for, "it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you,
and it may well be that you love a thing the while it is bad for you: and God knows,
whereas you do not know" (2:216). Thus, many an apparent "evil" may sometimes be no more
than a trial and a God-willed means of spiritual growth through suffering, and need not
necessarily be the result of a wrong choice or a wrong deed on the part of the person thus
afflicted. It is, therefore, obvious that the "evil" or "evil fortune" of which this verse
speaks has a restricted connotation, inasmuch as it refers to evil in the moral sense of
the word: that is to say, to suffering resulting from the actions or the behaviour of the
person concerned, and this in accordance with the natural law of cause and effect which
God has decreed for all His creation, and which the Qur'an describes as "the way of God"
(sunnat Allah). For all such suffering man has only himself to blame, since "God does not
wrong anyone by as much as at atom's weight" (4:40).
4:81
And they say, "We do pay heed unto thee"95 - but when they leave thy presence, some of them devise, in the dark of night, [beliefs] other than thou art voicing;96 and all the while God records what they thus devise in the dark of night. Leave them, then, alone, and place thy trust in God: for none is as worthy of trust as God.
4:82
Will they not, then, try to understand this Qur'an? Had it issued from any but God, they would surely have found in it many an inner contradiction!97
4:83
AND IF any [secret] matter pertaining to peace or war comes within their ken, they98 spread it abroad - whereas, if they would but refer it unto the Apostle and unto those from among the believers99 who have been entrusted with authority, such of them as are engaged in obtaining intelligence100 would indeed know [what to do with] it. And but for God's bounty towards you, and His grace, all but a few of you would certainly have followed Satan.
4:84
Fight thou,101 then, in God's cause - since thou art but responsible for thine own self - and inspire the believers to overcome all fear of death.102 God may well curb the might of those who are bent on denying the truth: for God is stronger in might, and stronger in ability to deter.
95 Lit., "And they say, 'Obedience'" - a reference to the hypocrites of Medina, in the time
of the Prophet, and - by implication - the hypocritical "admirers" and half-hearted followers
of Islam at all times.
96 I.e., they surreptitiously try to corrupt the message of God's Apostle. The verb bata
denotes "he spent the night"; in the form bayyata it signifies "he meditated by night
[upon something, or upon doing something]", or "he devised (something) by night"
(Lisan al-'Arab), i.e., in secrecy, which is symbolized by "the dark of night".
97 I.e., the fact that it is free of all inner contradictions - in spite of its having been
revealed gradually, over a period of twenty-three years - should convince them that it
has not been "composed by Muhammad" (an accusation frequently levelled against him not
only by his contemporaries but also by non-believers of later times), but could only have
originated from a supra-human source. See also 25:32 and 39:23.
98 I.e., the half-hearted followers of Islam spoken of in the preceding verses (Zamakhshar).
The above reference to peace or war - lit., "security or danger (khawf)"- is connected,
firstly, with the basic principles of statecraft mentioned in verse 59 of this surah and,
secondly, with the discourse on fighting in God's cause beginning with verse 71.
99 Lit., "from among them".
100 Lit., "those from among them who elicit [the truth]", i.e., the special organs of the
state entrusted with gathering and evaluating political and military intelligence.
101 Although primarily addressed to the Prophet, the "thou" in this sentence relates to every
believer. The above exhortation is to be understood in the context of a war already in
progress, and not as an incitement to war.
102 The term harad signifies "corruption of body or mind" or "corruption in one's conduct",
as well as "constant disquietude of mind" (Qamus). According to Raghib, the verbal form
harradahu means "he rid him of all harad" - analogous to the expression marradahu, "he rid
him of illness (marad)". In the two instances where this verb occurs in the Qur'an (in this
verse as well as in 8:65), it has the imperative form: "Render the believers free of all
disquietude of mind" or, tropically, "of all fear of death" - and may, thus, be suitably
expressed as "inspire the believers to overcome all fear of death". The usual rendering of
the phrase harrid al-mu minin as "urge (or "rouse" or "stir up") the believers" does not
convey the full meaning of the verb harrada, notwithstanding the fact that it has been
suggested by some of the classical philologists (cf. Lane II, 548).
4:85
Whoever rallies to a good cause shall have a share in its blessings;103 and whoever rallies to an evil cause shall be answerable for his part in it: for, indeed, God watches over everything.104
4:86
But when you are greeted with a greeting [of peace], answer with an even better greeting, or [at least] with the like thereof.105 Verily, God keeps count indeed of all things.
103 Lit., "shall have a share (nasib) therefrom". Since the term nasib has here a positive
meaning, it can be suitably rendered as "a share in its blessings".
104 The noun kifl is derived from the root-verb kafala, "he made himself responsible (for a thing)".
Tabari explains it in this context as denoting "a share in the responsibility and the sin".
The expression minha ("out of it") indicates the part played by the transgressor in the evil
enterprise, to which the pronoun ha ("it") refers.
105 Lit., "greet with better than it, or return it". In the above context, this obviously refers
to an offer of peace by people with whom the believers are at war as well as to individual
persons who, while possibly belonging to the enemy, have, to all outward appearances,
peaceful intentions. In accordance with the injunctions, "if they incline to peace, incline
thou to it as well" (8:61), and "if they desist (from fighting), then all hostility shall
cease" (2:193), the believers are obliged to make peace with an enemy who makes it clear that
he wants to come to an equitable understanding; similarly, they must show every consideration
to individual persons from among the enemies who do not actively participate in the hostilities
(see also verse 94 of this surah).
4:87
God - save whom there is no deity - will surely gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection, [the coming of] which is beyond all doubt: and whose word could be truer than God's?
4:88
How, then, could you be of two minds106 about the hypocrites, seeing that God [Himself] has disowned them because of their guilt?107 Do you, perchance, seek to guide those whom God has let go astray - when for him whom God lets go astray thou canst never find any way? (4:89) They would love to see you deny the truth even as they have denied it, so that you should be like them. Do not, therefore, take them for your allies until they forsake the domain of evil108 for the sake of God; and if they revert to [open] enmity, seize them and slay them wherever you may find them. And do not take any of them109 for your ally or giver of succour, (4:90) unless it be such [of them] as have ties with people to whom you yourselves are bound by a covenant, or such as come unto you because their hearts shrink from [the thought of] making war either on you or on their own folk - although, if God had willed to make them stronger than you, they would certainly have made war on you.110 Thus, if they let you be, and do not make war on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you to harm them.111
106 Lit., "two parties".
107 Lit., "seeing that God has thrown them back in result of what they have earned". There
are various conjectures, almost all of them of a historical nature, as to the identity of
these hypocrites. Some of the commentators think that the verse refers to the hypocrites
at Medina in the early years after the hijrah; others (e.g., Tabari) prefer the view
expressed by Ibn 'Abbas, according to whom this refers to certain people of Mecca who,
before the hijrah, outwardly accepted Islam but secretly continued to support the pagan
Quraysh. It seems to me, however, that there is no need to search after "historical"
interpretations of the above verse, since it can easily be understood in general terms.
The preceding verse speaks of God, and stresses His oneness and the obvious truth inherent
in His revealed message, as well as the certainty of judgment on Resurrection Day. "How,
then," continues the argument, "could you be of two minds regarding the moral stature of
people who go so far as to pay lip-service to the truth of God's message and are, nevertheless,
not willing to make a sincere choice between right and wrong?"
108 See surah 2, verse 218, as well as note on verse 97 of this surah.
109 I.e., any of those who have not "forsaken the domain of evil" and are wavering between
belief and disbelief.
110 Lit., "if God had so willed, He would indeed have given them power over you, whereupon...",
etc.- implying that only the lack of requisite power, and not true good will, causes them to
refrain from making war on the believers.
111 Lit., "God has given you no way against them": a reference to the ordinance laid down
in verse 86 above.
4:91
You will find [that there are] others who would like to be safe from you as well as safe from their own folk, [but who,] whenever they are faced anew with temptation to evil, plunge into it headlong.112 Hence, if they do not let you be, and do not offer you peace, and do not stay their hands, seize them and slay them whenever you come upon them: for it is against these that We have clearly empowered you [to make war].113
4:92
AND IT IS not conceivable that a believer should slay another believer, unless it be by mistake.114 And upon him who has slain a believer by mistake there is the duty of freeing a believing soul from bondage and paying an indemnity to the victim's relations,115 unless they forgo it by way of charity. Now if the slain, while himself a believer, belonged to a people who are at war with you,116 [the penance shall be confined to] the freeing of a believing soul from bondage; whereas, if he belonged to a people to whom you are bound by a covenant, [it shall consist of] an indemnity to be paid to his relations in addition to the freeing of a believing soul from bondage.117 And he who does not have the wherewithal shall fast [instead] for two consecutive months.118 (This is) the atonement ordained by God: and God is indeed all-knowing, wise.
4:93
But whoever deliberately slays another believer, his requital shall be hell, therein to abide; and God will condemn him, and will reject him, and will prepare for him awesome suffering.
4:94
[Hence,] O you who have attained to faith, when you go forth [to war] in God's cause, use your discernment, and do not - out of a desire for the fleeting gains of this worldly life - say unto anyone who offers you the greeting of peace, "Thou art not a believer"119 for with God there are gains abundant. You, too, were once in the same condition120 - but God has been gracious unto you. Use, therefore, your discernment: verily, God is always aware of what you do.
112 Lit., "whenever they are returned to temptation (fitnah), they are thrown back into it"
or thrown headlong into it".
113 Lit., "that We have given you clear authority (sultan)" - a solemn reiteration of the
ordinance which permits war only in self-defence (cf. 2:190 ff. as well as the corresponding
notes).
114 On the strength of this verse, read in conjunction with verse 93, some of the Mutazilite
scholars are of the opinion that a believer who deliberately kills another believer must
be considered an unbeliever (Razi). This does not, of course, apply to the execution of
a death sentence passed in due process of law.
115 Lit., "his people" - i.e., the heirs or dependants of the victim. The "freeing of a
believing soul from bondage", mentioned three times in this verse, refers in the first
instance to persons who have been taken captive in war (see note on 8:67 and also note
on 58:3).
116 Lit., "who are hostile to you" - implying that they are in an actual state of war.
117 This relates to cases where the victim is a non-Muslim belonging to a people with whom
the Muslims have normal, peaceful relations; in such cases the penalty is the same as
that imposed for the killing, under similar circumstances, of a fellow-believer.
118 I.e., in the way prescribed for fasting during the month of Ramadan (see 2:183-187).
This alleviation applies to a person who cannot afford to pay the indemnity and/or
purchase the freedom of a slave (Razi), or cannot find a slave to be freed, as may
be the case in our times (Manar V, 337).
119 Sc., "and therefore one of the enemies". This verse prohibits the treating of noncombatants
as enemies and using their supposed unbelief as a pretext for plundering them. The
injunction "use your discernment" (tabayyanu) imposes on the believers the duty of making
sure, in every case, whether the persons concerned are actively engaged in hostilities or
not.
120 Lit., "thus have you [too] been aforetime". Since the preceding injunction refers to the
whole community, it would seem that the above clause, too, bears the same implication:
namely, a reference to the time when the Muslim community was, because of its weakness
and numerical insignificance, at the mercy of enemies endowed with greater power. Thus,
the believers are told, as it were: "Remember your erstwhile weakness, and treat the
peacefully-minded among your enemies with the same consideration with which you yourselves
were once hoping to be treated."
4:95
SUCH of the believers as remain passive121 - other than the disabled - cannot be deemed equal to those who strive hard in God's cause with their possessions and their lives:122 God has exalted those who strive hard with their possessions and their lives far above those who remain passive. Although God has promised the ultimate good unto all [believers], yet has God exalted those who strive hard above those who remain passive by [promising them] a mighty reward - (4:96) [many] degrees thereof - and forgiveness of sins, and His grace; for God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
4:97
Behold, those whom the angels gather in death while they are still sinning against themselves, [the angels] will ask, "What was wrong with you?"123 They will answer: "We were too weak on earth." [The angels] will say: "Was, then, God's earth not wide enough for you to forsake the domain of evil?"124 For such, then, the goal is hell - and how evil a journey's end! (4:98) But excepted shall be the truly helpless - be they men or women or children - who cannot bring forth any strength and have not been shown the right way:125 (4:99) as for them, God may well efface their sin - for God is indeed an absolver of sins, much-forgiving.
4:100
And he who forsakes the domain of evil for the sake of God shall find on earth many a lonely road,126 as well as life abundant. And if anyone leaves his home, fleeing from evil unto God and His Apostle, and then death overtakes him - his reward is ready with God: for God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
121 Lit., "who sit [at home]"- i.e., who do not participate in the struggle in God's cause,
be it physical or moral.
122 The term mujahid is derived from the verb jahada, which means "he struggled" or "strove
hard" or "exerted himself", namely, in a good cause and against evil. Consequently, jihad
denotes "striving in the cause of God" in the widest sense of this expression: that is to
say, it applies not merely to physical warfare (qital) but to any righteous struggle in
the moral sense as well; thus, for instance, the Prophet described man's struggle against
his own passions and weaknesses (jihad an-nafs) as the "greatest jihad" (Bayhaqi, on the
authority of Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah).
123 Lit., "in what [condition] were you?"- i.e., while alive. This refers to people who evade,
without valid excuse, all struggle in God's cause.
124 Lit., "was not God's earth wide, so that you could migrate therein?" The term hijrah
(lit., "exodus"), derived from the verb hajara ("he migrated"), is used in the Qur'an in
two senses: one of them is historical, denoting the exodus of the Prophet and his Companions
from Mecca to Medina, while the other has a moral connotation - namely, man's "exodus" from
evil towards God - and does not necessarily imply the leaving of one's homeland in the
physical sense. It is this wider, moral and ethical meaning of the term hijrah to which
the above passage refers - just as the preceding passage (verses 95-96) referred to
"striving hard in God's cause" (jihad) in the widest sense of the term, embracing both
physical and moral efforts and the sacrifice, if need be, of one's possessions and even
one's life. While the physical exodus from Mecca to Medina ceased to be obligatory for
the believers after the conquest of Mecca in the year 8 H., the spiritual exodus from the
domain of evil to that of righteousness continues to be a fundamental demand of Islam;
in other words, a person who does not "migrate from evil unto God" cannot be considered
a believer - which explains the condemnation, in the next sentence, of all who are
remiss in this respect.
125 Or: "cannot find the [right] way" - implying that they are helplessly confused and cannot,
therefore, grasp this basic demand of Islam; or, alternatively, that the message relating to
this demand has not been adequately conveyed and explained to them.
126 The word muragham is derived from the noun ragham ("dust") and is connected with the
idiomatic expression raghima anfuhu, "his nose was made to cleave to dust", i.e., he became
humbled and forced to do something against his will. Thus, muragham denotes "a road by the
taking of which one leaves one's people against their will" (Zamakhshari), it being
understood that this separation from one's familiar environment involves what is described
as muraghamah, the "breaking off (from another)" or the "cutting off from friendly or living
communion" (see Lane III, 1113). All this can best be rendered, in the above context, as
"a lonely road" - a metaphor of that heartbreaking loneliness which almost always accompanies
the first steps of one who sets forth on his "exodus from evil unto God". (Regarding this
latter expression, see note on verse 97 above as well as surah 2, verse 218.)
4:101
AND WHEN you go forth [to war] on earth, you will incur no sin by shortening your prayers127 if you have reason to fear that those who are bent on denying the truth might suddenly fall upon you:128 for, verily, those who deny the truth are your open foes. (4:102) Thus, when thou art among the believers129 and about to lead them in prayer, let [only] part of them stand up with thee, retaining their arms. Then, after they have finished their prayer, let them provide you cover130 while another group, who have not yet prayed, shall come forward and pray with thee, being fully prepared against danger and retaining their arms: (for) those who are bent on denying the truth would love to see you oblivious of your arms and your equipment, so that they might fall upon you in a surprise attack.131 But it shall not be wrong for you to lay down your arms [while you pray] if you are troubled by rain132 or if you are ill; but [always] be fully prepared against danger.
Verily, God has readied shameful suffering for all who deny the truth!
4:103
And when you have finished your prayer, remember God - standing and sitting and lying down; and when you are once again secure, observe your prayers [fully]. Verily, for all believers prayer is indeed a sacred duty linked to particular times [of day].
4:104
And be not faint of heart when you seek out the [enemy] host. If you happen to suffer pain, behold, they suffer pain even as you suffer it: but you are hoping [to receive] from God what they cannot hope for. And God is indeed all-knowing, wise.
4:105
BEHOLD, We have bestowed upon thee from on high this divine writ, setting forth the truth, so that thou may judge between people in accordance with what God has taught thee.133 Hence, do not contend with those who are false to their trust, (4:106) but pray God to forgive [them]:134 behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
127 Lit., "the prayer": a reference to the five obligatory daily prayers - at dawn, noon,
afternoon, after sunset and late in the evening - which may be shortened and combined
(the noon prayer with that of the afternoon, and the sunset prayer with that of the late
evening) if one is travelling or in actual danger. While the extension of this permission
to peaceful travel has been authorized by the Prophet's sunnah, the Qur'an mentions it
only in connection with war situations; and this justifies the interpolation, in the
opening sentence, of the words "to war". The prayer described in the next verse - with
the congregation praying in shifts - is called salat al-khawf ("prayer in danger").
128 Lit., "might cause you an affliction" - implying, according to almost all the commentators,
a sudden attack.
129 Lit., "among them". The "thou" in this sentence refers, primarily, to the Prophet and, by
implication, to the leader of every group of believers at war with "those who deny the truth".
130 Lit., "when they have prostrated themselves, let them [i.e., the other group] be behind
you". This idiomatic expression is not to be taken literally: in classical Arabic usage, the
phrase kana min wara ika (lit., "he was behind thee") signifies "he protected thee" or
(in military parlance) "he covered thee", and is not meant to describe the physical relative
position of the two persons or groups.
131 Lit., "turn upon you in one turning".
132 I.e., if there is a risk of their weapons being damaged by exposure to unfavourable
weather conditions, the warriors are exempted from the obligation of keeping their arms with
them while praying. This exemption applies, of course, only to such of the soldiers as are
in charge of particularly sensitive weapons; and the same applies to the individual cases
of illness mentioned in the sequence. It must, however, be remembered that the term matar
(lit., "rain") is often used in the Qur'an to denote "an affliction": and if we adopt this
meaning, the above phrase could be rendered as "if you suffer from an affliction"- thus
allowing for a wide range of possible emergencies.
133 The "thou" in this and the following two verses - as well as in verse 113 - refers, on the
face of it, to the Propheet; by implication, however, it is addressed to everyone who has
accepted the guidance of the Qur'an: this is evident from the use of the plural "you" in
verse 109. Consequently, the attempt on the part of most of the commentators to explain
this passage in purely historical terms is not very convincing, the more so as it imposes
an unnecessary limitation on an otherwise self-explanatory ethical teaching of general purport.
134 This obviously refers to the hypocrites as well as to the half-hearted followers of the
Qur'an spoken of earlier in this surah: both are accused of having betrayed the trust reposed
in them, inasmuch as they pretend to have accepted the Qur'anic message but, in reality,
are trying to corrupt it (see verse 81). Since they are already aware of what the Qur'an
demands of them and are, nevertheless, bent on evading all real self-surrender to its
guidance, there is no use in arguing with them.
4:107
Yet do not argue in behalf of those who are false to their own selves:135 verily, God does not love those who betray their trust and persist in sinful ways. (4:108) They would conceal their doings from men; but from God they cannot conceal them - for He is with them whenever they devise, in the dark of night, all manner of beliefs136 which He does not approve. And God indeed encompasses [with His knowledge] whatever they do.
4:109
Oh, you might well argue in their behalf in the life of this world: but who will argue in their behalf with God on the Day of Resurrection, or who will be their defender?
4:110
Yet he who does evil or [otherwise] sins against himself, and thereafter prays God to forgive him, shall find God much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace: (4:111) for he who commits a sin, commits it only to his own hurt;137 and God is indeed all-knowing, wise. (4:112) But he who commits a fault or a sin and then throws the blame therefore on an innocent person, burdens himself with the guilt of calumny and [yet another] flagrant sin.
135 I.e., "you may ask God to forgive them, but do not try to find excuses for their behaviour".
It is significant that the Qur'an characterizes a betrayal of trust, whether spiritual or
social, as "being false to oneself" - just as it frequently describes a person who deliberately
commits a sin or a wrong (zulm) as "one who sins against himself" or "wrongs himself"
(zalim nafsahu) - since every deliberate act of sinning damages its author spiritually.
136 Lit., "that of belief" (min al-qawl). It is to be remembered that the noun qawl does not
denote merely "a saying" or "an utterance" (which is its primary significance): it is also
employed tropically to denote anything that can be described as a "conceptual statement" -
like an opinion, a doctrine, or a belief - and is often used in this sense in the Qur'an.
137 Lit., "he who earns a sin, earns it only against himself".
4:113
And but for God's favour upon thee and His grace, some of those [who are false to themselves] would indeed endeavour to lead thee astray; yet none but themselves do they lead astray. Nor can they harm thee in any way, since God has bestowed upon thee from on high this divine writ and [given thee] wisdom, and has imparted unto thee the knowledge of what thou didst not know. And God's favour upon thee is tremendous indeed.
4:114
NO GOOD comes, as a rule, out of secret confabulations - saving such as are devoted to enjoining charity, or equitable dealings, or setting things to rights between people:138 and unto him who does this out of a longing for God's goodly acceptance We shall in time grant a mighty reward.
4:115
But as for him who, after guidance has been vouchsafed to him, cuts himself off from the Apostle and follows a path other than that of the believers - him shall We leave unto that which he himself has chosen,139 and shall cause him to endure hell: and how evil a journey's end!
138 Lit., "There is no good in much of their secret confabulation (najwa) - excepting him
who enjoins...", etc. Thus, secret talks aiming at positive, beneficial ends - for instance,
peace negotiations between states or communities - are excepted from the disapproval of
"secret confabulations" because premature publicity may sometimes be prejudicial to the
achievement of those ends or may (especially in cases where charity is involved) hurt the
feelings of the people concerned.
139 Lit., "him We shall [cause to] turn to that to which he [himself] has turned" - a stress
on man's freedom of choice.
4:116
VERILY, God does not forgive the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him, although He forgives any lesser sin unto whomever He wills: for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God have indeed gone far astray. (4:117) In His stead, they invoke only lifeless symbols140 - thus invoking none but a rebellious Satan (4:118) whom God has rejected for having said, "Verily, of Thy servants I shall most certainly take my due share, (4:119) and shall lead them astray, and fill them with vain desires; and I shall command them - and they will cut off the ears of cattle [in idolatrous sacrifice]; and I shall command them - and they will corrupt God's creation!"141
But all who take Satan rather than God for their master do indeed, most clearly, lose all: (4:120) he holds out promises to them, and fills them with vain desires: yet whatever Satan promises them is but meant to delude the mind.142 (4:121)) Such as these have hell for their goal: and they shall find no way to escape therefrom.
4:122
Yet those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds We shall bring into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide beyond the count of time: this is, in truth, God's promise - and whose word could be truer than God's?
4:123
It may not accord with your wishful thinking - nor with the wishful thinking of the followers of earlier revelation143 - [that] he who does evil shall be requited for it, and shall find none to protect him from God, and none to bring him succour, (4:124) whereas anyone - be it man or woman - who does [whatever he can] of good deeds and is a believer withal, shall enter paradise, and shall not be wronged by as much as [would fill] the groove of a date-stone.
140 The term inath (which is the plural of untha, "a female being") seems to have been applied
by the pre-Islamic Arabs to their idols, probably because most of them were considered
to be female. Hence, according to some philologists, the plural form inath signifies
"inanimate things" (cf. Lane I, 112). Ibn Abbas, Qatadah and Al-Hasan al-Basri explain
it as denoting anything that is passive and lifeless (Tabari); this definition has been
adopted by Raghib as well. On the other hand, Tabari mentions a Tradition, on the authority
of Urwah, according to which a copy of the Qur'an in the possession of Aishah contained
the word awthan ("idols") instead of inath (cf. also Zamakhshari and Ibn Kathir). The
rendering "lifeless symbols" is most appropriate in this context inasmuch as it adequately
combines the concept of "idols" with that of "inanimate things".
141 Cf. 7:16-17. The pre-Islamic Arabs used to dedicate certain of their cattle to one
or another of their idols by cutting off or slitting the ears of the animal, which was
thereupon considered sacred (Tabari). In the above context, this reference is used
metonymically to describe idolatrous practices, or inclinations, in general. The allusion
to Satan's inducing man to "corrupt [lit., "change"] God's creation" has a meaning to
which sufficient attention is but seldom paid: Since this creation, and the manner in
which it manifests itself, is an expression of God's planning will, any attempt at
changing its intrinsic nature amounts to corruption. - For the wider meaning of the term
shaytan ("Satan" or "satanic force"), see the first half of the note on 15:17.
142 The term ghurur signifies anything by which the mind is beguiled or deceived - for
instance, utter self-abandonment to earthly joys, or the absurd belief that there is
no limit to man's aims and achievements.
143 An allusion to both the Jewish idea that they are "God's chosen people" and, therefore,
assured of His grace in the hereafter, and to the Christian dogma of "vicarious atonement",
which promises salvation to all who believe in Jesus as "God's son".
4:125
And who could be of better faith than he who surrenders his whole being unto God and is a doer of good withal, and follows the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false - seeing that God exalted Abraham with His love?144
4:126
For, unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth; and, indeed, God encompasses everything.
4:127
AND THEY will ask thee to enlighten them about the laws concerning women.145 Say: "God [Himself] enlightens you about the laws concerning them" - for [His will is shown] in what is being conveyed unto you through this divine writ about orphan women [in your charge], to whom - because you yourselves may be desirous of marrying them - you do not give that which has been ordained for them;146 and about helpless children; and about your duty to treat orphans with equity. And whatever good you may do - behold, God has indeed full knowledge thereof.
144 Lit., "chose Abraham to be [His] beloved friend (khalil)".
145 I.e., the laws relating to marital relations, women's share in inheritance, etc. A fatwa
or ifta denotes the "clarification of a legal injunction" given in reply to a question;
correspondingly, the verb istaftahu means "he asked him to give a legal decision", or
"to enlighten him about a [particular] law". Since the laws alluded to in the above
passage have already been dealt with early in this surah, the repeated reference to them
is meant to stress the great importance of the problems involved, as well as the
responsibility which men bear towards their physically weaker counterparts. In accordance
with the system prevailing throughout the Qur'an, a lengthy passage dealing with purely
moral or ethical questions is usually - as in the present case - followed by verses
relating to social legislation, and this with a view to bringing out the intimate
connection between man's spiritual life and his social behaviour.
146 Cf. verse 3 of this surah, "If you have reason to fear that you might not act equitably
towards orphans...", and Aishah's explanation quoted in the corresponding note.
4:128
And if a woman has reason to fear ill-treatment from her husband, or that he might turn away from her, it shall not be wrong for the two to set things peacefully to rights between themselves: for peace is best, and selfishness is ever-present in human souls. But if you do good and are conscious of Him - behold, God is indeed aware of all that you do.
4:129
And it will not be within your power to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire it;147 and so, do not allow yourselves to incline towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her in a state, as it were, of having and not having a husband.148 But if you put things to rights and are conscious of Him - behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
4:130
And if husband and wife149 do separate, God shall provide for each of them out of His abundance: for God is indeed infinite, wise, (4:131) and unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth.
AND, INDEED, We have enjoined upon those who were granted revelation before your time, as well as upon yourselves, to remain conscious of God. And if you deny Him - behold, unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, and God is indeed self-sufficient, ever to be praised.
147 This refers to cases where a man has more than one wife - a permission which is conditional
upon his determination and ability to "treat them with equal fairness", as laid down in verse
3 of this surah. Since a man who is fully conscious of his moral responsibility might feel
that he is committing a sin if he loves one of his wives more than the other (or others),
the above verse provides a "judicial enlightenment" on this point by making it clear that
feelings are beyond a human being's control: in other words, that the required equality of
treatment relates only to outward behaviour towards and practical dealings with one's wives.
However, in view of the fact that a man's behaviour towards another person is, in the long
run, almost inevitably influenced by what he feels about that person, the above passage -
read in conjunction with verse 3, and especially its concluding sentence - imposes a moral
restriction on plural marriages.
148 Lit., "do not incline with all inclination" - i.e., towards one of the wives, implying
thereby an exclusion of the other from all affection - "leaving her, as it were, in
suspense (kal-mu'allaqah)". Regarding my rendering of this phrase, see Lane V, 2137.
149 Lit., "the two".
4:132
And unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth; and none is as worthy of trust as God. (4:133) If He so wills, He can cause you, O mankind, to disappear, and bring forth other beings [in your stead]: for God has indeed the power to do this.
4:134
If one desires the rewards of this world, [let him remember that] with God are the rewards of [both] this world and the life to come: and God is indeed all-hearing, all-seeing.
4:135
O YOU who have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in upholding equity, bearing witness to the truth for the sake of God, even though it be against your own selves or your parents and kinsfolk. Whether the person concerned be rich or poor, God's claim takes precedence over [the claims of] either of them.150 Do not, then, follow your own desires, lest you swerve from justice: for if you distort [the truth], behold, God is indeed aware of all that you do!
4:136
O you who have attained to faith! Hold fast unto your belief in God and His Apostle, and in the divine writ which He has bestowed from on high upon His Apostle, step by step, as well as in the revelation which He sent down aforetime:151 for he who denies God, and His angels, and His revelations, and His apostles, and the Last Day, has indeed gone far astray.152
150 I.e., "do not allow the fact that a man is rich to prejudice you in his favour or against
him, and do not, out of misplaced compassion, favour the poor man at the expense of the truth".
151 What is meant here is belief in the fact of earlier revelation, and not in the
earlier-revealed scriptures in their present form, which - as repeatedly stated in the
Qur'an - is the outcome of far-reaching corruption of the original texts.
152 Since it is through the beings or forces described as angels that God conveys His
revelations to the prophets, belief in angels is correlated with belief in revelation
as such.
4:137
Behold, as for those who come to believe, and then deny the truth, and again come to believe, and again deny the truth, and thereafter grow stubborn in their denial of the truth153 - God will not forgive them, nor will He guide them in any way. (4:138) Announce thou to such hypocrites that grievous suffering awaits them.
4:139
As for those who take the deniers of the truth for their allies in preference to the believers - do they hope to be honoured by them when, behold, all honour belongs to God [alone]?154
4:140
And, indeed, He has enjoined upon you in this divine writ that whenever you hear people deny the truth of God's messages and mock at them, you shall avoid their company until they begin to talk of other things155 - or else, verily, you will become like them.
Behold, together with those who deny the truth God will gather in hell the hypocrites, (4:141) who but wait to see what betides you: thus, if triumph comes to you from God, they say, "Were we not on your side?" - whereas if those who deny the truth are in luck, they say [to them], "Have we not earned your affection by defending you against those believers?"156
But God will judge between you all on the Day of Resurrection; and never will God allow those who deny the truth to harm the believers.157
153 Lit., "increase in a denial of the truth".
154 See 3:28. However, the term "allies" (awliya, sing. wali) does not indicate, in this
context, merely political alliances. More than anything else, it obviously alludes to
a "moral alliance" with the deniers of the truth: that is to say, to an adoption of their
way of life in preference to the way of life of the believers, in the hope of being
"honoured", or accepted as equals, by the former. Since an imitation of the way of life
of confirmed unbelievers must obviously conflict with the moral principles demanded by
true faith, it unavoidably leads to a gradual abandonment of those principles.
155 Lit., "you shall not sit with them until they immerse themselves in talk other than this".
The injunction referred to is found in 6:68, which was revealed at a much earlier period.
156 Lit., "did we not gain mastery over you [i.e., "over your hearts" - cf. Lane II, 664] and
defend you against the believers?" The term "believers" has obviously a sarcastic implication
here, which justifies the use of the demonstrative pronoun "those" instead of the definite
article "the".
157 This announcement has, of course, a purely spiritual meaning, and does not necessarily apply
to the changing fortunes of life - since (as this very verse points out) "those who deny the
truth" may on occasion be "in luck", that is to say, may gain temporal supremacy over the
believers.
4:142
Behold, the hypocrites seek to deceive God - the while it is He who causes them to be deceived [by themselves]158 And when they rise to pray, they rise reluctantly, only to be seen and praised by men, remembering God but seldom, (4:143) wavering between this and that, [true] neither to these nor those. But for him whom God lets go astray thou canst never find any way.
4:144
O you who have attained to faith! Do not take the deniers of the truth for your allies in preference to the believers! Do you want to place before God a manifest proof of your guilt?159
4:145
Verily, the hypocrites shall be in the lowest depth of the fire, and thou wilt find none who could succour them. (4:146) But excepted shall be they who repent, and live righteously, and hold fast unto God, and grow sincere in their faith in God alone: for these shall be one with the believers - and in time God will grant to all believers a mighty reward.
4:147
Why would God cause you to suffer [for your past sins] if you are grateful and attain to belief - seeing that God is always responsive to gratitude, all-knowing?160
158 Some of the commentators (e.g., Razi) interpret the phrase huwa khadi uhum (lit., "He is
their deceiver") as "He will requite them for their deception". However, the rendering adopted
by me seems to be more in tune with 2:9, where the same type of hypocrisy is spoken of:
"They would deceive God and those who have attained to faith - the while they deceive none
but themselves, and are not aware of it." See also Manar,V, 469 f., where both these
interpretations are considered to be mutually complementary.
159 Lit., "a manifest proof against yourselves". See note on verse 139 above.
160 The gratitude spoken of here is of a general nature - a feeling of thankfulness for being
alive and endowed with what is described as a "soul": a feeling which often leads man to
the realization that this boon of life and consciousness is not accidental, and thus, in
a logical process of thought, to belief in God. According to Zamakhshari, this is the
reason why "gratitude" is placed before "belief" in the structure of the above sentence.
4:148
God does not like any evil to be mentioned openly, unless it be by him who has been wronged (thereby)161 And God is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing, (4:149) whether you do good openly or in secret, or pardon others for evil [done unto you]: for, behold, God is indeed an absolver of sins, infinite in His power.
4:150
VERILY, those who deny God and His apostles by endeavouring to make a distinction between [belief in] God and [belief in] His apostles, and who say, "We believe in the one but we deny the other,"162 and want to pursue a path in-between - (4:151) it is they, they who are truly denying the truth: and for those who deny the truth We have readied shameful suffering.
4:152
But as for those who believe in God and His apostles and make no distinction between any of them163 - unto them, in time, will He grant their rewards [in full]. And God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
161 As some of the commentators (e.g., Razi) point out, this may refer to giving currency to
earlier sayings or deeds of the repentant sinners - both hypocrites and outright deniers
of the truth - mentioned in the preceding two verses: an interpretation which seems to be
borne out by the context. However, the above statement has a general import as well: it
prohibits the public mention of anybody's evil deeds or sayings, "unless it be by him who
has been wronged (thereby)" - which also implies that evil behaviour which affects the
society as a whole may be made public if the interests of the wronged party - in this case,
the society as such - demand it.
162 Or: "We believe in some and we deny the others"- that is, they believe in God but not in
His apostles (Zamakhshari) or, alternatively, they believe in some of the apostles and
deny others (Tabari and Zamakhshari). To my mind, the first of these two interpretations
is preferable inasmuch as it covers not only a rejection of some of the apostles but also
a total rejection of the idea that God may have revealed His will through His chosen
message-bearers. In Islam, the rejection of any or all of God's apostles constitutes almost
as grave a sin as a denial of God Himself.
163 I.e., in point of their being God's message-bearers.
4:153
THE FOLLOWERS of the Old Testament164 demand of thee [O Prophet] that thou cause a revelation to be sent down to them from heaven.165 And an even greater thing than this did they demand of Moses when they said, "Make us see God face to face" - whereupon the thunderbolt of punishment overtook them for this their wickedness.166 After that, they took to worshipping the [golden] calf - and this after all evidence of the truth had come unto them! None the less, We effaced this [sin of theirs], and vouchsafed unto Moses a clear proof [of the truth], (4:154) raising Mount Sinai high above them in witness of their solemn pledge. And We said unto them, "Enter the gate humbly";167 and We told them, "Do not break the Sabbath-law"; and We accepted from them a most solemn pledge.
164 As is evident from the sequence, the term ahl al-kitab ("followers of earlier revelation")
refers here specifically to the Jews, which justifies its rendering as "followers of the
Old Testament".
165 Sc., "in proof of thy prophethood". Alternatively, the sentence may be understood thus:
"They ask thee to bring down unto them an [actual] book from heaven." In view, however, of
the oft-repeated Qur'anic statement that the Jews were convinced that they alone could be
granted divine revelation, it seems to me that the rendering adopted by me is the more
appropriate.
4:155
And so, [We punished them168] for the breaking of their pledge, and their refusal to acknowledge God's messages, and their slaying of prophets against all right, and their boast, "Our hearts are already full of knowledge"- nay, but God has sealed their hearts in result of their denial of the truth, and [now] they believe in but few things -;169 (4:156) and for their refusal to acknowledge the truth, and the awesome calumny which they utter against Mary,170 (4:157) and their boast, "Behold, we have slain the Christ Jesus, son of Mary, [who claimed to be] an apostle of God!" However, they did not slay him, and neither did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been] so;171 and, verily, those who hold conflicting views thereon are indeed confused, having no [real] knowledge thereof, and following mere conjecture. For, of a certainty, they did not slay him: (4:158) nay, God exalted him unto Himself172 - and God is indeed almighty, wise. (4:159) Yet there is not one of the followers of earlier revelation who does not, at the moment of his death, grasp the truth about Jesus; 173 and on the Day of Resurrection he [himself] shall bear witness to the truth against them.
166 See 2:55 and the corresponding note.
167 See 2:58-59 and the corresponding notes.
168 The statement relating to their punishment - clearly implied here - is made explicit in verse.
169 See 2:88 and the corresponding notes.
170 The calumny referred to is the popular Jewish assertion that Jesus was an illegitimate child.
171 Thus, the Qur'an categorically denies the story of the crucifixion of Jesus. There exist,
among Muslims, many fanciful legends telling us that at the last moment God substituted for
Jesus a person closely resembling him (according to some accounts, that person was Judas),
who was subsequently crucified in his place. However, none of these legends finds the slightest
support in the Qur'an or in authentic Traditions, and the stories produced in this connection
by the classical commentators must be summarily rejected. They represent no more than confused
attempts at "harmonizing" the Qur'anic statement that Jesus was not crucified with the
graphic description, in the Gospels, of his crucifixion. The story of the crucifixion as such
has been succinctly explained in the Qur'anic phrase wa-lakin shubbiha lahum, which I render
as "but it only appeared to them as if it had been so" - implying that in the course of time,
long after the time of Jesus, a legend had somehow grown up (possibly under the then-powerful
influence of Mithraistic beliefs) to the effect that he had died on the cross in order to
atone for the "original sin" with which mankind is allegedly burdened; and this legend became
so firmly established among the latter-day followers of Jesus that even his enemies, the Jews,
began to believe it - albeit in a derogatory sense (for crucifixion was, in those times,
a heinous form of death-penalty reserved for the lowest of criminals). This, to my mind, is
the only satisfactory explanation of the phrase wa-lakin shubbiha lahum, the more so as the
expression shubbiha li is idiomatically synonymous with khuyyila 1i, "[a thing] became a
fancied image to me", i.e., "in my mind" - in other words, "[it] seemed to me" (see Qamus,
art. khayala, as well as Lane II, 833, and IV, 1500).
172 Cf. 3:55, where God says to Jesus, "Verily, I shall cause thee to die, and shall exalt
thee unto Me." The verb rafa ahu (lit., "he raised him" or "elevated him") has always,
whenever the act of raf' ("elevating") of a human being is attributed to God, the meaning
of "honouring" or "exalting". Nowhere in the Qur'an is there any warrant for the popular
belief that God has "taken up" Jesus bodily, in his lifetime, into heaven. The expression
"God exalted him unto Himself" in the above verse denotes the elevation of Jesus to the realm
of God's special grace - a blessing in which all prophets partake, as is evident from 19:57,
where the verb rafa nahu ("We exalted him") is used with regard to the Prophet Idris.
(See also Muhammad 'Abduh in Manar III, 316 f., and VI, 20f.) The "nay" (bal) at the
beginning of the sentence is meant to stress the contrast between the belief of the Jews
that they had put Jesus to a shameful death on the cross and the fact of God's having
"exalted him unto Himself".
173 Lit., "who does not believe in him before his death". According to this verse, all
believing Jews and Christians realize at the moment of their death that Jesus was truly
a prophet of God - having been neither an impostor nor "the son of God" (Zamakhshari).
4:160
So, then, for the wickedness committed by those who followed the Jewish faith did We deny unto them certain of the good things of life which [aforetime] had been allowed to them;174 and [We did this] for their having so often turned away from the path of God,175 (4:161) and [for] their taking usury - although it had been forbidden to them, and their wrongful devouring of other people's possessions. And for those from among them who [continue to] deny the truth We have readied grievous suffering.
4:162
But as for those from among them who are deeply rooted in knowledge,176 and the believers who believe in that which has been bestowed upon thee from on high as well as that which was bestowed from on high before thee, and those who are [especially] constant in prayer,177 and spend in charity, and all who believe in God and the Last Day - these it is unto whom We shall grant a mighty reward.
4:163
BEHOLD, We have inspired thee [O Prophet] just as We inspired Noah and all the prophets after him - as We inspired Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and their descendants, including Jesus and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron, and Solomon; and as We vouchsafed unto David a book of divine wisdom;178 (4:164) and as [We inspired other] apostles whom We have mentioned to thee ere this,179 as well as apostles whom We have not mentioned to thee; and as God spoke His word unto Moses: (4:165) [We sent all these] apostles as heralds of glad tidings and as warners, so that men might have no excuse before God after [the coming of] these apostles: and God is indeed almighty, wise.
174 Most of the commentators assume that this refers to the severe dietary restrictions imposed
on the Jews, which are alluded to in 3:93 and 6:146. Since, however, 3:93 clearly states
that these restrictions and prohibitions were a punishment for evil deeds committed "before
the Torah was bestowed from on high", while the verse which we are now discussing relates to
their sinful behaviour in later times, we must conclude that the punishment spoken of here
has another meaning: namely, the age-long deprivation of the Jewish people of the many
"good things of life" which other nations enjoy - in other words, the humiliation and
suffering which they have had to undergo throughout most of their recorded history, and
particularly after the time of Jesus. It is on the basis of this interpretation that I have
rendered the expression harramna alayhim (lit., "We forbade them") as "We denied to them".
175 The verb sadda ("he turned away") can be transitive as well as intransitive, and the same
applies to the noun sadd derived from it. In the former case, the sentence would read, "for
their having turned away many (others) from the path of God"; in the latter case, "for their
having (so) often turned away from the path of God". In view of the repeated stress, in the
Qur'an, on the refractory nature of the children of Israel - and the abundant evidence to
this effect in the Old Testament - I prefer the intransitive rendering.
176 I.e., those from among the Jews who do not content themselves with a mere observance of
rituals, but try to penetrate to the deepest meaning of faith.
177 According to the grammarians of the Basrah school, and especially Sibawayh, the use of
the accusative (mansub) case in the expression al-muqimin as-salah ("those who are constant
in prayer") - instead of the nominative al-muqimun - is a legitimate grammatical device
meant to stress the special, praiseworthy quality attaching to prayer and to those who
are devoted to it (see Zamakhshari and Razi); hence my interpolation of "especially" between
brackets.
178 I.e., the Psalms (see surah 21, verse 105).
179 I.e., before the revelation of this surah.
4:166
However it be, God [Himself] bears witness to the truth of what He has bestowed from on high upon thee: out of His own wisdom has He bestowed it from on high, with the angels bearing witness thereto - although none can bear witness as God does.
4:167
Behold, those who are bent on denying the truth and on turning others away from the path of God have indeed gone far astray.
4:168
Behold, those who are bent on denying the truth and on evildoing - God will indeed not forgive them, nor will He guide them onto any road (4:169) but the road that leads to hell, therein to abide beyond the count of time: and this is indeed easy for God.
4:170
O mankind! The Apostle has now come unto you with the truth from your Sustainer: believe, then, for your own good! And if you deny the truth - behold, unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, and God is indeed all-knowing, wise!
4:171
O FOLLOWERS of the Gospel! Do not overstep the bounds [of truth] in your religious beliefs,180 and do not say of God anything but the truth. The Christ Jesus, son of Mary, was but God's Apostle - [the fulfilment of] His promise which He had conveyed unto Mary - and a soul created by Him.181 Believe, then, in God and His apostles, and do not say, "[God is] a trinity". Desist [from this assertion] for your own good. God is but One God; utterly remote is He, in His glory, from having a son: unto Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth; and none is as worthy of trust as God.
180 I.e., by raising Jesus to the rank of divinity. Since here the Christians are addressed
specifically, I render the term kitab as "Gospel".
181 Lit., "His word which He conveyed unto Mary and a soul from Him". According to Tabari,
the "word" (kalimah) was "the announcement (risalah) which God bade the angels to convey
to Mary, and God's glad tiding to her" (a reference to 3:45) - which justifies the rendering
of kalimatuhu as "[the fulfilment of] His promise". (See also note on 3:39.) As regards the
expression, "a soul from Him" or "created by Him", it is to be noted that among the various
meanings which the word ruh bears in the Qur'an (e.g., "inspiration" in 2:87 and 253), it
is also used in its primary significance of "breath of life", "soul", or "spirit": thus,
for instance, in 32:9, where the ever-recurring evolution of the human embryo is spoken of:
"and then He forms him [i.e., man] and breathes into him of His spirit" - that is, endows him
with a conscious soul which represents God's supreme gift to man and is, therefore, described
as "a breath of His spirit". In the verse under discussion, which stresses the purely human
nature of Jesus and refutes the belief in his divinity, the Qur'an points out that Jesus,
like all other human beings, was "a soul created by Him".
4:172
Never did the Christ feel too proud to be God's servant, nor do the angels who are near unto Him. And those who feel too proud to serve Him and glory in their arrogance [should know that on Judgment Day] He will gather them all unto Himself: (4:173) whereupon unto those who attained to faith and did good deeds He will grant their just rewards, and give them yet more out of His bounty; whereas those who felt too proud and gloried in their arrogance He will chastise with grievous suffering: and they shall find none to protect them from God, and none to bring them succour.
4:174
O MANKIND! A manifestation of the truth has now come unto you from your Sustainer, and We have sent down unto you a clear light. (4:175) And as for those who have attained to faith in God and hold fast unto Him - He will enfold them within182 His grace and bounty, and guide them unto Himself by a straight way.
4:176
THEY WILL ASK thee to enlighten them.183 Say: "God enlightens you [thus] about the laws concerning [inheritance from] those who leave no heir in the direct line: If a man dies childless and has a sister, she shall inherit one-half of what he has left, just as he shall inherit from her if she dies childless. But if there are two sisters, both [together] shall have two-thirds of what he has left; and if there are brothers and sisters,184 then the male shall have the equal of two females' share."
God makes [all this] clear unto you, lest you go astray; and God knows everything.
182 Lit., "cause them to enter into".
183 I.e., about the laws of inheritance mentioned in the next sentence. Regarding the meaning of
istifta ("a request for enlightenment about a [particular] law"), see note on verse 127 of
this surah. The seemingly abrupt transition from the preceding passages - dealing with
questions of theology - to this one is in accord with the Qur'anic principle of deliberately
interweaving moral exhortation with practical legislation: and this in pursuance of the
teaching that man's life - spiritual and physical, individual and social - is one integral
whole, and therefore requires simultaneous consideration of all its aspects if the concept
of "the good life" is to be realized. The above verse completes the series of inheritance
laws dealt with early in this surah.
184 Lit., "brethren (ikhwah), men and women". It is to be noted that the expression ikhwah
comprises either brothers, or sisters, or brothers and sisters.
ACCORDING to all the available evidence, this surah constitutes one of the last sections of the Qur'an revealed to the Prophet. The consensus of opinion places it in the period of his Farewell Pilgrimage, in the year 10 H. It takes its title from the request for a "repast from heaven" made by the disciples of Jesus (verse 112), and from Jesus' prayer in this connection (verse 114). The surah begins with a call to the believers to fulfil their spiritual and social responsibilities, and ends with a reminder, of man's utter dependence on God, whose is "the dominion over the heavens and the earth and all that they contain". Being one of the last revelations vouchsafed to the Prophet, it lays down a series of ordinances relating to religious rites and to various social obligations; but, at the same time, it warns the followers of the Qur'an not to enlarge the area of divine ordinances by means of subjective deduction (verse 101), since this might make it difficult for them to act in accordance with God's Law, and might ultimately lead them to denying the truth of revelation as such (verse 102). They are also warned not to take the Jews and the Christians for their "allies" in the moral sense of the word: that is, not to imitate their way of life and their social concepts at the expense of the principles of Islam (verses 51 ff.). This latter warning is necessitated by the fact, repeatedly stressed in this surah, that both the Jews and the Christians have abandoned and corrupted the truths conveyed to them by their prophets, and thus no longer adhere to the genuine, original message of the Bible (verse 68). In particular, the Jews are taken to task for having become "blind and deaf [of heart]" (verses 70-71, and passim), and the Christians, for having deified Jesus in clear contravention of his own God-inspired teachings (verses 72-77 and 116-118).
Addressing the various religious communities, the Qur'an states in verse 48: "Unto every one of you have We appointed a [different] law and way of life .... Vie, then, with one another in doing good works!" And once again, all true believers - of whatever persuasion - are assured that "all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve" (verse 69).
The crowning statement of the whole surah is found in verse 3, which was revealed to the Prophet shortly before his death: "Today have I perfected your religious law for you, and have bestowed upon you the full measure of My blessings, and willed that self-surrender unto Me (al-islam) shall be your religion."
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
5:1
O YOU who have attained to faith! Be true to your covenants!1 Lawful to you is the [flesh of every] beast that feeds on plants, save what is mentioned to you [hereinafter]2: but you are not allowed to hunt while you are in the state of pilgrimage. Behold, God ordains in accordance with His will.3
1 The term 'aqd ("covenant") denotes a solemn undertaking or engagement involving more
than one party. According to Raghib, the covenants referred to in this verse "are of
three kinds: the covenants between God and man [i.e., man's obligations towards God],
between man and his own soul, and between the individual and his fellow-men" - thus
embracing the entire area of man's moral and social responsibilities.
2 I.e., in verse 3. Literally, the expression bahimat al-an'am could be translated as
"a beast of the cattle"; but since this would obviously be a needless tautology, many
commentators incline to the view that what is meant here is "any beast which resembles
[domesticated] cattle - insofar as it feeds on plants and is not a beast of prey"
(Razi; also Lisan al-'Arab, art. na'ma). I have adopted this convincing interpretation
in my rendering of the above phrase.
3 Lit., "whatever He wills" or "deems fit": i.e., in accordance with a plan of which He
alone has full knowledge. Regarding the prohibition of hunting while on pilgrimage, see
verses 94-96 of this surah.
5:2
O you who have attained to faith! Offend not against the symbols set up by God, nor against the sacred month [of pilgrimage], nor against the garlanded offerings,4 nor against those who flock to the Inviolable Temple, seeking favour with their Sustainer and His goodly acceptance; and [only] after your pilgrimage is over5 are you free to hunt.
And never let your hatred of people who would bar you from the Inviolable House of Worship lead you into the sin of aggression:6 but rather help one another in furthering virtue and God-consciousness, and do not help one another in furthering evil and enmity; and remain conscious of God: for, behold, God is severe in retribution!
4 Lit., "nor against the offerings, nor the garlands" - a reference to the 'animals which are
brought to Mecca at the time of pilgrimage, to be sacrificed there in the name of God and
most of their flesh distributed among the poor. In order to mark out such animals, and to
prevent their being inadvertently used for profane (e.g., commercial) ends, garlands are
customarily hung around their necks. See also 2:196.- The term sha'a'ir Allah (lit., "God's
symbols), occurring earlier in this sentence, denotes the places reserved for particular
religious rites (e.g., the Ka'bah) as well as the religious rites themselves. (Cf. 2 : 158,
where As-Safa and Al-Marwah are described as "symbols set up by God"). In the above context,
the rites 'of pilgrimage, in particular, are alluded to.
5 Lit:, "when you have become free of the obligations attaching to the state of pilgrimage"
(idha halaltum ).
6 Inasmuch as this surah was undoubtedly revealed in the year 10 H. (Tabarf, Ibn Kathir), it
is difficult to accept the view of some of the commentators that the above verse alludes to
the events culminating in the truce of Hudaybiyyah, in 6 H., when the pagan Quraysh succeeded
in preventing the Prophet and his followers from entering Mecca on pilgrimage. At the time
of the revelation of this surah Mecca was already in the possession of the Muslims, and
there was no longer any question of their being barred from it by the Quraysh, almost all of
whom had by then embraced Islam. We must, therefore, conclude that the above injunction cannot
be circumscribed by a historical reference but has a timeless, general import: in other
words, that it refers to anybody who might endeavour to bar the believers - physically or
metaphorically - from the exercise of their religious duties (symbolized by the "Inviolable
House of Worship") and thus to lead them away from their faith. In view of the next
sentence, moreover, this interpretation would seem to be the only plausible one.
5:3
FORBIDDEN to you is carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any name other than God's has been invoked,7 and the animal that has been strangled, or beaten to death, or killed by a fall, or gored to death, or savaged by a beast of prey, save that which you [yourselves] may have slaughtered while it was still alive; and [forbidden to you is] all that has been slaughtered on idolatrous altars.8
And [you are forbidden] to seek to learn through divination what the future may hold in store for you:9 this is sinful conduct.
Today, those who are bent on denying the truth have lost all hope of [your ever forsaking] your religion: do not, then, hold them in awe, but stand in awe of Me!
Today have I perfected your religious law for you, and have bestowed upon you the full measure of My blessings, and willed that self-surrender unto Me shall be your religion.'10
As for him, however, who is driven [to what is forbidden] by dire necessity11 and not by an inclination to sinning - behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
7 See 2 : 173.
8 The nusub (sing. nasibah) were the altar-stones set up in pre-Islamic times around the
Ka'bah on which the pagan Quraysh used to sacrifice animals to their idols. However, from
the story of Zayd ibn 'Amr ibn Nufayl (Bukhari) it appears that not only sacrificial
animals but also such as were, destined for common consumption were often slaughtered
there for the sake of a supposed "blessing" (see Fath al-Bari VII, 113). Some philologists
consider the form nusub a singular, with ansab as its plural (cf. verse 90 of this surah).
In either case the term denotes an association with all manner of practices which could
be described as "idolatrous", and should not be taken merely in its literal sense. Cf.
in this respect also verse 90 of this surah, and the corresponding note 105.
9 Lit., "to aim at divining [the future] by means of arrows". This is a reference to the
divining-arrows without a point and without feathers used by the pre-Islamic Arabs to
find out what the future might hold in store for them. (A comprehensive description of
this practice may be found in Lane III, 1247.) As is usual with such historical allusions
in the Qur'an, this one, too, is used metonymically: it implies a prohibition of all manner
of attempts at divining or foretelling the future.
10 According to all available Traditions based on the testimony of the Prophet's
contemporaries, the above passage - which sets, as it were, a seal on the message of
the Qur'an - was revealed at 'Arafat in the afternoon of Friday, the 9th of Dhu'l-Hijjah,
10 H., eighty-one or eighty-two days before the death of the Prophet. No legal injunction
whatsoever was revealed after this verse: and this explains the reference to God's having
perfected the Faith and bestowed the full measure of His blessings upon the believers.
Man's self-surrender (islam) to God is postulated as the basis, or the basic law, of all
true religion (din): This self-surrender expresses: itself not only in belief in Him but
also in obedience to His commands: and this is the reason why the announcement of the
completion of the Qur'anic message is placed within the context of a verse containing the
last legal ordinances ever revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
11 Lit., "in [a condition of] emptiness' (fi makhmasah). This is generally taken to mean
"in extreme hunger"; but while this expression does, in the first instance, signify
"emptiness caused by hunger", the reference to divination in the above verse points to
a metonymical use of the term makhmasah as well: that is to say, it covers here not merely
cases of actual, extreme hunger (which makes the eating of otherwise prohibited categories
of meat permissible, as is explicitly stated in 2:173) but also other situations in which
overwhelming; extraneous forces beyond a person's control may compel him, against his will,
to do something that is normally prohibited by Islamic Law - as, for instance, to use
intoxicating drugs whenever illness makes their use imperative and unavoidable.
5:4
They will ask thee as to what is lawful to them.
Say: "Lawful to you are all the good things of life.12 And as for those hunting animals13 which you train by imparting to them something of the knowledge that God has imparted to yourselves - eat of what they seize for you, but mention God's name over it and remain conscious of God: verily, God is swift in reckoning.
12 The implication is, firstly, that what has been forbidden does not belong to the category
of "the good things of life" (at-tayyibat), and, secondly, that all that has not been
expressly forbidden is allowed. It is to be noted that the Qur'an forbids only those things
or actions which are injurious to man physically, morally or socially.
13 Lit., "such of the trained beasts of chase" (min al-jawarih mukallibin). The term mukailib
signifies "trained like a [hunting) dog", and is applied to every animal used for hunting -
a hound, a falcon, a cheetah, etc.
5:5
Today, all the good things of life have been made lawful to you. And the food of those who have been vouchsafed revelation aforetime is lawful to you,14 and your food is lawful to them. And [lawful to you are], in wedlock, women from among those who believe [in this divine writ], and, in wedlock, women from among those who have been vouchsafed revelation before your time - provided that you give them their dowers, taking them in honest wedlock, not in fornication, nor as secret love-companions.15
But as for him who rejects belief [in God] - in vain will be all his works: for in the life to come he shall be among the lost.16
14 This permission to partake of the food of the followers of other revealed religions excludes,
of course, the forbidden categories of meat enumerated in verse 3 above. As a matter of fact,
the Law of Moses, too, forbids them explicitly; and there is no statement whatsoever in the
Gospels to the effect that these prohibitions were cancelled by Jesus: on the contrary, he
is reported to have said, "Think not that I have come to destroy the Law [of Moses]... :
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil" (Matthew v, 17). Thus, the latitude enjoyed by
post-Pauline followers of Jesus in respect of food does not correspond to what he himself
practiced and enjoined.
15 Whereas Muslim men are allowed to marry women from among the followers of another revealed
religion, Muslim women may not marry non-Muslims: the reason being that Islam enjoins
reverence of all the prophets, while the followers of other religions reject some of them -
e.g., the Prophet Muhammad or, as is the case with the Jews, both Muhammad and Jesus. Thus,
while a non-Muslim woman who marries a Muslim can be sure that - despite all doctrinal
differences - the prophets of her faith will be mentioned with utmost respect in her Muslim
environment, a Muslim woman who would marry a non-Muslim would always be exposed to an
abuse of him whom she regards as God's Apostle.
16 The above passage rounds off, as it were, the opening sentences of this surah, "O you who
have attained to faith, be true to your covenants" - of which belief in God and the
acceptance of His commandments are the foremost. It is immediately followed by a reference
to prayer: for it is in prayer that man's dependence on God finds its most conscious
and deliberate expression.
5:6
O YOU who have attained to faith! When you are about to pray, wash your face, and your hands and arms up to the elbows, and pass your [wet] hands lightly over your head, and [wash] your feet up to the ankles. And if you are in a state requiring total ablution, purify yourselves.17 But if you are ill, or are travelling, or have just satisfied a want of nature, or have cohabited with a woman, and can find no water - then take resort to pure dust, passing therewith lightly over your face and your hands. God does not want to impose any hardship on you, but wants to make you pure, and to bestow upon you the full measure of His blessings, so that you might have cause to be grateful.
17 For an explanation of this and the following passage, see 4:43 and the corresponding
notes. Here, the reference to prayer connects with the last sentence of the preceding verse,
which speaks of belief in God.
5:7
And [always] remember the blessings which God has bestowed upon you, and the solemn pledge by which He bound you to Himself18 when you said, "We have heard, and we pay heed." Hence, remain conscious of God: verily, God has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].
5:8
O YOU who have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity; and never let hatred of anyone19 lead you into the sin of deviating from justice. Be just: this is closest to being God-conscious. And remain conscious of God: verily, God is aware of all that you do.
5:9
God has promised unto those who attain to faith and do good works [that] theirs shall be forgiveness of sins, and a mighty reward; (5:10) whereas they who are bent on denying the truth and giving the lie to Our messages - they are destined for the blazing fire.
5:11
O you who have attained to faith! Remember the blessings which God bestowed upon you when [hostile] people were about to lay hands on you20 and He stayed their hands from you. Remain, then, conscious of God: and in God let the believers place their trust.
5:12
AND, INDEED, God accepted a [similar] solemn pledge21 from the children of Israel when We caused twelve of their leaders to be sent [to Canaan as spies].22 And God said: "Behold, I shall be with you! If you are constant in prayer, and spend in charity, and believe in My apostles and aid them, and offer up unto God a goodly loan,23 I will surely efface your bad deeds and bring you into gardens through which running waters flow. But he from among you who, after this, denies the truth, will indeed have strayed from the right path!"
18 Lit., "His solemn pledge by which He bound you". Since this pledge is given by the believers
to God and not by Him to them, the personal pronoun in "His pledge" can have only one
meaning: namely, God's binding thereby the believers to Himself.
19 Lit., "of people".
20 Lit., "to stretch their hands towards you": an allusion to the weakness of the believers
at the beginning of the Qur'anic revelation, and - by implication - to the initial
weakness of every religious movement.
21 The interpolation of "similar" is justified by the obvious reference to verse 7 above.
The pledge was similar in that it related to obedience to God's commandments.
22 Lit., "when We sent out twelve leaders from among them". This is a reference to the Biblical
story (in Numbers xiii), according to which God commanded Moses to send out one leading
personality from each of the twelve tribes "to spy out the land of Canaan - before the
children of Israel invaded it. (The noun naqib, here rendered as "leader", has also the
meaning of "investigator" or "spy" inasmuch as it is derived from the verb naqaba, which
signifies - among other things - "he scrutinized" or "investigated"). The subsequent
near-revolt of the children of Israel - caused by their fear of the powerful tribes which
inhabited Canaan (cf. Numbers xiv)- is briefly referred to in the first sentence of verse
13 and more fully described in verses 20-26- of this surah.
23 I.e., by doing righteous deeds.
5:13
Then, for having broken their solemn pledge,24 We rejected them and caused their hearts to harden - [so that now] they distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them out of their context;25 and they have forgotten much of what they had been told to bear in mind; and from all but a few of them thou wilt always experience treachery. But pardon them, and forbear: verily, God loves the doers of good.
5:14
And [likewise,] from those who say, "Behold, we are Christians."26 We have accepted a solemn pledge: and they, too, have forgotten much of what they had been told to bear in mind - wherefore We have given rise among them to enmity and hatred, [to last] until Resurrection Day:27 and in time God will cause them to understand what they have contrived. (5:15) O followers of the Bible! Now there has come unto you Our Apostle, to make clear unto you much of what you have been concealing [from yourselves] of the Bible,28 and to pardon much. Now there has come unto you from God a light, and a clear divine writ, (5:16) through which God shows unto all that seek His goodly acceptance the paths leading to salvation29 and, by His grace, brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light and guides them onto a straight way.
24 An allusion to their lack of trust in God and their persistent sinning.
25 See 4:46, where the same accusation is levelled against the children of Israel.
26 Thus the Qur'an elliptically rejects their claim of being true followers of Jesus:
for, by wrongfully elevating him to the status of divinity they have denied the very
essence of his message.
27 I.e., their going astray from the genuine teachings of Jesus - and thus from true faith
in God - is the innermost cause of the enmity and hatred which has so often set the
so-called Christian nations against one another and led to unceasing wars and mutual
persecution.
28 Inasmuch as verses 15-19 are addressed to the Jews and the Christians, the term al-kitab
may suitably be rendered here as "the Bible". It is to be borne in mind that the primary
meaning of the verb khafiya is "it became imperceptible" or "not apparent" or "obscure"
and that the same significance attaches to the transitive form akhfa. There is of course,
no doubt that in its transitive form the verb also denotes "he concealed [something]".
i.e., from others: but in view of the preceding phrase, "there has come unto you Our Apostle
to make clear unto you", it is obvious that what is alluded to in this context is the
concealing of something from oneself: in other words, it is a reference to the gradual
obscuring, by the followers of the Bible, of its original verities which they are now
unwilling to admit even to themselves.
5:17
Indeed, the truth deny they who say, "Behold, God is the Christ, son of Mary." Say: "And who could have prevailed with God in any way had it been His will to destroy the Christ, son of Mary, and his mother, and everyone who is on earth - all of them? For, God's is the dominion over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; He creates what He wills: and God has the power to will anything!"
5:18
And [both] the Jews and the Christians say, "We are God's children,30 and His beloved ones." Say: "Why, then, does He cause you to suffer for your sins? Nay, you are but human beings of His creating. He forgives whom He wills, and He causes to suffer whom He wills: for God's is the dominion over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and with Him is all journeys' end."
5:19
O followers of the Bible! Now, after a long time during which no apostles have appeared, there has come unto you [this] Our Apostle to make [the truth] clear to you, lest you say, "No bearer of glad tidings has come unto us, nor any warner": for now there has come unto you a bearer of glad tidings and a warner - since God has the power to will anything.
29 The word salam, here rendered as "salvation", has no proper equivalent in the English
language. It denotes inner peace, soundness and security from evil of any kind, both physical
and spiritual, and the achievement of what, in Christian terminology, is described as
"salvation": with the difference, however, that the Christian concept of salvation presupposes
the existence of an a-priori state of sinfulness, which is justified in Christianity by the
doctrine of "original sin", but is not justified in Islam, which does not subscribe to this
doctrine. Consequently, the term "salvation" - which I am using here for want of a better word -
does not adequately convey the full meaning of salam. Its nearest equivalents in Western
languages would be the German Heil or the French salut, both of which express the idea of
spiritual peace and fulfilment without being necessarily (i.e., linguistically) connected
with the Christian doctrine of salvation.
30 Cf. Exodus iv, 22-23 ("Israel is My son"), Jeremiah xxxi, 9 ("I am a father to Israel"),
and the many parallel expressions in the Gospels.
31 With these words the Qur'an returns to the story of the children of Israel alluded to
in verses 12 and 13 - namely, to an illustration of their having "broken their solemn
pledge" and gone back on their faith in God. The following story is, moreover, directly
connected with the preceding verse inasmuch as Moses appeals here to the children of
Israel as "a bearer of glad tidings and a warner".
5:20
AND, LO, Moses said unto his people:" "O my people! Remember the blessings which God bestowed upon you when he raised up prophets among you, and made you your own masters, and granted unto you [favours] such as He had not granted to anyone else in the world. (5:21) O my people! Enter the holy land which God has promised you; but do not turn back [on your faith], for then you will be lost!"
5:22
They answered: "O Moses! Behold, ferocious people dwell in that land," and we will surrely not enter it unless they depart therefrom; but if they depart therefrom, then, behold, we will enter it." (5:23) [Whereupon] two men from among those who feared [God, and] whom God had blessed, said: "Enter upon them through the gate34- for as soon as you enter it, behold, you shall be victorious! And in God you must place your trust if you are [truly] believers!"
5:24
[But] they said: "O Moses! Behold, never shall we enter that [land] so long as those others are in it. Go forth, then, thou and thy Sustainer, and fight, both of you! We, behold, shall remain here!" (5:25) Prayed [Moses]: "O my Sustainer! Of none am I master but of myself and my brother [Aaron]: draw Thou, then, a dividing-line between us and these iniquitous folk!"
32 Lit., "made you kings". According to most of the commentators (e.g., Tabari, Zamakhshari,
Razi), the "kingship" of the Israelites is a metaphorical allusion to their freedom and
independence after their Egyptian bondage, the term "king" being equivalent here to "a free
man who is master of his own affairs" (Manor VI, 323 f.) and can, therefore, adopt any way
of life he chooses.
33 Lit., "are in it". See Numbers xiii, 32-33, and also the whole of ch. xiv, which speaks of
the terror that overwhelmed the Israelites on hearing the report of the twelve scouts
mentioned in verse 12 of this surah, and of the punishment of their cowardice and lack
of faith.
34 I.e., by frontal attack. According to the Bible (Numbers xiv, 6-9, 24, 30, 38), the two
God-fearing men were Joshua and Caleb, who had been among the twelve spies sent out to
explore Canaan, and who now tried to persuade the terror-stricken children of Israel to
place their trust in God. As so often in the Qur'an, this story of the Israelites serves
to illustrate the difference between real, selfless faith and worldly self-love.
5:26
Answered He: "Then, verily, this [land] shall be forbidden to them for forty years, while they wander on earth, bewildered, to and fro; and sorrow thou not over these iniquitous folk." (5:27) And convey unto them, setting forth the truth, the story of the two sons of Adam 35- how each offered a sacrifice, and it was accepted from one of them whereas it was not accepted from the other. [And Cain] said: "I will surely slay thee!"
[Abel] replied: "Behold, God accepts only from those who are conscious of Him. (28) Even if thou lay thy hand on me to slay me, I shall not lay my hand on thee to slay thee: behold, I fear God, the Sustainer of all the worlds. (5:29) I am willing, indeed, for thee to bear [the burden of] all the sins ever done by me as well as of the sin done by thee:36 [but] then thou wouldst be destined for the fire, since that is the requital of evildoers!"
35 I.e., the story of Cain and Abel, mentioned in Genesis iv, 1-16. The pronoun in "tell them"
refers to the followers of the Bible, and obviously connects with verse 15 of this surah,
"Now there has come unto you Our Apostle, to make clear unto you much of what you have
been concealing [from yourselves] of the Bible", the meaning of which has been explained
in note 28 above. The moral of this particular Biblical story - a moral which the followers
of the Bible have been "concealing from themselves" - is summarized in verse 32.
36 Lit., "my sin as well as thy sin". It is evident from several well-authenticated ahadith
that if a person dies a violent death not caused, directly or indirectly, by his own sinful
actions, his previous sins will be forgiven (the reason being, evidently, that he had no
time to repent, as he might have done had he been allowed to live). In cases of unprovoked
murder, the murderer is burdened - in addition to the sin of murder - with the sins which
his innocent victim might have committed in the past and of which he (the victim) is now
absolved: this convincing interpretation of the above verse has been advanced by Mujahid
(as quoted by Tabari).
5:30
But the other's passion37 drove him to slaying his brother; and he slew him: and thus he became one of the lost. (5:31) Thereupon God sent forth a raven which scratched the earth, to show him how he might conceal the nakedness of his brother's body. [And Cain] cried out: "Oh, woe is me! Am I then too weak to do what this raven did,38 and to conceal the nakedness of my brother's body?" - and was thereupon smitten with remorse.39
37 Among the many meanings attributable to the noun nafs (primarily, "soul", or "mind", or "self"),
there is also that of "desire" or "passionate determination" (Qamus; see also Zamakhshari's
Asas); in this context, the best rendering seems to be "passion".
38 Lit., "to be like this raven".
39 Lit., "became of those who feel remorse". The thought of burying his dead brother's body,
suggested to Cain by the raven's scratching the earth, brought home to him the enormity
of his crime.
5:32
Because of this did We ordain unto the children of Israel that if anyone slays a human being unless it be [in punishment] for murder or for spreading corruption on earth - it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind.40
And, indeed, there came unto them41 Our apostles with all evidence of the truth: yet, behold, notwithstanding all this, many of them go on committing all manner of excesses on earth.42
40 This moral truth is among those to which the first sentence of verse 15 of this surah
alludes, and its succinct formulation fully explains the reason why the story of Cain and
Abel is mentioned in this context. The expression "We have ordained unto the children of
Israel" does not, of course, detract from the universal validity of this moral: it refers
merely to its earliest enunciation.
41 I.e., to the followers of the Bible, both the Jews and the Christians.
42 The present participle la-musrifun indicates their "continuously committing excesses"
(i.e., crimes), and is best rendered as "they go on committing" them. In view of the
preceding passages, these "excesses" obviously refer to crimes of violence and, in
particular, to the ruthless killing of human beings.
5:33
It is but a just recompense for those who make war on God and His apostle,43and endeavour to spread corruption on earth, that they are being slain in great numbers, or crucified in great numbers, or have, in result of their perverseness, their hands and feet cut off in great numbers,44 or are being [entirely] banished from [the face of] the earth: such is their ignominy in this world45 But in the life to come [yet more] awesome suffering awaits them -(5:34) save for such [of them] as repent ere you [O believers] become more powerful than they:46 for you must know that God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
43 The term "apostle" is evidently generic in this context. By "making war on God and His
apostle" is meant a hostile opposition to, and wilful disregard of, the ethical precepts
ordained by God and explained by all His apostles, combined with the conscious endeavour
to destroy or undermine other people's belief in God as well.
44 In classical Arabic idiom, the "cutting off of one's hands and feet" is often synonymous
with "destroying one's power", and it is possibly in this sense that the expression has
been used here. Alternatively, it might denote "being mutilated", both physically and
metaphorically - similar to the (metonymical) use of the expression "being crucified" in
the sense of "being tortured". The phrase min khilaf - usually rendered as "from opposite
sides"- is derived from the verb khalafahu, "he disagreed with him", or "opposed him", or
"acted contrarily to him": consequently, the primary meaning of min khilaf is "in result
of contrariness" or "of perverseness".
45 Most of the classical commentators regard this passage as a legal injunction, and interpret
it, therefore, as follows: "The recompense of those who make war on God and His apostle and
spread corruption on earth shall but be that they shall be slain, or crucified, or that
their hands and feet be cut off on opposite sides, or that they shall be banished from the
earth: such shall be their ignominy in this world." This interpretation is, however, in
no way warranted by the text, and this for the following reasons:
(a) The four passive verbs occurring in this sentence - "slain", "crucified", "cut off" and
"banished" - are in the present tense and do not, by themselves, indicate the future or,
alternatively, the imperative mood.
(b) The form yuqattalu does not signify simply "they are being slain" or (as the commentators
would have it) "they shall be slain", but denotes - in accordance with a fundamental rule
of Arabic grammar - "they are being slain in great numbers"; and the same holds true of the
verbal forms yusallabu ("they are being crucified in great numbers") and tuqatta'a ("cut off
in great numbers"). Now if we are to believe that these are "ordained punishments", it
would imply that great numbers - but not necessarily all - of "those who make war on God
and His apostle" should be punished in this way: obviously an inadmissible assumption of
arbitrariness on the part of the Divine Law-Giver. Moreover, if the party "waging war on
God and His apostle" should happen to consist of one person only, or of a few, how could a
command referring to "great numbers" be applied to them or to him?
(c) Furthermore, what would be the meaning of the phrase, "they shall be banished from the
earth", if the above verse is to be taken as a legal injunction? This point has, indeed,
perplexed the commentators considerably. Some of them assume that the transgressors should
be "banished from the land [of Islam]": but there is no instance in the Qur'an of such a
restricted use of the term "earth" (ard). Others, again, are of the opinion that the guilty
ones should be imprisoned in a subterranean dungeon, which would constitute their "banishment
from [the face of] the earth"!
(d) Finally - and this is the weightiest objection to an interpretation of the above verse
as a "legal injunction" - the Qur'an places exactly the same expressions referring to
mass-crucifixion and mass-mutilation (but this time with a definite intent relating to
the future) in the mouth of Pharaoh, as a threat to believers (see 7:124, 20:71 and
26:49). Since Pharaoh is invariably described in the Qur'an as the epitome of evil and
godlessness, it is inconceivable that the same Qur'an would promulgate a divine law in
precisely the terms which it attributes elsewhere to a figure characterized as an
"enemy of God".
In short, the attempt of the commentators to interpret the above verse as a "legal injunction"
must be categorically rejected, however great the names of the persons responsible for it.
On the other hand, a really convincing interpretation suggests itself to us at once as soon
as we read the verse - as it ought to be read - in the present tense: for, read in this way,
the verse reveals itself immediately as a statement of fact - a declaration of the
inescapability of the retribution which "those who make war on God" bring upon themselves.
Their hostility to ethical imperatives causes them to lose sight of all moral values; and
their consequent mutual discord and "perverseness" gives rise to unending strife among
themselves for the sake of worldly gain and power: they kill one another in great numbers,
and torture and mutilate one another in great numbers, with the result that whole communities
are wiped out or, as the Qur'an puts it, "banished from [the face of] the earth". It is
this interpretation alone that takes full account of all the expressions occurring in this
verse - the reference to "great numbers" in connection with deeds of extreme violence, the
"banishment from the earth", and, lastly, the fact that these horrors are expressed in
the terms used by Pharaoh, the "enemy of God".
46 I.e. before belief in God and in the ethical principles decreed by Him becomes prevalent:
for, in that event, repentance on the part of "those who make war on God and His apostle"
would be no more than an act of conforming to the dominant trend and, therefore, of no
moral value whatever. It is to be noted that the exemption from suffering relates to the
hereafter.
5:35
O YOU who have attained to faith! Remain conscious of God, and seek to come closer unto Him, and strive hard in His cause, so that you might attain to a happy state. (5:36) Verily, if those who are bent on denying the truth had all that is on earth, and twice as much,47 to offer as ransom from suffering on the Day of Resurrection, it would not be accepted from them: for grievous suffering awaits them. (5:37) They will wish to come out of the fire, but they shall not come out of it; and long-lasting suffering awaits them.
5:38
NOW AS FOR the man who steals and the woman who steals, cut off the hand of either of them in requital for what they have wrought, as a deterrent ordained by God:48 for God is almighty, wise. (5:39) But as for him who repents after having thus done wrong, and makes amends,49 behold, God will accept his repentance: verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
47 Lit., "and the like with it".
48 The extreme severity of this Qur'anic punishment can be understood only if one bears in
mind the fundamental principle of Islamic Law that no duty (taklif) is ever imposed on man
without his being granted a corresponding right (haqq); and the term "duty" also comprises,
in this context, liability to punishment. Now, among the inalienable rights of every member
of the Islamic society - Muslim and non-Muslim alike - is the right to protection (in every
sense of the word) by the community as a whole. As is evident from innumerable Qur'anic
ordinances as well as the Prophet's injunctions forthcoming from authentic Traditions, every
citizen is entitled to a share in the community's economic resources and, thus, to the
enjoyment of social security: in other words, he or she must be assured of an equitable
standard of living commensurate with the resources at the disposal of the community. For,
although the Qur'an makes it clear that human life cannot be expressed in terms of physical
existence alone - the ultimate values of life being spiritual in nature - the believers are
not entitled to look upon spiritual truths and values as something that could be divorced
from the physical and social factors of human existence. In short, Islam envisages and
demands a society that provides not only for the spiritual needs of man, but for his bodily
and intellectual needs as well. It follows, therefore, that - in order to be truly Islamic -
a society (or state) must be so constituted that every individual, man and woman, may
enjoy that minimum of material well-being and security without which there can be no human
dignity, no real freedom and, in the last resort, no spiritual progress: for, there can
be no real happiness and strength in a society that permits some of its members to suffer
undeserved want while others have more than they need. If the whole society suffers privations
owing to circumstances beyond its control (as happened, for instance, to the Muslim community
in the early days of Islam), such shared privations may become a source of spiritual strength
and, through it, of future greatness. But if the available resources of a community are so
unevenly distributed that certain groups within it live in affluence while the majority of
the people are forced to use up all their energies in search of their daily bread, poverty
becomes the 'most dangerous enemy of spiritual progress, and occasionally drives whole
communities away from God-consciousness and into the arms of soul-destroying materialism.
It was undoubtedly this that the Prophet had in mind when he uttered the warning words
(quoted by As-Suyuti in Al-Jami' as-Saghir), "Poverty may well turn into a denial of the
truth (kufr)." Consequently, the social legislation of Islam aims at a state of affairs in
which every man, woman and child has (a) enough to eat and wear, (b) an adequate home,
(c) equal opportunities and facilities for education, and (d) free medical care in health
and in sickness. A corollary of these rights is the right to productive and remunerative
work while of working age and in good health, and a provision (by the community or the state)
of adequate nourishment, shelter, etc. in cases of disability resulting from illness, widowhood,
enforced unemployment, old age, or under-age. As already mentioned, the communal obligation
to create such a comprehensive social security scheme has been laid down in many Qur'anic
verses, and has been amplified and explained by a great number of the Prophet's commandments.
It was the second Caliph, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, who began to translate these ordinances into
a concrete administrative scheme (see Ibn Sad , Tabaqat III/1, 213-217); but after his
premature death, his successors had neither the vision nor the statesmanship to continue
his unfinished work.
It is against the background of this social security scheme envisaged by Islam that the
Qur'an imposes the severe sentence of hand-cutting as a deterrent punishment for robbery.
Since, under the circumstances outlined above, "temptation" cannot be admitted as a justifiable
excuse, and since, in the last resort, the entire socio-economic system of Islam is based
on the faith of its adherents, its balance is extremely delicate and in need of constant,
strictly-enforced protection. In a community in which everyone is assured of full security
and social justice, any attempt on the part of an individual to achieve an easy, unjustified
gain at the expense of other members of the community must be considered an attack against
the system as a whole, and must be punished as such: and, therefore, the above ordinance which
lays down that the hand of the thief shall be cut off. One must, however, always bear in mind
the principle mentioned at the beginning of this note: namely, the absolute interdependence
between man's rights and corresponding duties (including liability to punishment). In a
community or state which neglects or is unable to provide complete social security for all
its members, the temptation to enrich oneself by illegal means often becomes irresistible -
and, consequently, theft cannot and should not be punished as severely as it should be
punished in a state in which social security is a reality in the full sense of the word. If
the society is unable to fulfil its duties with regard to every one of its members, it has
no right to invoke the full sanction of criminal law (hadd) against the individual transgressor,
but must confine itself to milder forms of administrative punishment. (It was in correct
appreciation of this principle that the great Caliph 'Umar waived the hadd of hand-cutting
in a period of famine which afflicted Arabia during his reign.) To sum up, one may safely
conclude that the cutting-off of a hand in punishment for theft is applicable only within
the context of an already-existing, fully functioning social security scheme, and in no
other circumstances.
49 I.e., by restituting the stolen goods before being apprehended by the authorities (Manor VI, 382).
5:40
Dost thou not know that God's is the dominion over the heavens and the earth? He chastises whom He wills, and He forgives whom He wills: for God has the power to will anything.
5:41
O APOSTLE! Be not grieved by those who vie with one another in denying the truth: such as those50 who say with their mouths, "We believe," the while their hearts do not believe; and such of the Jewish faith as eagerly listen to any falsehood, eagerly listen to other people without having come to thee [for enlightenment].51 They distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them out of their context, saying [to themselves], "If such-and-such [teaching] is vouchsafed unto you, accept it; but if it is not vouchsafed unto you, be on your guard!"52
[Be not grieved by them -] for, if God wills anyone to be tempted to evil, thou canst in no wise prevail with God in his behalf.53
It is they whose hearts God is not willing to cleanse. Theirs shall be ignominy in this world, and awesome suffering in the life to come -(5:42) those who eagerly listen to any falsehood, greedily swallowing all that is evil!54 Hence, if they come to thee [for judgment],55 thou mayest either judge between them or leave them alone: for, if thou leave them alone, they cannot harm thee in any way. But if thou dost judge, judge between them with equity:56 verily, God knows those who act equitably.56
50 Lit., "from among those".
51 Although this verse is, in the first instance, addressed to the Prophet, it concerns
all followers of the Qur'an and is, therefore, valid for all times. The same observation
applies to the people of whom this verse speaks: although it mentions only the hypocrites
and the Jews, it refers, by implication, to all people who are prejudiced against Islam
and willingly lend ear to any false statement about its teachings, preferring to listen
to unfriendly non-Muslim "experts" rather than to turn to the Qur'an itself for
enlightenment - which is the meaning of the phrase, "without having come to thee
[O Muhammad]".
52 I.e., they are prepared to accept such of the Qur'anic teachings as might suit their
preconceived notions, but are not prepared to accept anything that goes against their
own inclinations.
53 This connects with the beginning of this verse; hence my interpolation. For the meaning
of fitnah, see surah 8, note 25.
54 The noun suht is derived from the verb sahata, "he utterly destroyed [a thing]", and
signifies, primarily, the "doing of anything that leads to destruction" because it is
abominable and, therefore, forbidden (Lisan al-'Arab). Hence, it denotes anything that
is evil itself. In the above context, the intensive expression akkalun li's-suht may denote
"those who greedily devour all that is forbidden" (i.e., illicit gain), or, more probably,
"those who greedily swallow all that is evil" - i.e., every false statement made about
the Qur'an by its enemies with a view to destroying its impact.
55 I.e., as to what is right and what is wrong in the sight of God. Most of the commentators
assume that this passage refers to a specific judicial case, or cases, which the Jews of
Medina brought before the Prophet for decision; but in view of the inherent Qur'anic
principle that every historical reference contained in it has also a general import,
I rather believe that the "judgment" alluded to in this verse relates to deciding as
to whether any of their beliefs - other than those which the Qur'an explicitly confirms
or rejects - is right or wrong.
56 I.e., on the basis of the ethical laws revealed by God, and not personal, arbitrary
likes or dislikes.
5:43
But how is it that they ask thee for judgment - seeing that they have the Torah, containing God's injunctions - and thereafter turn away [from thy judgment]? Such as these, then, are no [true] believers.57
5:44
Verily, it is We who bestowed from on high the Torah, wherein there was guidance and light. On its strength did the prophets, who had surrendered themselves unto God, deliver judgment unto those who followed the Jewish faith;58 and so did the [early] men of God and the rabbis, inasmuch as some of God's writ had been entrusted to their care;59 and they [all] bore witness to its truth.
Therefore, [O children of Israel,] hold not men in awe, but stand in awe of Me; and do not barter away My messages for a trifling gain:60 for they who do not judge in accordance with what God has bestowed from on high are, indeed, deniers of the truth!
5:45
And We ordained for them in that [Torah]: A life for a life, and an eye for an eye, and a nose for a nose, and an ear for an ear, and a tooth for a tooth, and a [similar] retribution for wounds;61 but he who shall forgo it out of charity will atone thereby for some of his past sins.62 And they who do not judge in accordance with what God has revealed - they, they are the evildoers!
57 This verse illustrates the strange mentality of the Jews, who - despite the fact that
they believe the Torah to contain all of the Divine Law - surreptitiously turn to a
religious dispensation in which they do not believe in the hope that its verdict on
certain ethical questions might confirm some of their own wishful beliefs which happen
to run counter to the Torah. In other words, they are not really prepared to submit to
the judgment of the Torah - although they assert their belief in it - nor the judgment
of the Qur'an, which confirms some of the laws of the Torah and abrogates others: for,
as soon as they come to realize that the Qur'an does not agree with their preconceived
ideas, they turn away from it.
58 Implying that the Law of Moses (the Torah) was intended only for the children of Israel,
and was never meant to have universal validity.
59 The expression "some of God's writ (kitab)" implies that the Torah did not exhaust the
whole of God's revelation, and that more was yet to be revealed. For an explanation of
the term rabbaniyun, see surah 3, note 62.
60 I.e., for the illusory feeling of superiority based on the spurious belief that the
children of Israel are "God's chosen people" and, therefore, the sole recipients of God's
grace and revelation. The "messages" referred to in this sentence relate to the Qur'an
as well as to the Biblical prophecies concerning the advent of Muhammad.
61 See Exodus xxi, 23 ff., where details of the extremely harsh penalties provided under
Mosaic Law are given.
62 Lit., "it shall be an atonement for him". The Pentateuch does not contain this call to
forgiveness which is brought out with great clarity not only in the Qur'an but also in
the teachings of Jesus; especially in the Sermon on the Mount: and this, read in conjunction
with the following verses, would seem to be an allusion to the time-bound quality of Mosaic
Law. Alternatively, the above admonition may have been part of the original teachings of
the Torah which have been subsequently corrupted or deliberately abandoned by its followers,
whom the Qur'an accuses of "distorting the meaning of the revealed words" (see verse 41 above).
5:46
And We caused Jesus, the son of Mary, to follow in the footsteps of those [earlier prophets], confirming the truth of whatever there still remained63 of the Torah; and We vouchsafed unto him the Gospel, wherein there was guidance and light, confirming the truth of whatever there still remained of the Torah, and as a guidance and admonition unto the God-conscious. (5:47) Let, then, the followers of the Gospel judge in accordance with what God has revealed therein: for they who do not judge in the light of what God has bestowed from on high - it is they, they who are truly iniquitous!
5:48
And unto thee [O Prophet] have We vouchsafed this divine writ, setting forth the truth, confirming the truth of whatever there still remains of earlier revelations and determining what is true therein.64 Judge, then, between the followers of earlier revelation in accordance with what God has bestowed from on high,65 and do not follow their errant views, forsaking the truth that has come unto thee.
Unto every one of you have We appointed a [different] law and way of life.66 And if God had so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community: but [He willed it otherwise] in order to test you by means of what He has vouchsafed unto, you.67 Vie, then, with one another in doing good works! Unto God you all must return; and then He will make you truly understand all that on which you were wont to differ.68
5:49
Hence, judge between the followers of earlier revelation69 in accordance with what God has bestowed from on high, and do not follow their errant views; and beware of them, lest they tempt thee away from aught that God has bestowed from on high upon thee. And if they turn away [from His commandments], then know that it is but God's will [thus] to afflict them for some of their sins:70 for, behold, a great many people are iniquitous indeed. (5:50) Do they, perchance, desire [to be ruled by] the law of pagan ignorance?71 But for people who have inner certainty, who could be a better law-giver than God?
63 Regarding the meaning of ma bayna yadayhi (lit., "that which was between his [or "its"]
hands") occurring twice in this verse, as well as in verse 48, see surah 3, note 3.
64 The participle muhaymin is derived from the quadriliteral verb haymana, "he watched
[over a thing]" or "controlled [it]", and is used here to describe the Qur'an as the
determinant factor in deciding what is genuine and what is false in the earlier scriptures
(see Manar VI, 410 ff.).
65 Lit., "judge, then, between them...", etc. This apparently applies not merely to judicial
cases but also to opinions as to what is right or wrong in the ethical sense (see note 55
above). As is evident from the mention of the "followers of the Gospel" in the preceding
verse, and of the Torah in the earlier passages, the people spoken of here are both the Jews
and the Christians.
66 The expression "every one of you" denotes the various communities of which mankind is
composed. The term shir'ah (or shari ah) signifies, literally, "the way to a watering-place"
(from which men and animals derive the element indispensable to their life), and is used in
the Qur'an to denote a system of law necessary for a community's social and spiritual welfare.
The term minhaj, on the other hand, denotes an "open road", usually in an abstract sense:
that is, "a way of life". The terms shir'ah and minhaj are more restricted in their meaning
than the term din, which comprises not merely the laws relating to a particular religion but
also the basic, unchanging spiritual truths which, according to the Qur'an, have been preached
by every one of God's apostles, while the particular body of laws (shir'ah or shari'ah)
promulgated through them, and the way of life (minhaj) recommended by them, varied in accordance
with the exigencies of the time and of each community's cultural development. This "unity
in diversity" is frequently stressed in the Qur'an (e.g., in the first sentence of 2:148,
in 21:92-93, or in 23:52 ff.). Because of the universal applicability and textual incorruptibility
of its teachings - as well as of the fact that the Prophet Muhammad is "the seal of all prophets",
i.e., the last of them (see 33:40) - the Qur'an represents the culminating point of all
revelation and offers the final, perfect way to spiritual fulfilment. This uniqueness of the
Qur'anic message does not, however, preclude all adherents of earlier faiths from attaining to
God's grace: for - as the Qur'an so often points out - those among them who believe
uncompromisingly in the One God and the Day of Judgment (i.e., in individual moral responsibility)
and live righteously "need have no fear, and neither shall they grieve".
67 I.e., "in order to test, by means of the various religious laws imposed on you, your
willingness to surrender yourselves to God and to obey Him" (Zamakhshari, Razi), "and thus
to enable you to grow, spiritually and socially, in accordance with the God-willed law
of evolution" (Manar VI, 418 f.).
68 Lit., "inform you of that wherein you used to differ" (cf. surah 2, note 94). Thus, the
Qur'an impresses upon all who believe in God - Muslims and non-Muslims alike - that the
differences in their religious practices should make them "vie with one another in doing
good works" rather than lose themselves in mutual hostility.
69 Lit., "between them": see notes 55 and 65 above.
70 The implication is that a conscious disregard of God's commandments brings with it
its own punishment: namely, a gradual corruption of the community's moral values and,
thus, growing social disruption and internecine conflict.
71 By "pagan ignorance" (jahiliyyah) is meant here not merely the time before the advent of
the Prophet Muhammad but, in general, a state of affairs characterized by a lack of moral
perception and a submission of all personal and communal concerns to the criterion of
"expediency" alone: that is, exclusively to the consideration as to whether a particular
aim or action is useful or damaging (in the short-term, practical sense of these words) to
the interests of the person concerned or of the community to which he belongs. Inasmuch as
this "law of expediency" is fundamentally opposed to the concepts of morality preached by
every higher religion, it is described in the Qur'an as "the law (hukm) of pagan ignorance".
5:51
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for your allies: they are but allies of one another72- and whoever of you allies himself with them becomes, verily, one of them; behold, God does not guide such evildoers.73
5:52
And yet thou canst see how those in whose hearts there is disease vie with one another for their good will,74 saying [to themselves], "We fear lest fortune turn against us." But God may well bring about good fortune [for the believers] or any [other] event of His own devising,75 whereupon those [waverers] will be smitten with remorse for the thoughts which they had secretly harboured within themselves - (5:53) while those who have attained to faith will say [to one another], "Are these the self-same people who swore by God with their most solemn oaths that they were indeed with you? In vain are all their works, for now they are lost!"
5:54
O you who have attained to faith! If you ever abandon your faith,76 God will in time bring forth [in your stead] people whom He loves and who love Him - humble towards the believers, proud towards all who deny the truth: [people] who strive hard in God's cause, and do not fear to be censured by anyone who might censure them: such is God's favour, which He grants unto whom He wills. And God is infinite, all-knowing.
72 According to most of the commentators (e.g., Tabari), this means that each of these two
communities extends genuine friendship only to its own adherents - i.e., the Jews to the Jews,
and the Christians to the Christians - and cannot, therefore, be expected to be really
friendly towards the followers of the Qur'an. See also 8:73, and the corresponding note.
73 Lit., "the evildoing folk": i.e., those who deliberately sin in this respect. As regards
the meaning of the "alliance" referred to here, see 3:28, and more particularly 4:139 and
the corresponding note, which explains the reference to a believer's loss of his moral
identity if he imitates the way of life of, or - in Qur'anic terminology - "allies himself"
with, non-Muslims. However, as has been made abundantly clear in 60:7-9 (and implied in
verse 57 of this surah), this prohibition of a "moral alliance" with non-Muslims does not
constitute an injunction against normal, friendly relations with such of them as are
well-disposed towards Muslims. It should be borne in mind that the term wall has several
shades of meaning: "ally", "friend", "helper", "protector", etc. The choice of the particular
term - and sometimes a combination of two terms - is always dependent on the context.
74 Lit., "vie with one another concerning them" - the pronoun referring to the hostile Jews
and Christians, for whose good-will the hypocrites within the Muslim community vie with
one another by trying to imitate their way of life.
75 Lit., "from Himself". Some of the commentators assume that the word fath (lit., "victory" or
"triumph") occurring in this sentence is a prophetic reference to the conquest of Mecca by
the Muslims. This assumption, however, cannot be correct since Mecca was already in the
hands of the Muslims at the time of the revelation of this surah. Hence, the term fath
has obviously been used here in its primary significance of "opening" - namely, the opening
of good fortune. (Cf. the idiomatic expression futiha 'aid fulan, "so-and-so became fortunate"
or "possessed of good fortune", mentioned in Zamakhshari's Asas and in the Taj al-'Arus.)
The "other event of God's own devising" may conceivably refer to a divine punishment of the
hypocrites apart from the good fortune that might be in store for the true believers.
76 Lit., "whosoever from among you abandons his faith" - i.e., in result of having placed
his reliance on non-Muslims who are hostile to Islam, and having taken them for his "allies"
and spiritual mentors.
5:55
Behold, your only helper shall be God, and His Apostle, and those who have attained to faith - those that are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and bow down [before God]: (5:56) for, all who ally themselves with God and His Apostle and those who have attained to faith - behold, it is they, the partisans of God, who shall be victorious!
5:57
O you who have attained to faith! Do not take for your friends such as mock at your, faith and make a jest of it - be they from among those who have been vouchsafed revelation before your time, or [from among] those who deny the truth [of revelation as such] - but remain conscious of God, if you are [truly] believers: (5:58) for, when you call to prayer, they mock at it and make a jest of it - simply because they are people who do not use their reason.
5:59
Say: "O followers of earlier revelation! Do you find fault with us for no other reason than that we believe in God [alone], and in that which He has bestowed from on high upon us as well as that which He has bestowed aforetime? - or [is it only] because most of you are iniquitous?"
5:60
Say: "Shall I tell you who, in the sight of God, deserves a yet worse retribution than these? They whom God has rejected and whom He has condemned, and whom He has turned into apes and swine because they worshipped the powers of evil:77 these are yet worse in station, and farther astray from the right path [than the mockers].78
5:61
For, when they come unto you, they say, "We do believe": whereas, in fact, they come with the resolve to deny the truth, and depart in the same state.79 But God is fully aware of all that they would conceal. (5:62) And thou canst see many of them vie with one another in sinning and tyrannical conduct and in their swallowing of all that is evil. (5:63) Why do not their men of God and their rabbis80 forbid them to make sinful assertions and to swallow all that is evil? Vile indeed is what they contrive!
77 Contrary to many of the commentators who take this reference to "apes and swine" in a
literal sense, the famous tabi'i Mujahid explains it as a metaphorical description (mathal)
of the moral degradation which such sinners undergo: they become wildly unpredictable like
apes, and as abandoned to the pursuit of lusts as swine (Manor VI, 448). This interpretation
has also been quoted by Tabari in his commentary on 2:65. - As regards the expression
"powers of evil" (at-,taghut), see surah 2, note 250.
78 As is evident from the following verses, the sinners who are even worse than the mockers
are the hypocrites, and particularly those among them who claim to be followers of the Bible:
for the obvious reason that, having been enlightened through revelation, they have no excuse
for their behaviour. Although in verse 64 the Jews are specifically mentioned, the reference
to the Gospel in verse 66 makes it clear that the Christians, too, cannot be exempted from
this blame.
79 Lit., "they come in with a denial of the truth and depart with it".
80 According to Baghawi', the rabbaniyun ("men of God" - see surah 3, note 62) stand, in this 156
context, for the spiritual leaders of the Christians, and the ahbar for the Jewish scholars
("rabbis"). Regarding the "swallowing of evil", see note 54 above.
5:64
And the Jews say, "God's hand is shackled!" It is their own hands that are shackled; and rejected [by God] are they because of this their assertion.81 Nay, but wide are His hands stretched out: He dispenses [bounty] as He wills. But all that has been bestowed from on high upon thee [O Prophet] by thy Sustainer is bound to make many of them yet more stubborn in their overweening arrogance and in their denial of the truth.
And so We have cast enmity and hatred among the followers of the Bible,82 [to last] until Resurrection Day; every time they light the fires of war, God extinguishes them;83 and they labour hard to spread corruption on earth: and God does not love the spreaders of corruption.
5:65
If the followers of the Bible would but attain to [true] faith and God-consciousness, We should indeed efface their [previous] bad deeds, and indeed bring them into gardens of bliss; (5:66) and if they would but truly observe the Torah and the Gospel and all [the revelation] that has been bestowed from on high upon them by their Sustainer, they would indeed partake of all the blessings of heaven and earth. Some of them do pursue a right course; but as for most of them - vile indeed is what they do!84
81 The phrase "one's hand is shackled" is a metaphorical expression denoting niggardliness,
just as its opposite - "his hand is stretched out wide" - signifies generosity (Zamakhshari).
However, these two phrases have a wider meaning as well, namely, "lack of power" and "unlimited
power", respectively (Razi). It would appear that the Jews of Medina, seeing the poverty of
the Muslims, derided the latters' conviction that they were struggling in God's cause and
that the Qur'an was divinely revealed. Thus, the "saying" of the Jews mentioned in this
verse, "God's hand is shackled", as well as the parallel one in 3:181, "God is poor while
we are rich", is an elliptical description of their attitude towards Islam and the Muslims -
an attitude of disbelief and sarcasm which could be thus paraphrased: "If it were true that
you Muslims are doing God's will, He would have bestowed upon you power and riches; but
your poverty and your weakness contradict your claim - or else this claim of yours amounts,
in effect, to saying that God cannot help you." This outstanding example of the elliptic
mode of expression (ijaz) so often employed in the Qur'an has, however, a meaning that goes
far beyond the historical circumstances to which it refers: it illustrates an attitude of
mind which mistakenly identifies worldly riches or power with one's being, spiritually, "on
the right way". In the next sentence the Qur'an takes issue with this attitude and declares,
in an equally elliptical manner, that all who see in material success an alleged evidence of
God's approval are blind to spiritual truths and, therefore, morally powerless and utterly
self-condemned in the sight of God.
82 Lit., "among them". The personal pronoun refers to the hypocritical followers of the Bible -
both the Jews and the Christians - spoken of in verses 57-63 (Tabari); cf. verse 14 of this
surah, which makes a similar statement with regard to such of the Christians as "have
forgotten much of what they had been told to bear in mind".
83 I.e., He does not allow any of the warring parties to resolve their conflicts through
a final victory, with the result that they continue to live in a state of "enmity
and hatred".
84 The expression "partake of all the blessings of heaven and earth" (lit., "eat from above
them and from beneath their feet") is an allusion to the blessing which accompanies the
realization of a spiritual truth, as well as to the social happiness which is bound to
follow an observance of the moral principles laid down in the genuine teachings of the
Bible. It should be borne in mind that the phrase "if they would but truly observe
(law annahum aqdmu) the Torah and the Gospel", etc., implies an observance of those
scriptures in their genuine spirit, free of the arbitrary distortions due to that "wishful
thinking" of which the Qur'an so often accuses the Jews and the Christians such as the
Jewish concept of "the chosen people", or the Christian doctrines relating to the alleged
divinity of Jesus and the "vicarious redemption" of his followers.
5:67
O APOSTLE! Announce all that has been bestowed from on high upon thee by thy Sustainer: for unless thou doest it fully, thou wilt not have delivered His message [at all]. And God will protect thee from [unbelieving] men: behold, God does not guide people who refuse to acknowledge the truth.
(68) Say: "O followers of the Bible! You have no valid ground for your beliefs - unless you [truly] observe the Torah and the Gospel, and all that has been bestowed from on high upon you by your Sustainer!85
Yet all that has been bestowed from on high upon thee [O Prophet] by thy Sustainer is bound to make many of them yet more stubborn in their overweening arrogance and in their denial of the truth. But sorrow not over people who deny the truth: (5:69) for, verily, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Sabians,86 and the Christians - all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.
5:70
INDEED, We accepted a solemn pledge from the children of Israel, and We sent apostles unto them; [but] every time an apostle came unto them with anything that was not to their liking, [they rebelled:] to some of them they gave the lie, while others they would slay,87 (5:71) thinking that no harm would befall them; and so they became blind and deaf [of heart]. Thereafter God accepted their repentance: and again many of them became blind and deaf. But God sees all that they do.
85 I.e., all the other God-inspired books of the Old Testament which stress the oneness of
God and are full of prophecies relating to the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (Razi).
This must be understood in conjunction with the oft-repeated Qur'anic statement that the
Bible, as it exists now, has undergone many textual changes and corruptions.
86 See surah 2, note 49.
87 Lit., "and some they are slaying". Regarding the significance of the change from the past
to the present tense (yaqtulun), see surah 2, note 72.
5:72
Indeed, the truth deny they who say, "Behold, God is the Christ, son of Mary" - seeing that the Christ [himself] said, "O children of Israel! Worship God [alone], who is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer."88 Behold, whoever ascribes divinity to any being beside God, unto him will God deny paradise, and his goal shall be the fire: and such evildoers will have none to succour them!
5:73
Indeed, the truth deny they who say, "Behold, God is the third of a trinity" - seeing that there is no deity whatever save the One God. And unless they desist from this their assertion, grievous suffering is bound to befall such of them as are bent on denying the truth. (5:74) Will they not, then, turn towards God in repentance, and ask His forgiveness? For God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
5:75
The Christ, son of Mary, was but an apostle: all [other] apostles had passed away before him; and his mother was one who never deviated from the truth; and they both ate food [like other mortals].89
Behold how clear We make these messages unto them: and then behold how perverted are their minds!90 (5:76) Say: "Would you worship, beside God, aught that has no power either to harm or to benefit you - when God alone is all-hearing, all-knowing?"
5:77
Say: "O followers of the Gospel! Do not overstep the bounds [of truth] in your religious beliefs;91 and do not follow the errant views of people who have gone astray aforetime, and have led many [others] astray, and are still straying from the right path."92
88 Cf. Matthew iv; 10; Luke iv, 8; John xx, 17.
89 The purport of this passage is that Jesus was but a mortal like all the other apostles
who lived before him, and that Mary never claimed to be "the mother of God".
90 Lit., "how turned away they are [from the truth]". Primarily, the verb afaka signifies
"he turned [someone or something] away"; in an abstract sense it often denotes "he uttered
a lie" (because it implies a turning away from the truth). The passive form ufika has
frequently the meaning of "he was turned away from his opinion" (or "from his judgment")
and, thus, "his mind became perverted" or "deluded". (Cf. Qamus and Taj al-'Arus;
also Lane 1, 69.)
91 Cf.4:171. This passage, like the preceding ones, is obviously addressed to the Christians,
whose love for Jesus has caused them to "overstep the bounds of truth" by elevating him
to the rank of divinity; therefore my rendering, in this context, of ahl al-kitab as
"followers of the Gospel".
92 Lit., "have gone astray from the right path": i.e., are persisting in this condition until
now (Razi): an allusion to the many communities who, in the course of time, have come to
attribute divinity to their spiritual leaders - a phenomenon frequently encountered
in the history of religions.
5:78
THOSE of the children of Israel who were bent on denying the truth have [already] been cursed by the tongue of David and of Jesus, the son of Mary?93 this, because they rebelled [against God] and persisted in transgressing the bounds of what is right. (5:79) They would not prevent one another from doing whatever hateful things they did: vile indeed was what they were wont to do!
5:80
[And now] thou canst see many of them allying themselves with those who are bent on denying the truth! [So] vile indeed is what their passions make them do94 that God has condemned them; and in suffering shall they abide. (5:81) For, if they [truly] believed in God and their Prophet95 and all that was bestowed upon him from on high, they would not take those [deniers of the truth] for their allies: but most of them are iniquitous.
5:82
Thou wilt surely find that, of all people, the most hostile to those who believe [in this divine writ] are the Jews as well as those who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God; and thou wilt surely find that, of all people,96 they who say, "Behold, we are Christians," come closest to feeling affection for those who believe [in this divine writ]: this is so because there are priests and monks among them, and because these are not given to arrogance.97 (5:83) For, when they come to understand what has been bestowed from on high upon this Apostle, thou canst see their eyes overflow with tears, because they recognize something of its truth;98 [and] they say: "O our Sustainer! We do believe; make us one, then, with all who bear witness to the truth. (5:84) And how could we fail to believe in God and in whatever truth has come unto us, when we so fervently desire that our Sustainer count us among the righteous?"
93 Cf. Psalms lxxviii, 21-22, 31-33, and passim; also Matthew xii, 34, and xxiii, 33-35.
94 Lit., "what their passions (anfusuhum) have proffered to them". (Regarding the rendering
of nafs as "passion", see note 37 on verse 30 of this surah.) What is alluded to here is
their stubborn belief that they are "God's chosen people" and, consequently, their rejection
of any revelation that may have been vouchsafed to others.
95 Lit., "the Prophet". According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the prophet referred to is Moses,
whom the Jews claim to follow - a claim which the Qur'an denies by implication.
96 Lit., "of them".
97 I.e., they do not believe, as do the Jews, that revelation is God's exclusive gift to the
children of Israel; and their "priests and monks" teach them that humility is the essence
of all true faith. - It is noteworthy that the Qur'an does not in this context include the
Christians among "those who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God" (alladhina
ashraku - the element of intent being expressed in the use of the past tense, similar to
alladhina kafaru, alladhina zalamu, etc.): for although, by their deification of Jesus,
they are guilty of the sin of shirk ("the ascribing of divinity to anyone or anything beside
God"), the Christians do not consciously worship a plurality of deities inasmuch as,
theoretically, their theology postulates belief in the One God, who is conceived as manifesting
Himself in a trinity of aspects, or "persons", of whom Jesus is supposed to be one. However
repugnant this doctrine may be to the teachings of the Qur'an, their shirk is not based on
conscious intent, but rather flows from their "overstepping the bounds of truth" in their
veneration of Jesus (see 4:171, 5:77). Cf. in this context Razi's remarks mentioned in
note 16 on 6:23.
98 Regarding this rendering of the phrase mimma 'arafu min al-haqq, see Zamakhshari and Razi;
also Manar VII, 12. As for my translation of the expression idha sami'u as "when they come
to understand", it is to be noted that beyond its primary significance of "he heard", the
verb sami'a has often the meaning of "he understood" or "came to understand" (cf. Lane IV,
1427).
5:85
And for this their belief99 God will reward them with gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide: for such is the requital of the doers of good; (5:86) whereas they who are bent on denying the truth and giving the lie to Our messages - they are destined for the blazing fire.
5:87
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not deprive yourselves of the good things of life which God has made lawful to you,100 but do not transgress the bounds of what is right: verily, God does not love those who transgress the bounds of what is right. (5:88) Thus, partake of the lawful, good things which God grants you as sustenance, and be conscious of God, in whom you believe.
5:89
GOD will not take you to task for oaths which you may have uttered without thought,101 but He will take you to task for oaths which you have sworn in earnest. Thus, the breaking of an oath must be atoned for by102 feeding ten needy persons with more or less the same food as you are wont to give to your own families,103 or by clothing them, or by freeing a human being from bondage; and he who has not the wherewithal shall fast for three days [instead]. This shall be the atonement for your oaths whenever you have sworn [and broken them]. But be mindful of your oaths!104
Thus God makes clear unto you His messages, so that you might have cause to be grateful.
99 Lit., "for what they have said" - i.e., expressed as their belief (Zamakhshari).
100 Most of the commentators - including Tabari, Zamakhshari and Razi - explain the expression
la tuharrimu (lit., "do not forbid" or "do not declare as forbidden") in the sense given by
me above, and take it to refer to the self-mortification practiced, in particular, by Christian
priests and monks. The term at-tayyibat comprises all that is good and wholesome in life -
"the delightful things which human beings desire and towards which their hearts incline"
(Tabari): hence my rendering, "the good things of life".
101 Lit., "for a thoughtless word (laghw) in your oaths". This refers primarily to oaths aiming
at denying to oneself something which the Law of Islam does not prohibit (i.e.. "the good
things of life"); and, generally, to all oaths uttered without premeditation, e.g., under
the influence of anger (cf. 2:224-225; also 38:44 and the corresponding note 4l).
102 Lit., "its atonement shall be" - the pronoun referring to the (implied) sin of breaking
an oath. It is obvious from the context that this possibility of atonement relates only to
"oaths uttered without thought", and not to deliberate undertakings affecting other persons
which-as has been explicitly stated in the opening sentence of this surah - a believer is
bound to observe faithfully to the best of his ability. Regarding exceptions from this general
rule, see surah 2, note 212.
103 Lit., "the average of what you feed your families with".
104 Le., "do not make them lightly or often" (Razi).
5:90
O YOU who have attained to faith! Intoxicants, and games of chance, and idolatrous practices, and the divining of the future are but a loathsome evil of Satan's doing:105 shun it, then, so that you might attain to a happy state! (5:91) By means of intoxicants and games of chance Satan seeks only to sow enmity and hatred among you, and to turn you away from the remembrance of God and from prayer. Will you not, then, desist?106
5:92
Hence, pay heed unto God, and pay heed unto the Apostle, and be ever on your guard [against evil]; and if you turn away, then know that Our Apostle's only duty is a clear delivery of the message [entrusted to him].107
5:93
Those who have attained to faith and do righteous deeds incur no sin by partaking of whatever they may,108 so long as they are conscious of God and [truly] believe and do righteous deeds, and continue to be conscious of God and to believe, and grow ever more 109 conscious of God, and persevere in doing good: for God loves the doers of good.
105 According to all the lexicographers, the word khamr (derived from the verb khamara,
"he concealed" or "obscured") denotes every substance the use of which obscures the intellect,
i.e., intoxicates. Hence, the prohibition of intoxicants laid down in this verse comprises
not merely alcoholic drinks, but also drugs which have a similar effect. The only exception
from this total prohibition arises in cases of "dire necessity" (in the strictest sense of
these words), as stipulated in the last sentence of verse 3 of this surah: that is to say,
in cases where illness or a bodily accident makes the administration of intoxicating drugs
or of alcohol imperative and unavoidable. - As regards the expression "idolatrous practices"
(ansab, lit., "idolatrous altars"), see note 8 of this surah. This term has, I believe, been
used here metaphorically, and is meant to circumscribe all practices of an idolatrous nature -
like saint-worship, the attribution of "magic" properties to certain inanimate objects, the
observance of all manner of superstitious taboos, and so forth. - For an explanation of the
expression rendered by me as "divining of the future" (al-azlam, lit., "divining-arrows"),
see note 9 on the second paragraph of verse 3 of this surah.
106 Lit., "Will you, then, desist?" - a rhetorical question implying the necessity of desisting,
which can be expressed in English only by the use of the negative form.
107 This implies that he cannot force people to believe, and cannot, therefore, be held responsible
for their failure to do so.
108 Lit., "in whatever they eat" or "taste" (fi-ma ta'imu). The verb ta'ima, which primarily
signifies "he ate", applies to eating and drinking as well as - metaphorically - to "partaking
of" anything thaat may be desirable. Most of the commentators assume that this verse relates
to the believers who had died before the promulgation of the prohibitions mentioned in verse
90 above. It seems to me, however, that it has a much wider meaning, and relates to the
partaking of "the good things of life"- i.e., to those which have not been prohibited by God
and which, therefore, the believers need not deny themselves (cf. verse 87 above).
109 Lit., "and then (thumma) are...": a sequence expressing growth and intensification (Razi).
Hence, the particle thumma - occurring twice in this sentence - has been rendered by me, in
the first instance, as "[they] continue to be" and, in the second instance, as "[they] grow
ever more [conscious of God]".
5:94
O YOU who have attained to faith! Most certainly God will try you by means of the game which may come within the reach of your hands and your weapons110 [while you are on pilgrimage], so that God might mark out those who fear Him although He is beyond the reach of human perception.111 And as for him who, after all this, transgresses the bounds of what is right-grievous suffering awaits him!
5:95
O you who have attained to faith! Kill no game while you are in the state of pilgrimage. And whoever of you kills it intentionally,112 [shall make] amends in cattle equivalent to what he has killed - with two persons of probity giving their judgment thereon - to be brought as an offering to the Ka'bah;113 or else he may atone for his sin by feeding the needy, or by the equivalent thereof in fasting:114 [this,] in order that he taste the full gravity of his deed, [while] God shall have effaced the past. But whoever does it again, God will inflict His retribution on him: for God is almighty, an avenger of evil. (5:96) Lawful to you is all water-game, and what the sea brings forth,115 as a provision for you [who are settled] as well as for travellers, although you are forbidden to hunt on land while you are in the state of pilgrimage.116 And be conscious of God, unto whom you shall be gathered.
110 Lit., "with something of the game which your hands and your lances [may] reach".
111 With this verse, the Qur'an returns to the prohibition of hunting during pilgrimage
enunciated in verse 1 of this surah. The "trial" arises from the fact that hunting,
although lawful in itself (and therefore included among the things which the believer,
according to the preceding verse, may normally partake of), is prohibited in the state
of pilgrimage. - As regards the expression bi'l ghayb, rendered by me as "although He
is beyond the reach of human perception", see surah 2,. note 3.
112 From the last sentence of this verse it appears that by the "intentional" killing referred
to here only an isolated incident (or a first offence) can be meant, and not a wilful,
persistent "transgressing of the bounds of what is right", which the preceding verse condemns
so severely. It is to be borne in mind that the term "game" (sayd) relates in this context
only to edible animals: for, according to several authentic Traditions, the killing of a
dangerous or highly obnoxious animal - for instance, a snake, a scorpion, a rabid dog, etc.-
is permitted even in the state of pilgrimage.
113 I.e., for distribution among the poor. In this context, the Ka'bah signifies, metonymically,
the sacred precincts of Mecca, and not only the sanctuary itself (Razi). The "two persons
of probity" are supposed to determine the approximate flesh-value of the wild animal which
has been killed, and to decide on this basis as to what domestic animal should be offered
in compensation.
114 Lit., "or [there shall be] an atonement by way of feeding the needy, or an equivalent by
way of fasting". These two alternatives are open to a pilgrim who is too poor to provide a
head or heads of cattle corresponding in value to the game which he has killed, or - in the
last-named alternative - too poor even to feed other poor people. Since neither the Qur'an
nor any authentic Tradition specifies the number of poor to be fed or the number of days of
fasting, these details are obviously left to the conscience of the person concerned.
115 Lit., "the game of the sea and its food". Since the term bahr denotes any large accumulation
of water, the classical commentators and jurists agree in that the above ordinance comprises
all water-game, whether derived from seas, rivers, lakes or ponds (Tabari). The pronoun in
ta'amuhu (lit., "its food") relates to the word bahr, and thus indicates the fish and other
marine animals which may have been cast forth by the waves onto the shore (Tabari, Razi).
Zamakhshari, however, regards the pronoun as relating to the object of the game (sayd) as
such, and, consequently, understands the phrase as meaning "the eating thereof". Either of
these two readings is agreeable with the text inasmuch as the above verse lays down that all
kinds of water-game are lawful to a believer - even if he is in the state of pilgrimage -
whereas hunting on land (sayd al-barn) iis forbidden to the pilgrim.
116 According to Al-Hasan al-Basri (as quoted by Tabari), the "travellers" are, in this
context, synonymous with "pilgrims": in other words, water-game of all descriptions is
lawful to the believers irrespective of whether they are on pilgrimage or not.
5:97
God has laid down that the Ka'bah, the Inviolable Temple, shall be a symbol for all mankind;117 and [so, too, is the sacred month [of pilgrimage] and the garlanded offerings [are symbols] meant to make you aware118 that God is aware of all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, and that God has full knowledge of everything. (5:98) Know that God is severe in retribution - and that God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. (5:99) No more is the Apostle bound to do than deliver the message [entrusted to him]: and God knows all that you do openly, and all that you would conceal.
5:100
Say: "There is no comparison between the bad things and the good things,119 even though very many of the bad things may please thee greatly. Be, then, conscious of God, O you who are endowed with insight, so that you might attain to a happy state!"
117 All hunting, whether by pilgrims or non-pilgrims, is prohibited in the vicinity of
the Ka'bah - i.e., within the precincts of Mecca and its environs - because it is a sanctuary
(amn, see 2 : 125) for all living beings. For its association with Abraham, see 2:125 ff.,
and the corresponding notes. The noun ka'bah, by which, owing to its shape, the sanctuary
has always been known, denotes any "cubical building". It would seem that he who first built
the Ka'bah (for, since the time of Abraham, it has been rebuilt several times, always
in the same shape) consciously chose the simplest three-dimensional form imaginable - a cube -
as a parable of man's humility and awe before the idea of God, whose glory is beyond anything
that man could conceive by way of architectural beauty. This symbolism is clearly expressed
in the term giyam (lit., "support" or "mainstay"), which - in its abstract sense - signifies
"a standard by which [men's] affairs are made sound or improved" (Razi): hence my rendering
of qiyam li'n-nas as "a symbol for all mankind".
118 Lit., "this, so that you may know". The "garlanded offerings" (lit., "offerings and garlands")
are a reference to the sacrificial animals (see note 4 of this surah). Thus, the pilgrimage
and the rites connected, with it are stated to be symbols of man's self-surrender to God.
119 Lit., "the bad things and the good things are not equal".
5:101
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not ask about matters which, if they were to be made manifest to you [in terms of law], might cause you hardship;120 for, if you should ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they might [indeed] be made manifest to you [as laws]. 121 God has absolved [you from any obligation] in this respect: for God is much-forgiving, forbearing.122 (5:102) People before your time have indeed asked such questions - and in result thereof have come to deny the truth.123
120 This verse connects directly with verse 99: "No more is the Apostle bound to do than
deliver the message." Read in conjunction with the sentence, "Today have I perfected your
religious law for you" (occurring in verse 3 of this surah), the above statement implies
that the believers should not try to deduce "additional" laws from the injunctions clearly
laid down as such by the Qur'an or by the Prophet, since this "might cause you hardship -
that is, might (as has indeed happened in the course of the centuries) impose additional
burdens on the believers above and beyond anything that has been stipulated in terms of law
in the Qur'an or in the authentic commandments of the Prophet. On the basis of this verse,
some of the greatest Muslim scholars have concluded that Islamic Law, in its entirety,
consists of no more than the clear-cut injunctions forthcoming from the self-evident (zahir)
wording of the Qur'an and the Prophet's commandments, and that, consequently, it is not
permissible to extend the scope of such self-evident ordinances by means of subjective methods
of deduction. (A most enlightening discussion of this problem is to be found in the Introduction
to Ibn Hazm's Muhalla, vol. I, 56 ff.) This, of course, does not prevent the Muslim community
from evolving, whenever necessary, any amount of additional, temporal legislation in accordance
with the spirit of the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet: but it must be clearly
understood that such additional legislation cannot be regarded as forming part of Islamic
Law (the shari'ah) as such.
121 I.e., with possibly unfortunate consequences. An illustration of this problem has been
provided in the following authentic Tradition, quoted by Muslim on the authority of Abu
Hurayrah. In one of his sermons, the Prophet said: "O my people! God has ordained the pilgrimage
(al-hajj) for you; therefore perform it." Thereupon somebody asked, "Every year, O Apostle of
God?" The Prophet remained silent; and the man repeated his question twice. Then the Prophet
said: "Had I answered 'yes', it would have become incumbent on you [to perform the pilgrimage
every year]: and, indeed, it would have been beyond your ability to do so. Do not ask me
about matters which I leave unspoken: for, behold, there were people before you who went to
their doom because they had put too many questions to their prophets and thereupon disagreed
[about their teachings]. Therefore, if I command you anything, do of it as much as you are
able to do, and if I forbid you anything, abstain from it." Discussing this Tradition,
Ibn Hazm observes: "It circumscribes all the principles of religious law (ahkam ad-din)
from the first to the last - namely: what the Prophet has left unspoken - neither ordering
nor forbidding it - is allowed (mubah), that is, neither forbidden nor obligatory; whatever
he ordered is obligatory (fard), and whatever he forbade is unlawful (haram); and whatever
he ordered us to do is binding on us to the extent of our ability alone" (Muhalla I, 64).
It should be borne in mind that the term "the Prophet" comprises, in this context, the Qur'an
as well, since it was through the Prophet that the Qur'anic message was communicated to mankind.
122 I.e., by leaving certain matters unspoken, God has left them to man's discretion, thus
enabling him to act in accordance with his conscience and the best interests of the community.
123 Following -Ibn Hazm's principles of jurisprudence, Rashid Rida thus explains the above
verse: "Many of our jurists (fugaha) have, by their subjective deductions, unduly widened
the range of man's religious obligations (takalif), thus giving rise to the very difficulties
and complications which the clear wording (of the Qur'an] had put an end to; and this has
led to the abandonment, by many individual Muslims as well as by their governments, of
Islamic Law in its entirety" (Manor VII, 138).
5:103
IT IS NOT of God's ordaining that certain kinds of cattle should be marked out by superstition and set aside from the use of man;124 yet those who are bent on denying the truth attribute their own lying inventions to God. And most of them never use their reason: (5:104) for when they are told, "Come unto that which God has bestowed from on high, and unto the Apostle" - they answer, "Enough for us is that which we found our forefathers believing in and doing." Why, even though their forefathers knew nothing, and were devoid of all guidance?
5:105
O you who have attained to faith! It is [but] for your own selves that you are responsible: those who go astray can do you no harm if you [yourselves] are on the right path. Unto God you all must return: and then He will make you [truly] understand all that you were doing [in life].
5:106
O YOU who have attained to faith! Let there be witnesses to what you do when death approaches you and you are about to make bequests:125 two persons of probity from among your own people, or - if the pangs of death come upon you while you are travelling far from home126- two other persons from [among people] other than your own. Take hold of the two after having prayed; and if you have any doubt in your mind, let each of them swear by God, "We shall not sell this [our word] for any price, even though it were [for the sake of] a near kinsman; and neither shall we conceal aught of what we have witnessed before God127- or else, may we indeed be counted among the sinful."
124 Lit., "God has not ordained anything [in the nature] of a bahirah, nor a sa'ibah, nor
a wasilah, nor a ham." These expressions denote certain categories of domestic animals which
the pre-Islamic Arabs used to dedicate to their various deities by setting them free to
pasture and prohibiting their use or slaughter. They were selected mainly on the basis of
the number, sex and sequence of their offspring; but the lexicographers and commentators
are by no means unanimous in their attempts at definition. For this reason - as well as
because of their inherent complexity the above four terms cannot be translated into any
other language; consequently, I am rendering them in the text as "certain kinds of cattle
marked out by superstition and set aside from the use of man": this being, in the consensus
of all authorities, the common denominator of the four categories. It is obvious that their
mention at this place (as well as, by implication, in 6:138-139 and 143-144) serves as an
illustration of the arbitrary invention of certain supposedly "religious" obligations and
prohibitions alluded to in the preceding two verses and explained in the corresponding notes.
125 Lit., "[let there be] testimony between you" - i.e., between you and your heirs -
"when death approaches any of you, at the time of [making a] bequest".
126 Lit., "travelling on earth". According to most of the commentators (cf. Razi), the
expression minkum (lit., "from among you") signifies here "from among your own people",
i.e., from among the Muslim community.
127 Lit., "we shall not conceal God's, testimony".
5:107
But if afterwards it should come to light that the two [witnesses] have become guilty of [this very] sin, then two others - from among those whom the two former have deprived of their right128 - shall take their place and shall swear by God, "Our testimony is indeed truer than the testimony of these two, and we have not transgressed the bounds of what is right - or else, may we indeed be counted among the evildoers!"
5:108
Thus it will be more likely that people will offer testimony in accordance with the truth - or else they will [have cause to] fear that their oaths will be refuted by the oaths of others.129 Be, then, conscious of God, and hearken [unto Him]: for God does not bestow His guidance upon iniquitous folk.
5:109
ON THE DAY when God shall assemble all the apostles and shall ask, "What response did you receive?" - they will answer, "We have no knowledge; verily, it is Thou alone who fully knowest all the things that are beyond the reach of a created being's perception."130
5:110
Lo!131 God will say: "O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember the blessings which I bestowed upon thee and thy mother - how I strengthened thee with holy inspiration,132 so that thou couldst speak unto men in thy cradle, and as a grown man; and how I imparted unto thee revelation and wisdom, including the Torah and the Gospel;133 and how by My leave thou didst create out of clay, as it were, the shape of [thy followers'] destiny, and then didst breathe into it, so that it might become, by My leave, [their] destiny;134 and how thou didst heal the blind and the leper by My leave, and how thou didst raise the dead by My leave;135 and how I prevented the children of Israel from harming thee when thou camest unto them with all evidence of the truth, and [when] those of them who were bent on denying the truth were saying, 'This is clearly nothing but deception!'"
128 Le., from among the rightful heirs of the deceased.
129 Lit., "lest [contradictory] oaths be proffered after their oaths".
130 Cf. verse 99 above: "No more is the Apostle bound to do than deliver the message" - for,
neither can he force people to follow the right path, nor can he know what is in their
hearts. (See also 4:41-42.)
131 Regarding my occasional rendering of idh (at the beginning of a sentence) as "lo", see
surah 2, note 21. In the above context, this interjection connects with the preceding passage,
which states, by implication, that the apostles are not responsible for the reactions of
those to whom they communicate the divine message: a connection that is brought out fully
in verses 116-117 below.
132 See surah 2, note 71.
133 Lit., "and the Torah and the Gospel". The conjunction "and" at the beginning of this clause
is meant to stress the fact that both the Torah and the Gospel were included in the revelation
(al-kitab) vouchsafed to Jesus. Although the Torah was an earlier revelation, it is described
as "imparted to Jesus" because his own prophetic mission was based on the Law of Moses, which
was only confirmed, and not abrogated, by the Gospel (cf. Matthew v, 17-19). As regards the
expression "in thy cradle", see surah 3, note 33 (first sentence).
134 See 3 : 49, as well as the corresponding note 37.
135 See surah 3, note 38.
5:111
AND [remember the time] when I inspired the whitegarbed ones:136 "Believe in Me and in My Apostle!" They answered: "We believe; and bear Thou witness that we have surrendered ourselves [unto Thee]."
5:112
[And,] lo, the white-garbed ones said: "O Jesus, son of Mary! Could thy Sustainer send down unto us a repast from heaven?"137 [Jesus] answered: "Be conscious of God, if you are [truly] believers!" (5:113) Said they: "We desire to partake thereof, so that our hearts might be set fully at rest, and that we might know that thou hast spoken the truth to us, and that we might be of those who bear witness thereto!" (5:114) Said Jesus, the son of Mary: "O God, our Sustainer! Send down upon us a repast from heaven: it shall be an ever-recurring feast for us - for the first and the last of us - and a sign from Thee. And provide us our sustenance, for Thou art the best of providers!"
5:115
God answered: "Verily, I [always] do send it down unto you:138 and so, if any of you should henceforth deny [this] truth, on him, behold, will I inflict suffering the like of which I have never [yet] inflicted upon anyone in the world!"
5:116
AND LO! God said:139 "O Jesus, son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, 'Worship me and my mother as deities beside God'?"
[Jesus] answered: "Limitless art Thou in Thy glory! It would not have been possible for me to say what I had no right to [say]! Had I said this, Thou wouldst indeed have known it! Thou knowest all that is within myself, whereas I know not what is in Thy Self. Verily, it is Thou alone who fully knowest all the things that are beyond the reach of a created being's perception. (5:117) Nothing did I tell them beyond what Thou didst bid me [to say]: 'Worship God, [who is] my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer.' And I bore witness to what they did as long as I dwelt in their midst; but since Thou hast caused me to die, Thou alone hast been their keeper:140 for Thou art witness unto everything. (5:118) If thou cause them to suffer - verily, they are Thy servants; and if Thou forgive them - verily, Thou alone art almighty, truly wise!"
136 I.e. the disciples of Jesus (see surah 3, note 42).
137 The relevant words. in the generally accepted reading of the Qur'an, are hal yastafi'
rabbuka, meaning "can thy Sustainer", or "could thy Sustainer", or "is thy Sustainer able".
Inasmuch as, on the face of it, this reading would imply a fundamental doubt in God's power
to do anything that He wills (an imputation which does not agree with the characterization,
in the Qur'an, of Jesus' disciples as firm believers), most of the commentators see in the
query of the disciples something similar to one person's asking another, "Could you go with me?" -
that is to say, not implying a doubt as to the other's ability to go but, rather, an uncertainty
as to his willingness to do it (cf. in this respect, Tabari, Baghawi, Razi, Raghib; also Manar
VII, 250 ff.). We have, however, positive evidence of the fact that several of the most
outstanding Companions of the Prophet -'Ali, Ibn 'Abbas, 'A'ishah and Mu'dah ibn Jabal -
read the words in question in the spelling hal yastafi 'rabbuka, which might be rendered
as "Couldst thou prevail upon thy Sustainer?" (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi, Ibn Kathir):
a reading which implies the disciples' uncertainty as to Jesus' ability (in the spiritual
sense of this word) to make the above request of God. Thus, 'A'ishah, refusing to accept
the more common reading hat yastafi' rabbuka ("can" or "could thy Sustainer"), is reported
to have said: "The disciples of Jesus knew better than to ask whether God is able to do
anything: they merely asked [of Jesus], 'Art thou able to request thy Sustainer?' - (Razi).
Moreover, according to an authentic Tradition quoted in the Mustadrak. Mu'adh ibn Jabal
stated unequivocally that the Prophet himself had imparted to him the reading hal tastafi
'rabbaka ("Couldst thou prevail upon thy Sustainer?"). To my mind, the weight of evidence
points to this second alternative; but in view of the more general reading, I have rendered
the phrase as above.
As regards the disciples' request - and Jesus' subsequent prayer - for a heavenly "repast"
(ma'idah, the word which gave the title to this surah), it might possibly be an echo of the
request for daily bread contained in the Lord's Prayer (cf. Matthew vi, 11), since, in
religious terminology, every benefit that accrues to man is "sent down from heaven" - that
is, by God - even if it comes into being through man's own efforts. But, on the other hand,
the manner in which the disciples are said to have asked for the "repast" - and particularly
their explanation given in the next verse - rather seems to point to a request for a miracle
which would assure them of God's "acceptance" of their faith. (See also next note.)
138 The grammatical form munazzil in the phrase inni munazziluha (lit., "I am sending it down")
implies a continued recurrence of bestowal - a continuity which I have expressed by interpolating
the word "always" between brackets. This stress on God's ever-recurrent provision of sustenance,
both physical and spiritual, explains the extreme severity of His condemnation of all who -
in their arrogant presumption that man is self-sufficient and independent - deny this obvious
truth; and, in addition, it implies a condemnation of any demand for a miracle as a "proof"
of God's existence.
139 Sc., "after Jesus' death": this is fully evident from Jesus' subsequent reference, in the
past tense, to his own death ("since Thou hast caused me to die") in verse 117. On the other
hand, the verb qala (lit., "He said") can also have the meaning of "He will say" (see note
141 below).
140 The definite article in anta'r-raqib expresses God's exclusiveness in His function as raqib
("keeper"), and can only be rendered by an interpolation of the (elliptically implied) word
"alone". Similar expressions relating to God are very often met with in the Qur'an - e.g., at
the end of the next verse.
141 Lit., "said" - but many of the classical commentators understand the verb qala as denoting
here the future tense ("He will say"), sc., "on the Day of Judgment".
5:119
[AND on Judgment Day] God will say:' "Today, their truthfulness shall benefit all who have been true to their word: theirs shall be gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide beyond the count of time; well-pleased is God with them, and well-pleased are they with Him: this is the triumph supreme."
5:120
God's is the dominion over the heavens and the earth and all that they contain; and He has the power to will anything.
WITH the possible exception of two or three verses, the whole of this surah was revealed in one piece, towards the close of the Mecca period - almost certainly in the last year before the Prophet's exodus to Medina. The title Al-An'am ("Cattle") is derived from several references, in verses 136 ff., to certain pre-Islamic superstitions concerning animals which the Arabs used to dedicate to their various idols. However ephemeral those idolatrous beliefs and practices may appear in the light of later Arabian history, they serve in the Qur'an as an illustration of man's propensity to attribute divine or semi-divine qualities to created beings or imaginary powers. In fact, most of this surah can be described as a many-sided argument against this tendency, which is by no means confined to openly polytheistic beliefs. The core of the argument is an exposition of God's oneness and uniqueness. He is the Prime Cause of all that exists, but "no human vision can encompass Him" (verse 103), either physically or conceptually: and, therefore, "He is sublimely exalted above anything that men may devise by way of definition" (verse 100). Consequently, any endeavour to "define" God within the categories of human thought, or to reduce Him to the concept of a "person", constitutes a blasphemous attempt at limiting His infinite existence. (To avoid a conception of God as a "person", the Qur'an always varies the pronouns relating to Him:
He is spoken of - frequently in one and the same sentence - as "He", "I" and "We"; similarly, the possessive pronouns referring to God fluctuate constantly between "His", "My" and "Ours.)
One of the outstanding passages of this surah is the statement (in verse 50) to the effect that the Prophet is a mere mortal, like all other human beings, not endowed with any supernatural powers, and "following only what is revealed to him". And, finally, he is commanded to say (in verses 162-163): "Behold, my prayer, and all my acts of worship, and my living and my dying are for God alone ... in whose divinity none has a share."
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
6:1
ALL PRAISE is due to God, who has created the heavens and the earth, and brought into being deep darkness as well as light:1 and yet, those who are bent on denying the truth regard other powers as their Sustainer's equals! (6:2) He it is who has created you out of clay, and then has decreed a term [for you] - a term known [only] to him.2 And yet you doubt - (3) although He is God in the heavens and on earth, knowing all that you keep secret as well as all that you do openly, and knowing what you deserve.
1 Both "darkness" and "light" are used here in their spiritual connotation. As always in the
Qur'an, "darkness" is spoken of in the plural (zulumat) in order to stress its intensity, and
is best translated as "deep darkness" or "depths of darkness".
2 Lit., "and a term is stated with Him" - i.e., known to Him alone (Manor VII, 298). Some of
the authorities are of the opinion that the "term" refers to the end of the world and the
subsequent resurrection, while others relate it to individual human lives. Other commentators,
again, see in the first mention of this word a reference to individual lives, and in the
second, to the Day of Resurrection; according to this latter interpretation, the concluding
phrase might be rendered thus: "and there is [another] term...", etc. However, in view of
several other occurrences of the expression ajal musamma in the Qur'an, it is best rendered
here as "a term set [by Him]" or "known [to Him]", i.e., relating both to individual lives
and to the world as a whole.
6:4
Yet whenever any of their Sustainer's messages comes unto them, they [who are bent on denying the truth] turn their backs upon it:3 (6:5) and so they give the lie to this truth now that it has come unto them. In time, however, they will come to understand what it was that they were wont to deride.4
6:6
Do they not see how many a generation We have destroyed before their time - [people] whom We had given a [bountiful] place on earth, the like of which We never gave unto you, and upon whom We showered heavenly blessings abundant, and at whose feet We made running waters flow? And yet We destroyed them for their sins, and gave rise to other people in their stead.5
6:7
But even if We had sent down unto thee [O Prophet] a writing on paper, and they had touched it with their own hands - those who are bent on denying the truth would indeed have said, "This is clearly nothing but a deception!"
6:8
They are saying, too, "Why has not an angel (visibly] been sent down unto him?" But had We sent down an angel, all would indeed have been decided,6 and they would have been allowed no further respite [for repentancel. (6:9) And (even] if We had appointed an angel as Our message-bearer,7 We would certainly have made him [appear as] a man - and thus We would only have confused them in the same way as 8 they are now confusing themselves.
3 Lit., "there has not come unto them a message of their Sustainer's messages without that
they turned their backs upon it".
4 Lit., "there will come to them information about that which they used to mock at" or "deride" -
i.e., the continuation of life after death, in particular, and the Qur'anic message, in general.
5 Lit., "a generation of others after them". However, in Qur'anic usage, the term qarn does
not always denote "a generation", but - rather more frequently - "an epoch", or "people
belonging to one particular epoch", as well as "a civilization" in the historical sense
of this word.
6 I.e., Judgment Day would have come - for it is only then that the forces described as angels
will manifest themselves to man in their true form and become comprehensible to him.
(Cf. a similar passage in 2:210.)
7 Lit., "if We had made him an angel" - with the pronoun obviously referring to the bearer of
God's message (Zamakhshari).
8 Lit., "We would have made confusing to them that which they are making confused". Since it
is impossible for man to perceive angels as they really are, the hypothetical angelic
message-bearer would have to assume the shape of a human being - and so their demand for
a direct "verification" of the message would have remained unfulfilled, and their
self-caused confusion unresolved.
6:10
And, indeed, [even] before thy time have apostles been derided - but those who scoffed at them were [in the end] overwhelmed by the very thing which they were wont to deride.9 (6:11) Say: "Go all over the earth, and behold what happened in the end to those who gave the lie to the truth!"
6:12
Say: "Unto whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth?" Say: "Unto God, who has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy."10
He will assuredly gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection, [the coming of] which is beyond all doubt: yet those who have squandered their own selves - it is they who refuse to believe [in Him], (6:13) although His is all that dwells in the night and the day, and He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing.
6:14
Say: "Am I to take for my master anyone but God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, when it is He who gives nourishment and Himself needs none?"11
Say: "I am bidden to be foremost among those who surrender themselves unto God, and not to be12 among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him."
9 Lit., "that which they were wont to deride enfolded those who scoffed at them", (i.e., at
the apostles): the meaning being that a derisive rejection of spiritual truths inexorably
rebounds on the scoffers and has not only a disastrous effect on their individual lives after
death but also - if persisted in by the majority within a community - destroys the moral basis
of their society and, thus; their earthly happiness and sometimes even their physical existence.
10 The expression "God has willed upon Himself as a law" (kataba 'ala nafsihi) occurs in the
Qur'an only twice - here and in verse 54 of this surah - and in both instances with reference
to His grace and mercy (rahmah); none of the other divine attributes has been similarly
described. This exceptional quality of God's grace and mercy is further stressed in 7:156 -
"My grace overspreads everything" - and finds an echo in the authentic Tradition in which,
according to the Prophet, God says of Himself, "Verily, My grace and mercy outstrips My
wrath" (Bukhari and Muslim).
11 Lit., "when it is He who feeds [others] and is not fed".
12 Lit., "and be thou not" - an elliptic reference to the words in which this commandment
has been expressed.
6:15
Say: "Behold, I would dread, were I [thus] to rebel against my Sustainer, the suffering [which would befall me] on that awesome Day [of Judgment]." (6:16) Upon him who shall be spared on that Day, He will indeed have bestowed His grace: and this will be a manifest triumph.
6:17
And if God should touch thee with misfortune, there is none who could remove it but He; and if He should touch thee with good fortune - it is He who has the power to will anythiing: (6:18) for He alone holds sway over His creatures, and He alone is truly wise, all-aware.
6:19
Say: "What could most weightily bear witness to the truth?" Say: "God is witness between me and you; and this Qur'an has been revealed unto me so that on the strength thereof I might warn you and all whom it may reach."
Could you in truth bear witness that there are other deities side by side with God? Say: "I bear no [such] witness!" Say: "He is the One God; and, behold, far be it from me to ascribe divinity, as, you do, to aught beside Him!"13
6:20
They unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know this 14 as they know their own children; yet those [of them] who have squandered their own selves - it is they who refuse to believe. (6:21) And who could be more wicked than he who attributes his own lying inventions to God or gives the lie to His messages?
Verily, such evildoers will never attain to a happy state: (6:22) for one Day We shall gather them all together, and then We shall say unto those who ascribed divinity to aught beside God: "Where, now, are those beings whom you imagined to have a share in God's divinity?"15
6:23
Whereupon, in their utter confusion, they will only [be able to] say: "By God, our Sustainer, we did not [mean to] ascribe divinity to aught beside Him !"16 (6:24) Behold how they have lied to themselves" - and [how] their false imagery has forsaken them!
13 Lit., "I am clear of that which you associate [with Him]."
14 I.e., the truth of God's transcendental uniqueness and oneness, which is stressed in all
authentic scriptures.
15 Lit., "those [God-]partners of yours whom you supposed [to exist]". Whenever the term
shuraka' (pl. of sharik) is used in the Qur'an with reference to beliefs, it invariably
denotes real or imaginary beings or forces to whom one ascribes a share in God's divinity:
consequently, this concept - and its utter condemnation in Islam - relates not merely to
the worship of false deities but also to the attribution of semi-divine qualities and
powers to saints (in the liturgical sense of this word), as well as to abstract notions
like wealth, social status, power, nationality, etc., to which men so often ascribe an
objective influence on human destinies.
16 This refers to beliefs which undoubtedly imply shirk ("the ascribing of divinity or divine
qualities to beings or forces other than God") in the objective sense of this concept, but
which the person. concerned does not subjectively visualize as denying God's oneness (Razi):
for instance, the mystical dogma of, the "Trinity" which, in the Christian view, does not
conflict with the principle of God's oneness inasmuch as it is supposed to express a
"threefold aspect" of the One Deity, or the attribution of divine or semi-divine qualities
to saints as supposed "mediators" between man and God, and so forth. All such beliefs are,
of course, emphatically rejected by the Qur'an.
17 I.e., by allowing themselves to think, in their lifetime, that their beliefs did not offend
against the principle of God's oneness (Razi). But see also 10:28 and the corresponding
notes 45 and 46.
6:25
And there are among them such as [seem to] listen to thee [O Prophet]: but over their hearts We have laid veils which prevent them from grasping the truth, and into their ears, deafness.18 And were they to see every sign [of the truth], they would still not believe in it - so much so that when they come unto thee to contend with thee, those who are bent on denying the truth say, "This is nothing but fables of ancient times!" (6:26) And they bar others therefrom and go far away from it: but they destroy none but themselves, and perceive it not.
6:27
If thou couldst but see [them] when they will be made to stand before the fire and will say, "Oh, would that we were brought back [to life]: then we would not give the lie to our Sustainer's messages, but would be among the believers!" (6:28) But nay - [they will say this only because] the truth which they used to conceal [from themselves] in the past will have become obvious to them; and if they were brought back [to life], they would return to the very thing which was forbidden to them: for behold, they are indeed liars!19
6:29
And some [of the unbelievers] say, "There is nothing beyond our life in this world, for We shall not be raised from the dead." (6:30) If thou couldst but see [them] when they shall be made to stand before their Sustainer [and] He will say, "Is not this the truth?"
They will answer: "Yea, indeed, by our Sustainer!" [Whereupon] He will say: "Taste, then, the suffering that comes from20 your having refused to acknowledge the truth!"
6:31
Lost indeed are they who consider it a lie that they will have to meet God - till the Last Hour suddenly comes upon them, [and] they cry, "Alas for us, that we disregarded it!" - for they shall bear on their backs the burden of their sins:21 oh, how evil the load with which they shall be burdened! (6:32) And nothing is the life of this world but a play and a passing delight; and the life in the hereafter is by far the better for all who are conscious of God. Will you not, then, use your reason?
18 Regarding the problem of God's "causing" this spiritual blindness and deafness, see 2:7
and the corresponding note, as well as note 4 on 14:4.
19 I.e., their longing for a "second chance" is not dictated by love of truth for its own
sake but, rather, by their dread of the evil consequences of their doings; and "faith is
useless unless it is desired for its own sake" (Razi).
20 Lit., "the suffering [or "chastisement"] because of" or "in consequence of". The particle
bi-ma expresses here a causal connection between the denial of the truth and the subsequent
suffering, and is best rendered as above.
21 Lit., "their burdens". My use of the words "the burden of their sins" rests on the interpretation
given by Ibn 'Abbas, as quoted by Razi.
6:33
Well do We know that what such people say22 grieves thee indeed: yet, behold, it is not thee to whom they give the lie, but God's messages do these evildoers deny. (6:34) And, indeed, [even] before thy time have apostles been given the lie, and they endured with patience all those charges of falsehood, and all the hurt done to them, till succour came unto them from Us: for there is no power that could alter [the outcome of] God's promises. And some of the histories of those apostles have already come within thy ken.23
6:35
And if it distress thee that those who deny the truth 24 turn their backs on thee - why, then, if thou art able to go down deep into the earth or to ascend a ladder unto heaven in order to bring them a [yet more convincing] message, [do so;] but [remember that] had God so willed, He would indeed have gathered them all unto [His] guidance. Do not, therefore, allow thyself to ignore [God's ways]. (6:36) Only they who listen [with their hearts] can respond to a call; and as for the dead [of heart], God [alone] can raise them from the dead, whereupon unto Him they shall return.27
6:37
And they say, "Why has no miraculous sign been bestowed on him28 from on high by his Sustainer?" Say: "Behold, God has the power to bestow any sign from on high." Yet most human beings are unaware of this29 -(6:38) although there is no beast that walks on earth and no bird that flies on its two wings which is not [God's] creature30 like yourselves: no single thing have We neglected in Our decree.
And once again:31Unto their Sustainer shall they [all] be gathered.
22 Lit., "what they say" - i.e., about life after death (which they regard as a "fable") in
particular, and about the Qur'anic message in general.
23 Lit., "some of the information concerning the apostles has already come to thee": a
reference to the fact that only a few of the earlier prophets and their histories have
been specifically mentioned in the Qur'an (always in connection with a particular moral
lesson), while the great majority of them are only alluded to in a general manner, in
support of the divine statement that no community or civilization has been left without
prophetic guidance.
24 Lit., "that they".
25 Lit., "to seek out an opening in the earth or a ladder to heaven".
26 Lit., "be not, therefore, of the ignorant".
27 Lit., "they shall be returned". Most of the classical commentators (e.g., Tabari.
Zamakhshari, Razi, as well as the earlier authorities whom they quote) interpret this
verse in the metaphorical sense in which it has been rendered by me. As is so often the
case with Qur'anic diction, its elliptical meaning can only be brought out by means
of interpolations.
28 I.e., on Muhammad to demonstrate that he is really a bearer of God's message.
29 Lit., "most of them do not know", i.e., that God manifests Himself always - as the next
verse points out - through the ever-recurring miracle of His creation.
30 Lit., "but they are [God's] creatures (umam)". The word ummah (of which umam is the plural)
primarily denotes a group of living beings having certain characteristics or circumstances in
common. Thus, it is often synonymous with "community", "people", "nation", "genus",
"generation", and so forth. Inasmuch as every such grouping is characterized by the basic
fact that its constituents (whether human or animal) are endowed with life, the term ummah
sometimes signifies "[God's] creatures" (Lisan al-'Arab', with particular reference to this
very Qur'an-verse; also Lane 1, 90). Thus, the meaning of the above passage is this: Man can
detect God's "signs" or "miracles" in all the life-phenomena that surround him, and should,
therefore, try to observe them with a view to better understanding "God's way" (sunnat Allah) -
which is the Qur'anic term for what we call "laws of nature".
31 The particle thumma is mostly used as a conjunction indicating a sequence in time or order
("then", "thereafter" or "thereupon."), and occasionally also as a simple conjunction equivalent
to "and". But in yet another usage - of which there are frequent instances in the Qur'an as
well as in pre-Islamic Arabian poetry - thumma has the significance of a repetitive stress,
alluding to something that has already been stated and is now again emphasized. This particular
usage of thumma is best rendered by the words "and once again", followed by a colon.
6:39
And they who give the lie to Our messages are deaf and dumb, in darkness deep. Whomever God wills, He lets go astray; and whomever He wills, He places upon a straight way.32
6:40
Say: "Can you see yourselves invoking any but God when God's chastisement befalls you [in this world], or the Last Hour comes upon you? [Tell me this,] if you are men of truth! (6:41) Nay, but it is Him alone that you will invoke - whereupon He may, if He so wills, remove that [ill] which caused you to call unto Him; and you will have forgotten all that to which you [now] ascribe divinity side by side with Him."
6:42
And, indeed, We sent Our messages unto people before thy time, [O Prophet,] and visited them with misfortune and hardship so that they might humble themselves: (6:43) yet when the misfortune decreed by Us befell them, they did not humble themselves, but rather their hearts grew hard, for Satan had made all their doings seem goodly to them. (6:44) Then, when they had forgotten all that they had been told to take to heart, We threw open to them the gates of all [good] things,33 until - even as they were rejoicing in what they had been granted - We suddenly took them to task: and lo! they were broken in spirit;34 (6:45) and [in the end,] the last remnant of those folk who had been bent on evildoing was wiped out.35 For all praise is due to God, the Sustainer of all the worlds.
32 See note 4 on 14:4.
33 I.e., to test them by happiness after the test by misery.
34 The verb ablasa signifies "he despaired of all hope" or "became broken in spirit". (For
the linguistic connection of this word with the name of Iblis, the Fallen Angel, see
Sarah 7, note 10.)
35 Lit., "cut off". The above passage illustrates a phenomenon well known in history: namely,
the inevitable social and moral disintegration of communities which have lost sight of
spiritual truths.
6:46
Say: "What do you think? If God should take away your hearing and your sight and seal your hearts - what deity but God is there that could bring it all back to you?" Behold how many facets We give to Our messages - and yet they turn away in disdain!
6:47
Say: "Can you imagine what your condition will be36 if God's chastisement befalls you, either suddenly or in a [gradually] perceptible manner? [But then-] will any but evildoing folk [ever] be destroyed?37
6:48
And We send [Our] message-bearers only as heralds of glad tidings and as warners: hence, all who believe and live righteously - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve; (6:49) whereas those who give the lie to Our messages - suffering will afflict them in result of all their sinful doings. (6:50) Say [O Prophet]: "I do not say unto you, 'God's treasures are with me,'; nor [do I say], 'I know the things that are beyond the reach of human perception'; nor do I say unto you, 'Behold, I am an angel': I but follow what is revealed to me.38
Say: "Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equal?39 Will you not, then, take thought?"
6:51
And warn hereby those who fear lest they be gathered unto their Sustainer with none to protect them from Him or to intercede with Him, so that they might become [fully] conscious of Him.40
36 Lit., "Can you see yourselves".
37 I.e., the righteous will never be really "destroyed" - for, even if they should suffer
physical destruction, they are found to attain to spiritual bliss and cannot,'therefore,
be said to have been "destroyed" like the evildoers, who, by their actions, lose their
happiness both in this world and in the life to come (Razi).
38 This denial on the part of the Prophet of any claim to supernatural powers refers,
primarily, to the demand of the unbelievers (mentioned in verse 37) that he should prove
his prophetic mission by causing a "miraculous sign" to be bestowed on him. Beyond this
specific reference, however, the above passage is meant to prevent any deification of the
Prophet and to make it clear that he - like all other prophets before him - was but a
mortal human being, a servant whom, God had chosen to convey His message to mankind.
See also 7:188.
39 I.e., "Can those who remain blind and deaf to God's messages find their way through life
equally well as those who have achieved a spiritual vision and guidance through God's
revelation?"
40 It is obvious from the context that this verse refers to followers of earlier scriptures -
such as the Jews and the Christians - who share with the followers of the Qur'an the belief
in life after death (Zamakhshari), as well as to agnostics who, without having definite beliefs
on this point, admit the possibility of life after death.
6:52
Hence, repulse not [any of] those who at morn and evening invoke their Sustainer, seeking His countenance.41 Thou art in no wise accountable for them - just as they are in no wise accountable for thee42 - and thou hast therefore no right to repulse them: for then thou wouldst be among the evildoers.43
6:53
For it is in this way44 that We try men through one another - to the end that they might ask, "Has God, then, bestowed His favour upon those others in preference to us?45 Does not God know best as to who is grateful [to Him]? (6:54) And when those who believe in Our messages come unto thee, say: "Peace be upon you. Your Sustainer has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy46 - so that if any of you does a bad deed out of ignorance, and thereafter repents and lives righteously, He shall be [found] much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace."
41 According to Traditions, this and the next verse were revealed when, several years before
the Muslims' exodus to Medina, some of the pagan chieftains at Mecca expressed their willingness
to consider accepting Islam on the condition that the Prophet would dissociate himself from
the former slaves and other "lowly" persons among his followers - a demand which the Prophet,
of course, rejected. This historical reference does not, however, provide a full explanation
of the above 'passage. In accordance with the Qur'anic method, allusions to historical events -
whether relating to contemporary occurrences or to earlier times - are always made with a
view to expressing ethical teachings of a permanent nature; and the passage under consideration
is no exception in this respect. As the wording shows, it relates not to "lowly" followers of
Islam but to people who, while not being Muslims in the current sense of this word, believe
in God and are always ("at morn and evening") "seeking His countenance" (i.e., His grace and
acceptance): and, thus, verses 52-53 connect logically with verse 51. Although primarily
addressed to the Prophet, the exhortation voiced in this passage is directed to all followers
of the Qur'an: they are enjoined not to repulse anyone who believes in God - even though his
beliefs may not fully answer to the demands of the Qur'an - but, on the contrary, to try to
help him by means of a patient explanation of the Qur'anic teachings.
42 I.e., for whatever in their beliefs or actions does not coincide with the teachings of the
Qur'an, and vice-versa. In, other words, all are accountable to God alone.
43 Lit., "so that thou shouldst repulse them and thus be of the evildoers".
44 I.e., by endowing man with the power of reasoning and thus, indirectly, giving rise to a
multiplicity of faiths.
45 Lit., "Is it those upon whom God has bestowed His favour from among us (min baynina)?"
As mentioned by Zamakhshari, the expression min baynina is here equivalent to min dunina,
which, in this context, may suitably be rendered as "in preference to us". This would seem
to be an allusion to the sarcastic incredulity with which, as a rule, non-Muslims receive
the claim of the Muslims that the Qur'an is the final formulation of God's message to man.
The "trial" referred to above consists in the unwillingness of people of other faiths to
accept this claim as valid, and so to renounce the prejudice against Islam to which their
cultural and historical environment has made them, consciously or subconsciously,
predisposed.
46 See note 10 above. Regarding the word salam, which has been translated here as "peace",
see surah 5, note 29. The "peace" referred to in the above expression - which occurs many
times in the Qur'an and has become the standard form of Muslim greeting - has a spiritual
connotation comprising the concepts of ethical soundness, security from all that is evil
and, therefore, freedom from all moral conflict and disquiet.
6:55
And thus clearly do We spell out Our messages: and [We do it] so that the path of those who are lost in sin might be distinct [from that of the righteous].
6:56
SAY [to the deniers of the truth]: "Behold, I have been forbidden to worship those [beings] whom you invoke instead of God."
Say: "I do not follow your errant views - or else I should have gone astray, and should not be among those who have found the right path."
6:57
Say: "Behold, I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Sustainer - and [so] it is to Him that you are giving the lie! Not in my power is that which [in your ignorance] you so hastily demand:47 judgment rests with none but God. He shall declare the truth, since it is He who is the best judge between truth and falsehood."
6:58
Say: "If that which you so hastily demand were in my power, everything would indeed have been decided between me and you.48 But God knows best as to who is doing wrong." (6:59) For, with Him are the keys to the things that are beyond the reach of a created being's perception: none knows them but He.
And He knows all that is on land and in the sea; and not a leaf falls but He knows it; and neither is there a grain in the earth's deep darkness, nor anything: living or dead,49 but is recorded in [His] clear decree.
6:60
And He it is who causes you to be [like] dead50 at night, and knows what you work in daytime; and He brings you back to life each day51 in order that a term set [by Him] be fulfilled. In the end, unto Him you must return: and then He will make you understand all that you were doing [in life]. (6:61) And He alone holds sway over His servants.
And He sends forth heavenly forces to watch over you52 until, when death approaches any of you, Our messengers cause him to die: and they do not overlook [anyone]. (6:62) And they [who have died] are thereupon brought before God,53 their true Lord Supreme. Oh, verily, His alone is all judgment: and He is the swiftest of all reckoners!
47 Lit., "not with me is that which you would hasten": a reference to the sarcastic demand
of the unbelievers, mentioned in 8:32, that God should chastise them forthwith in proof of
the Prophet's claim to be His message-bearer.
48 I.e., "you would have been convinced that I am really a bearer of God's message" -
the implication being that a conviction based solely on a "miraculous" proof would have
no spiritual value.
49 Lit., "fresh or dry".
50 For a full explanation of the verb tawaffa - lit., "he took [something] in full" - see note
44 on 39:42, which is the earliest instance of its use in the Qur'an.
51 Lit., "therein" - referring to the daytime. The polarity of sleep and wakefulness contains
an allusion to life and death (cf. 78:9-11).
52 Lit., "sends forth guardians over you".
53 Lit., "brought back [or "referred"] to God" - i.e., placed before Him for judgment.
6:63
(63) Say: "Who is it that saves you from the dark dangers 54 of land and sea [when] you call unto Him humbly, and in the secrecy of your hearts, 'If He will but save us from this [distress], we shall most certainly be among the grateful'?" (6:64) Say: "God [alone] can save you from this and from every distress - and still you ascribe divinity to other powers beside Him!"
6:65
Say: "It is He alone who has the power to let loose upon you suffering from above you or from beneath your feet,55 or to confound you with mutual discord and let you taste the fear of one another."56
Behold how many facets We give to these messages, so that they might understand the truth; (6:66) and yet, to all this thy peoples57 have given the lie, although it is the truth.
Say [then]: "I am not responsible for your conduct. (6:67) Every tiding [from God] has a term set for its fulfilment: and in time you will come to know [the truth]."
6:68
NOW, whenever thou meet such as indulge in [blasphemous] talk about Our messages, turn thy back upon them until they begin to talk of other things;58 and if Satan should ever cause thee to forget [thyself], remain not, after recollection, in the company of such evildoing folk, (6:69) for whom those who are conscious of God are in no wise accountable. Theirs, however, is the duty to admonish [the sinners],59 so that they might become conscious of God.
6:70
And leave to themselves all those who, beguiled by the life of this world, have made play and passing delights their religion;60 but remind [them] herewith that [in the life to come] every human being shall be held in pledge for whatever wrong he has done, and shall have none to protect him from God, and none to intercede for him; and though he offer any conceivable ransom, it shall not be accepted from him. It is [people such as] these that shall be held in pledge for the wrong they have done; for them there is [in the life to come] a draught of burning despair,62 and grievous suffering awaits them because of their persistent refusal to acknowledge the truth.
54 Lit., "the darknesses" or "the deep darkness".
55 Le., from any direction or by any means whatsoever.
56 Or: "the violence of one against another" - inner disintegration, fear, violence and
tyranny being the inevitable consequences of a society's departure from spiritual truths.
57 I.e., the unbelieving compatriots of the Prophet and, by implication, all who deny the
truth.
58 Lit., "until they immerse themselves in talk other than this".
59 This is a paraphrase of the elliptic expression wa-lakin dhikra ("however, an admonition").
60 The phrase attakhadhu dinahum la'iban wa-lahwan can be understood in either of two ways:
(1) "they have made their religion [an object of] play and fun", or (2) "they have made play
and fun [or "passing delights"] their religion" - i.e., the main goal of their lives. To
my mind, the latter reading is definitely preferable inasmuch as it brings out the fact that
many of those who are "beguiled by the life of this world" devote themselves to the pursuit
of what the Qur'an describes as "passing delights" - including the pleasures which money and
power can provide - with something akin to religious fervour: an attitude of mind which
causes them to lose sight of all spiritual and moral values.
61 Lit., "though he might [try to] ransom himself with all ransom" - i.e., though he might
proffer, after resurrection, any atonement whatever for his past sins.
62 Among the various meanings attributable to the word hamim are the concepts of intense heat
as well as of painful cold (Qamus, Taj al-'Arus). In the eschatology of the Qur'an it
invariably refers to the suffering of the sinners in the life to come; and since all Qur'anic
references to life after death are, necessarily, allegorical, the term hamim may be
rendered as "burning despair".
6:71
SAY: "Shall we invoke, instead of God, something that can neither benefit us nor harm us, and [thus] turn around on our heels after God has guided us aright? - like one whom the satans have enticed into blundering after earthly lusts, the while his companions, trying to guide him, call out unto him [from afar],63 'Come thou to us!"'
Say: "Verily, God's guidance is the only guidance: and so we have been bidden to surrender ourselves unto the Sustainer of all the worlds, (6:72) and to be constant in prayer and conscious of Him: for it is He unto whom you all shall be gathered."
6:73
And He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth" - and whenever He says, "Be," His word comes true; and His will be the dominion on the Day when the trumpet [of resurrection] is blown. He knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being's perception, as well as all that can be witnessed by a creature's senses or mind:65 for He alone is truly wise, all-aware.
63 Lit., "whom the satans have enticed with lusts on earth, [rendering him] bewildered,
[while] he has companions who call him unto guidance". See in this connection note 10 on
2:14, as well as note 31 on 14:22 and note 16 on 15:17.
64 See surah 10, note 11.
65 The term ash-shahadah (lit., "that which is [or "can be"] witnessed") is used in this and
similar contexts as the exact antithesis of al-ghayb ("that which is beyond the reach of a
created being's perception"). Thus, it circumscribes those aspects of reality which can be
sensually or conceptually grasped by a created being.
6:74
AND, LO, [thus] spoke Abraham unto his father Azar:66 "Takest thou idols for gods? Verily, I see that thou and thy people have obviously gone astray!" (6:75) And thus We gave Abraham [his first] insight into [God's] mighty dominion over the heavens and the earth - and [this] to the end that he might become one of those who are inwardly sure.
6:76
Then, when the night overshadowed him with its darkness, he beheld a star; [and] he exclaimed, "This is my Sustainer!" - but when it went down, he said, "I love not the things that go down." (6:77) Then, when he beheld the moon rising, he said, "This is my Sustainer!"- but when it went down, he said, "Indeed, if my Sustainer guide me not. I will most certainly become one of the people who go astray!"
6:78
Then, when he beheld the sun rising, he said, "This is my Sustainer! This one is the greatest [of all]!" - but when it [too] went down, he exclaimed: "O my people! Behold, far be it from me to ascribe divinity, as you do, to aught beside God! (6:79) Behold, unto Him who brought into being the heavens and the earth have I turned my face, having turned away from all that is false; and I am not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him."
6:80
And his people argued with him. He said: "Do you argue with me about God, when it is He who has guided me? But I do not fear anything to which you ascribe divinity side by side with Him, [for no evil can befall me] unless my Sustainer so wills.67 All things does my Sustainer embrace within His knowledge; will you not, then, keep this in mind? (6:81) And why should I fear anything that you worship side by side with Him, seeing that you are not afraid of ascribing divinity to other powers beside God without His ever having bestowed upon you from on high any warrant therefor? [Tell me,] then, which of the two parties has a better right to feel secure - if you happen to know [the answer]? (6:82) Those who have attained to faith, and who have not obscured their faith by wrongdoing - it is they who shall be secure, since it is they who have found the right path!"
66 The subsequent passage (verses 74 ff.) continues, by way of narrative, the exposition of God's oneness and uniqueness. - In the Bible, the name of Abraham's father is given not as Azar but as Terah (the Tarah or Tarakh of the early Muslim genealogists). However, he seems to have been known by other names (or designations) as well, all of them obscure as to origin and meaning. Thus, in various Talmudic stories he is called Zarah, while Eusebius Pamphili (the ecclesiastical historian who lived towards the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth century of the Christian era) gives his name as Athar. Although neither the Talmud nor Eusebius can be regarded as authorities for the purposes of a Qur'an - commentary, it is not impossible that the designation Azar (which occurs in the Qur'an only once) is the pre-Islamic, Arabicized form of Athar or Zarah. 67 Lit., "unless my Sustainer wills a thing".
6:83
And this was Our argument68 which We vouchsafed unto Abraham against his people: [for] We do raise by degrees whom We will.69 Verily, thy Sustainer is wise, all-knowing.
6:84
And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; and We guided each of them as We had guided Noah aforetime. And out of his offspring, [We bestowed prophethood upon] David, and Solomon, and Job, and Joseph, and Moses, and Aaron: for thus do We reward the doers of good; (85) and [upon] Zachariah, and John, and Jesus, and Elijah: every one of them was of the righteous; (86) and [upon] Ishmael, and Elisha, and Jonah, and Lot.70 And every one of them did We favour above other people; (6:87) and [We exalted likewise] some of their forefathers and - their offspring and their brethren: We elected them [all], and guided them onto a straight way.
6:88
Such is God's guidance: He guides therewith whomever He wills of His servants. And had they ascribed divinity to aught beside Him - in vain, indeed, would have been all [the good] that they ever did: (6:89) [but] it was to them that We vouchsafed revelation, and sound judgment, and prophethood.
And now, although the unbelievers may choose to deny these truths,71 [know that] We have entrusted them to people who will never refuse to acknowledge them - (6:90) to those whom God has guided. Follow, then, their guidance, [and] say: "No reward do I ask of you for this [truth]: behold, it is but an admonition unto all mankind!"
68 The description of Abraham's reasoning as God's own argument implies that it was divinely
inspired, and is therefore valid for the followers of the Qur'an as well.
69 This is evidently an allusion to Abraham's gradual grasp of the truth, symbolized by his
intuitive progress from an adoration of celestial bodies - stars, moon and sun - to a full
realization of God's transcendental, all-embracing existence. Alternatively, the expression
"by degrees" may be taken to mean "by many degrees", signifying the great spiritual dignity
to which this forerunner of a long line of prophets was ultimately raised (see 4:125).
70 Although Lot was not a "descendant" of Abraham since he was his brother's son, his name is
included here for two reasons: firstly, because he followed Abraham from his earliest youth
as a son follows his father, and, secondly, because in ancient Arabian usage a paternal
uncle is often described as "father" and, conversely, a nephew as "son". - For the Hebrew
prophets Elijah (Ilyas) and Elisha (Al-Yasa'), see note 48 on 37:123.
71 Lit., "if these deny them" - i.e., the manifestations of God's oneness and of the revelation
of His will through the prophets.
6:91
For, no true understanding of God have they when they say, "Never has God revealed anything unto man." Say: "Who has bestowed from on high the divine writ which Moses brought unto men as a light and a guidance, [and] which you treat as72 [mere] leaves of paper, making a show of them the while you conceal [so] much - although you have been taught [by it] what neither you nor your forefathers had ever known?"73 Say: "God [has revealed that divine writ]!" - and then leave them to play at their vain talk.
6:92
And this, too, is a divine writ which We have bestowed from on high - blessed, confirming the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations]74 - and [this] in order that thou mayest warn the foremost of all cities and all who dwell around it.75 And those who believe in the life to come do believe in this [warning]; and it is they who are ever-mindful of their prayers.
6:93
And who could be more wicked than he who invents a lie about God,76 or says, "This has been revealed unto me," the while nothing has been revealed to him? - or he who says, "I, too, can bestow from on high the like of what God has bestowed"?77
If thou couldst but see [how it will be] when these evildoers find themselves in the agonies of death, and the angels stretch forth their hands [and call]: "Give up your souls! Today you shall be requited with the suffering of humiliation for having attributed to God something that is not true, and for having persistently scorned His messages in your arrogance!"
72 Lit., "which you make into": but it should be remembered that the verb ja'lahu has also
the abstract meaning of "he considered it to be" or "regarded it as" or "treated it as"
(Jawhari, Raghib, et al.): a significance often met with in the Qur'an.
73 This passage is obviously addressed to those followers of the Bible who pay lip-service to
its sacred character as a revealed scripture but, in reality, treat it as "mere leaves of
paper" - that is, as something that is of little consequence to their own conduct: for, although
they pretend to admire the moral truths which it contains, they conceal from themselves the
fact that their own lives have remained empty of those truths.
74 See surah 3, note 3.
75 "The foremost of all cities" (lit., "the mother of all towns") is an epithet applied in the
Qur'an to Mecca because it is the place where the first temple ever dedicated to the One God
was built (cf. 3":96) and subsequently became the qiblah (direction of prayer) of all believers.
The expression "all who dwell around it" denotes all mankind (Tabari, on the authority of Ibn
'Abbas; Razi).
76 In this context, the "lie" would seem to refer to the denial, spoken of in verse 91, of the
fact of divine revelation as such.
77 Implying, in a sarcastic manner, that the purported revelation has in reality been composed
by a human being and that, therefore, the like of it can be produced by other men.
6:94
[And God shall say:] "And now, indeed, you have come unto Us in a lonely state, even as We created you in the first instance; and you have left behind you all that We bestowed on you [in your lifetime]. And We do not see with you those intercessors of yours whom you supposed to have a share in God's divinity with regard to yourselves.78 Indeed, all the bonds between you [and your earthly life] are now severed, and all your former fancies have forsaken you!"79
6:95
VERILY, God is the One who cleaves the grain and the fruit-kernel asunder, bringing forth the living out of that which is dead, and He is the One who brings forth the dead out of that which is alive. This, then, is God: and yet, how perverted are your minds!80. (6:96) [He is] the One who causes the dawn to break; and He has made the night to be [a source of] stillness, and the sun and the moon to run their appointed courses:81 [all] this is laid down by the will of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.
6:97
And He it is who has set up for you the stars so that you might be guided by them in the midst of the deep darkness of land and sea: clearly, indeed, have We spelled out these messages unto people of [innate] knowledge! (6:98) And He it is who has brought you [all] into being out of one living entity,82 and [has appointed for each of you] a time-limit [on earth] and a restingplace [after death]:83 clearly, indeed, have We spelled out these messages unto people who can grasp the truth!
78 Lit., "whom you supposed to be [God's] partners with regard to you - i.e., being able, in
result of their alleged "share in God's divinity", to protect or help you. See note 15 on
verse 22 of this surah.
79 Lit., "all that you were wont to assert [or "to suppose"] has gone away from you" - i.e.,
all the imaginary intercessors or mediators between man and God.
80 See surah 5, note 90.
81 Lit., "to be [according to] a definite reckoning". 82 See surah 4, note 1.
83 The commentators differ widely as to the meaning of the terms mustaqarr and mustawda'
in this context. However, taking into account the primary meaning of musstagarr as "the
limit of a course" - i.e., the point at which a thing reaches its fulfilment or end -
and of mustawda' as "a place of consignment" or "repository", we arrive at the rendering
adopted by me above. This rendering finds, moreover, strong support in 11:6, where God
is spoken of as providing sustenance for every living being and knowing "its time-limit
[on earth] and its resting-place [after death]" (mustagarraha wa-mustawda'aha), as well as
in verse 67 of the present surah, where mustaqarr is used in the sense of "a term set for
the fulfilment [of God's tiding]".
6:99
And He it is who has caused waters to come down from the sky; and by this means have We brought forth all living growth, and out of this have We brought forth verdure.84 Out of this do We bring forth close-growing grain; and out of the spathe of the palm tree, dates in thick clusters; and gardens of vines, and the olive tree, and the pomegranate: [all] so alike, and yet so different!85 Behold their fruit when it comes to fruition and ripens! Verily, in all this there are messages indeed for people who will believe!
6:100
And yet, some [people] have come to attribute to all manner of invisible beings86 a place side by side with God - although it is He who has created them [all]; and in their ignorance they have invented for Him sons and daughters!87
Limitless is He is His glory, and sublimely exalted above anything that men may devise by way of definition:88 (6:101) the Originator of the heavens and the earth! How could it be that He should have a child without there ever having been a mate for Him - since it is He who has created everything, and He alone knows everything?
6:102
Such is God, your Sustainer: there is no deity save Him, the Creator of everything: worship, then, Him alone - for it is He who has everything in His care. (6:103) No human vision can encompass Him, whereas He encompasses all human vision: for He alone is unfathomable, all-aware.89
84 In contrast with its sequence, which is governed by the present tense, the whole of the
above sentence is expressed in the past tense - thus indicating, obliquely, the original,
basic aspect of God's creating life "out of water" (cf. 21:30 and the corresponding note 39).
85 I.e., all so alike in the basic principles of their life and growth, and yet so different
in physiology, appearance and taste.
86 The plural noun jinn (popularly, but incorrectly, taken to denote "genii" or "demons") is
derived from the verb janna, "he was (or "became"] concealed" or "veiled from sight"; thus,
the veiling darkness of night is called jinn (Jawhari). According to Arab philologists,
the term jinn signifies, primarily, "beings that are concealed from [man's] senses"
(Qamus, Lisan al-'Arab, Raghib), and is thus applicable to all kinds of invisible beings
or forces. For a further discussion of this term and of its wider implications, see
Appendix III.
87 Lit., "they have invented for Him [or "falsely attributed to Him'"] sons and daughters
without [having any] knowledge": a reference to the beliefs of the pre-Islamic Arabs who
regarded the angels as "God's daughters" (a designation which they also applied to certain
of their goddesses), as well as to the Christian view of Jesus as "the son of God". See
also 19:92 and the corresponding note 77.
88 I.e., utterly remote is He from all imperfection and from the incompleteness which is implied
in the concept of having progeny. The very concept of "definition" implies the possibility
of a comparison or correlation of an object with other objects; God, however, is unique,
there being "nothing like unto Him" (42:11) and, therefore, "nothing that could be compared
with Him" (112:4) - with the result that any attempt at defining Him or His "attributes"
is a logical impossibility and, from the ethical point of view, a sin. The fact that He is
undefinable makes it clear that the "attributes" (sifat) of God mentioned in the Qur'an do
not circumscribe His reality but, rather, the perceptible effect of His activity on and
within the universe created by Him.
89 The term latif denotes something that is extremely subtle in quality, and therefore intangible
and unfathomable. Whenever this term occurs in the Qur'an with reference to God in conjunction
with the adjective khabir ("all-aware"), it is invariably used to express the idea of His
inaccessibility to human perception, imagination or comprehension, as contrasted with His
Own all-awareness (see, apart from the above verse, also 22:63, 31:16, 33 :34 and 67:14). In
the two instances where the combination of latif and khabir carries the definite article
al (6:103 and 67:14), the expression huwa l'latif has the meaning of "He alone is
unfathomable"- implying that this quality of His is unique and absolute.
6:104
Means of insight have now come unto you from your Sustainer [through this divine writ]. Whoever, therefore, chooses to see, does so for his own good; and whoever chooses to remain blind, does so to his own hurt. And [say unto the blind of heart]: "I am not your keeper." (6:105)' And thus do We give many facets to Our messages. And to the end that they might say, "Thou hast taken [all this] well to heart,"90 and that We might make it clear unto people of [innate] knowledge, (6:106) follow thou what has been revealed unto thee by thy Sustainer - save whom there is no deity - and turn thy back upon all who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him.
6:107
Yet if God had so willed, they would not have ascribed divinity to aught beside Him;91 hence, We have not made thee their keeper, and neither art thou responsible for their conduct. (6:108) But do not revile those [beings] whom they invoke instead of God,92 lest they revile God out of spite, and in ignorance: for, goodly indeed have We made their own doings appear unto every community 93 In time, [however,] unto their Sustainer they must return: and then He will make them [truly] understand all that they were doing.
6:109
Now they swear by God with their most solemn oaths that if a miracle were shown to them, they would indeed believe in this [divine writ]. Say: "Miracles are in the power of God alone."94
And for all you know, even if one should be shown to them, they would not believe (6:110) so long as We keep their hearts and their eyes turned [away from the truth],95 even as they did not believe in it in the first instance: and [so] We shall leave them in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.
90 Lit., "thou hast learned [it well]"- i.e., God's message.
91 I.e., no mortal has it in his power to cause another person to believe unless God graces
that person with His guidance.
92 This prohibition of reviling anything that other people hold sacred - even in contravention
of the principle of God's oneness - is expressed in the plural and is, therefore, addressed
to all believers. Thus, while Muslims are expected to argue against the false beliefs of others,
they are not allowed to abuse the objects of those beliefs and to hurt thereby the feelings
of their erring fellow-men.
93 Lit., "thus goodly have We made...", etc., implying that it is in the nature of man to regard
the beliefs which have been implanted in him from childhood, and which he now shares with his
social environment, as the only true and possible ones - with the result that a polemic
against those beliefs often tends to provoke a hostile psychological reaction.
94 Lit., "Miracles are only with God." It is to be noted that the Qur'anic term ayah denotes not
only a "miracle" (in the sense of a happening that goes beyond the usual - that is, commonly
observable - course of nature), but also a "sign" or "message": and the last-mentioned significance
is the one which is by far the most frequently - met with in the Qur'an. Thus, what is commonly
described as a "miracle" constitutes, in fact, an unusual message from God, indicating sometimes
in a symbolic manner - a spiritual truth which would otherwise have remained hidden from man's
intellect. But even such extraordinary, "miraculous" messages cannot be regarded as "supernatural":
for the so-called "laws of nature" are only a perceptible manifestation of "God's way" (sunnat
Allah) in respect of His creation - and, consequently, everything that exists and happens, or
could conceivably exist or happen, is "natural" in the innermost sense of this word,
irrespective of whether it conforms to the ordinary course of events or goes beyond it. Now
since the extraordinary messages referred to manifest themselves, as a rule, through the
instrumentality of those specially gifted and divinely elected personalities known as "prophets",
these are sometimes spoken of as "performing miracles" - a misconception which the Qur'an
removes by the words, "Miracles are in the power of God alone". (See also 17 :59 and the
corresponding note 71.)
95 I.e., so long as they remain blind to the truth in consequence of their unwillingness to
acknowledge it - and this in accordance with the law of cause and effect which God has
imposed on His creation (see surah 2, note 7).
6:111
And even if We were to send down angels unto them, and if the dead were to speak unto them96 and [even if] We were to assemble before them, face to face, all the things [that can prove the truth], they would still not believe unless God so willed 97 But [of this] most of them are entirely unaware.
6:112
AND THUS it is that against every prophet We have set up as enemies the evil forces from among humans as well as from among invisible beings that whisper unto one another glittering half-truths meant to delude the mind 98 But they could not do this unless thy Sustainer had so willed: stand, therefore, aloof from them and from all their false imagery! (6:113) Yet, to the end that the hearts of those who do not believe in the life to come might incline towards Him, and that in Him they might find contentment, and that they might earn whatever they can earn [of merit] - (6:114) [say thou:] "Am I, then, to look unto anyone but God for judgment99 [as to what is right and wrong], when it is He who has bestowed upon you from on high this divine writ, clearly spelling out the truth?"100
And those unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know that this one, too, has been bestowed from on high, step by step, by thy Sustainer.101 Be not, then, among the doubters - (6:115) for, truly and justly has thy Sustainer's promise been fulfilled.102 There is no power that could alter [the fulfilment of] His promises: and He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing.
96 Sc., of the fact that there is life after death.
97 See note 95 above.
98 Lit., "embellished speech" or "varnished falsehood" (Lane III, 1223 - oy way of delusion" -
i.e., half-truths which entice man by their deceptive attractiveness and cause him to overlook
all real spiritual values (see also 25 : 30-31). - Regarding my rendering of jinn as
"invisible beings", see note 86 above and Appendix III. The term shayatin (lit., "satans"),
on the other hand, is often used in the Qur'an in the sense of evil forces inherent in
man as well as in the spiritual world (cf. 2:14, and the corresponding note). According to
several well-authenticated Traditions, quoted by Tabari, the Prophet was asked, "Are there
satans from among men?" - and he replied, "Yes, and they are more evil than the satans from
among the invisible beings (al-jinn)." Thus, the meaning of the above verse is that every
prophet has had to contend against the spiritual - and often physical-enmity of the evil ones
who, for whatever reason, refuse to listen to the voice of truth and try to lead others astray.
99 Lit., "to seek a judge other than God".
100 The expression mufassalan could also be rendered as "in a manner that brings out the distinction
(fail) between truth and falsehood" (Zamakhshari). The use of the plural "you" indicates that
the divine writ is addressed to all who may come to know it.
101 See 2:146, and the corresponding note. The pronoun "it" may refer either to the earlier divine
writ - the Bible - and to its prediction of the advent of a prophet descended from Abraham, or,
more probably, to the Qur'an: in which case it must be rendered as "this one, too". In either
case, the above phrase seems to allude to the instinctive (perhaps only subconscious) awareness
of some of the followers of the Bible that the Qur'an is, in truth, an outcome of divine revelation.
102 When related to God, the term kalimah (lit., "word") is often used in the Qur'an in the
sense of "promise". In this instance it obviously refers to the Biblical promise (Deuteronomy xviii,
15 and 18) that God would raise up a prophet "like unto Moses" among the Arabs (see surah 2, note 33).
6:116
Now if thou pay heed unto the majority of those [who live] on earth, they will but lead thee astray from the path of God: they follow but [other people's] conjectures, and they themselves do nothing but guess.103 (6:117) Verily, thy Sustainer knows best as to who strays from His path, and best knows He as to who are the right-guided.
6:118
EAT, then, of that over which God's name has been pronounced, if you truly believe in His messages. 104 (6:119) And why should you not eat of that over which God's name has been pronounced, seeing that He has so clearly spelled out to you what He has forbidden you [to eat] unless you are compelled [to do so]? But, behold, [it is precisely in such matters that] many people lead others astray by their own errant views, without [having any real] knowledge. Verily, thy Sustainer is fully aware of those who transgress the bounds of what is right.
103 Le., regarding the true nature of human life and its ultimate destiny, the problem of
revelation, the relationship between God and man, the meaning of good and evil, etc. Apart
from leading man astray from spiritual truths, such guesswork gives rise to the arbitrary rules
of conduct and self-imposed inhibitions to which the Qur'an alludes, by way of example, in
verses 118 and 119.
104 The purpose of this and the following verse is not as might appear at first glance, a
repetition of already-promulgated food laws but, rather, a reminder that the observance of
such laws should not be made an end in itself and an object of ritual: and this is the reason
why these two verses have been placed in the midst of a discourse on God's transcendental
unity and the ways of man's faith. The "errant views" spoken of in verse 119 are such as
lay stress on artificial rituals and taboos rather than on spiritual values.
6:120
But abstain from sinning,105 be it open or secret - for, behold, those who commit sins shall be requited for all that they have earned. (6:121) Hence, eat not of that over which God's name has not been pronounced: for this would be sinful conduct indeed.
And, verily, the evil impulses [within men's hearts] whisper unto those who have made them their own 106 that they should involve you in argument [as to what is and what is not a sin]; and if you pay heed unto them, lo! you will become [like] those who ascribe divinity to other beings or forces beside God.107
6:122
IS THEN - HE who was dead [in spirit] and whom We thereupon gave life, and for whom We set up a light whereby he might see his way among men108 - [is then he] like one [who is lost] in darkness deep, out of which he cannot emerge?
[But] thus it is: goodly seem all their own doings to those who deny the truth. (6:123) And it is in this way that We cause the great ones in every land to become its [greatest] evildoers,109 there to weave their schemes: yet it is only against themselves that they scheme - and they perceive it not. (6:124) And whenever a [divine] message comes to them, they say, "We shall not believe unless we are given the like of what God's apostles were given!"110
[But] God knows best upon whom to bestow His message.
Abasement in the sight of God will befall those who have become guilty of evildoing, and suffering severe for all the schemes which they were wont to weave.
105 This injunction connects with verse 118, thus: "Eat, then, of that over which God's name
has been pronounced..., but abstain from sinning" - i.e., "do not go beyond that which God
has made lawful to you".
106 Lit., "the satans whisper unto those who are near to them (ila awliya'ihim)". For my
above rendering of shayatin as "evil impulses", see note 10 on 2:14 and note 31 on 14:22.
107 I.e., "your own evil impulses are trying to draw you into argument as to what does and what
does not constitute a sin in order to make you lose sight of God's clear ordinances in this
respect; and if you follow their arbitrary, deceptive reasoning, you will elevate them, as
it were, to the position of moral law-givers, and thus ascribe to them a right that belongs
to God alone."
108 Lit., "whereby he walks among men". All the commentators agree in that the expression "he
who was dead" is metaphorical, and that it refers to people who become spiritually alive
through faith and are thereupon able to pursue their way through life unerringly.
109 Because the consciousness of their importance makes them more or less impervious to criticism,
the "great ones" are, as a rule, rather less inclined than other people to question the moral
aspects of their own behaviour; and the resulting self-righteousness only too often causes them
to commit grave misdeeds.
110 I.e., direct revelation.
6:125
And whomsoever God wills to guide, his bosom He opens wide with willingness towards self-surrender [unto Him]; and whomsoever He wills to let go astray, his bosom He causes to be tight and constricted, as if he were climbing unto the skies: it is thus that God inflicts horror upon those who will not believe. (6:126) And undeviating is this thy Sustainer's way.111
Clearly, indeed, have We spelled out these messages unto people who [are willing to] take them to heart! (6:127) Theirs shall be an abode of peace with their Sustainer; and He shall be near unto them in result of what they have been doing.
6:128
AND ON THE DAY when He shall gather them [all] together, [He will say:] "O you who have lived in close communion with [evil] invisible beings! A great many [other] human beings have you ensnared!"112 And those of the humans who were close to them113 will say: "O our Sustainer! We did enjoy one another's fellowship [in life]; but (now that] we have reached the end of our term - the term which Thou hast laid down for us - (we see the error of our ways]!"
[But] He will say: "The fire shall be your abode, therein to abide - unless God wills it otherwise."114 Verily, thy Sustainer is wise, all-knowing.
111 Lit., "and this thy Sustainer's way is straight" - i.e., unchanging in its application of
the law of cause and effect to man's inner life as well.- The term rijs occurring in the
preceding sentence, and rendered by me as "horror", signifies anything that is intrinsically
loathsome, horrible or abominable; in this case, it would seem to denote that awesome feeling
of utter futility which, sooner or later, overcomes everyone who does not believe that life
has meaning and purpose.
112 According to most of the commentators, the invisible beings (al-jinn) referred to here
are the "evil forces" (shayatin) among them, such as are spoken of in verse 112 of this surah.
It is generally assumed that these very beings or forces are addressed here; but the primary
meaning of the term ma'shar appearing in this context warrants, in my opinion, a different
conclusion. It is true that this term is often used to denote a group or community or genus
of sentient beings which have certain characteristics in common: a conventional - and undoubtedly
justifiable - use based on the verb 'asharahu, "he consorted [or "was on intimate terms"] with
him" or "lived in close communion with him". But it is precisely this verbal origin of the term
ma'shar which gives us a clue as to what is really meant here. Since, in its primary significance,
a person's ma'shar denotes those who are on intimate terms or in close communion with him (cf.
Lisan al-'Arab: "A man's ma'shar is his family"), we may well assume that it has a similar
significance in the above Qur'anic phrase. Thus, to my mind, the allocution yd ma'shar al-jinn
does not denote, "O you community of [evil] invisible beings" but, rather, "O you who are [or
"have lived"] in close communion with [evil] invisible beings": in other words, it is addressed
to the misguided human beings - who have been seduced by "glittering half-truths meant to delude
the mind" (verse 112). This interpretation is reinforced by the words, "Have there not come
unto you apostles from among yourselves", occurring in verse 130 below: for the Qur'an speaks
always only of apostles who belonged to the human race, and never of apostles from among the
jinn. (As regards the wide significance of this latter term, see Appendix III.)
113 Le., close to the evil invisible beings. It is to be remembered that the primary meaning of
wali (of which awliya' is the plural) is "one who is close [to another]".
114 I.e., unless He graces them with His mercy (see verse 12 of this surah, and the corresponding
note). Some of the great Muslim theologians conclude from the above and from the similar phrase
occurring in 11:107 (as well as from several well-authenticated sayings of the Prophet) that -
contrary to the bliss of paradise, which will be of unlimited duration - the suffering of the
sinners in the life to come will be limited by God's mercy. (See in this connection the hadith
quoted in note 10 on 40:12.)
6:129
And in this manner do We cause evildoers to seduce one another115 by means of their (evil] doings. (6:130) [And thus will God continue:] "O you who have lived in close communion with [evil] invisible beings and [like-minded] humans! Have there not come unto you apostles from among yourselves, who conveyed unto you My messages and warned you of the coming of this your Day [of Judgment]?"
They will answer: "We do bear witness against ourselves!" - for the life of this world had beguiled them: and so they will bear witness against themselves that they had been denying the truth.
6:131
And so it is that thy Sustainer would never destroy a community116 for its wrongdoing so long as its people are still unaware [of the meaning of right and wrong]: (6:132) for all shall be judged according to their [conscious] deeds117 - and thy Sustainer is not unaware of what they do. (6:133) And thy Sustainer alone is self-sufficient, limitless in His grace. If He so wills, He may put an end to you and thereafter cause whom He wills to succeed you - even as He has brought you into being out of other people's seed.
6:134
Verily, that [reckoning] which you are promised is bound to come, and you cannot elude it! (6:135) Say: "O my [unbelieving] people! Do yet all that may be within your power, [while] I, behold, shall labour [in God's way]; and in time you will come to know to whom the future belongs.118 Verily, never will evildoers attain to a happy state!"
6:136
AND OUT OF whatever He has created of the fruits of the field and the cattle, they assign unto God a portion, saying, "This belongs to God"- or so they [falsely] claim119 - "and this is for those beings who, we are convinced, have a share in God's divinity."120 But that which is assigned to the beings associated in their minds with God does not bring [them] closer to God - whereas that which is assigned to God brings [them but] closer to those beings to whom they ascribe a share in His divinity."121 Bad, indeed, is their judgment!
115 Lit., "to be close to one another", or "get hold of one another". The expression "in this
manner" (kadhalika), which introduces the above sentence, is an obvious allusion to the manner
in which the evil ones "whisper unto one another glittering half-truths meant to'delude the
mind" (verse 112 of this surah).
116 Lit., "communities". The term qaryah (lit., "town", "village" or "land") denotes also the
people of a town or land - in short, a "community" - and it is in this sense that this
term is mostly, though not always, used in the Qur'an.
117 Lit., "all shall have grades out of what they did", i.e., consciously - since God does not
take people to task for any wrong they may have committed unless it was done in conscious
contravention of a moral law already made clear to them by the prophets.
118 Lit., "to whom the [happy] end of the abode shall belong". The term "abode" (dar) is used
in the Qur'an with reference to both the life of this world (dar ad-dunya) and the life to
come (dar al-akhirah). Most of the commentators are of the opinion that it refers here to the
life to come; Zamakhshari, however, relates it to life on earth. Since either of these
interpretations is agreeable with the text, I have chosen the above rendering which comprises
both.
119 Falsely - because everything that exists belongs, in the last resort, to God alone.
120 Lit., "for our [God-]partners" -i.e., "those whom we consider to be associated with God".
For an explanation of the term sharik, see note 15 on verse 22 of this surah. The pre-Islamic
Arabs used to dedicate a part of their agricultural produce and cattle to some of their deities,
and a part to God, whom they regarded as one - albeit the greatest - of them. In consonance,
however, with the method of the Qur'an, the above verse does not allude merely to this
historical aspect of pre-Islamic Arabian life but has a wider, more general implication as well:
that is, it refers not only to the apportioning of devotional "shares" between God and the
imaginary deities, but also to the attribution of any share in His creative powers to anyone
or anything beside Him.
121 I.e., the fact that they assign a "share" of their devotions to God does not strengthen
their belief in Him but, rather, implies a negation of His transcendental uniqueness and,
thus, makes them more and more dependent on imaginary divine or semi-divine "mediators".
6:137
And, likewise, their belief in beings or powers that are supposed to have a share in God's divinity makes122 [even] the slaying of their children seem goodly to many of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God, thus bringing them to ruin and confusing them in their faith."123
Yet, unless God had so willed, they would not be doing all this:124 stand, therefore, aloof from them and all their false imagery!
122 Lit., "their [God-]partners make". As pointed out by Razi, some early commentators were
of the opinion that the expression shuraka'uhum (lit., "their associates") denotes here the
"evil beings" or "forces" (shayatin) from among men and jinn referred to in verses 112,
121, 128 and 130 of this surah. It seems to me, however, that what is meant here - as in
the preceding verse - is the belief in the existence of anything that could be "associated"
with God; hence my rendering of the above phrase as "their belief in beings or powers that
are supposed...", etc.
123 This is a reference to the custom prevalent among the pre-Islamic Arabs of burying alive
some of their unwanted children, mainly girls, and also to the occasional offering of a
boy-child in sacrifice to one or another of their idols (Zamakhshari). Apart from this
historical reference, the above Qur'an-verse seems to point out, by implication, the
psychological fact that an attribution of divinity to anyone or anything but God brings with
it an ever-growing dependence on all kinds of imaginary powers which must be "propitiated"
by formal and often absurd and cruel rites: and this, in turn, leads to the loss of all
spiritual freedom and to moral self-destruction.
124 I.e., He allows them to behave as they do because He wants them to make use of their reason
and of the free will with which He has endowed man.
6:138
And they say, "Such-and-such cattle and fruits of the field are sacred; none may eat thereof save those whom we will [to do so]" - so they [falsely] claim;125 and [they declare that] it is forbidden to burden the backs of certain kinds of cattle; and there are cattle over which they do not pronounce God's name126 - falsely attributing [the origin of these customs] to Him. [But] He will requite them for all their false imagery.
6:139
And they say, "All that is in the wombs of such-and-such cattle is reserved for our males and forbidden to our women; but if it be stillborn, then both may have their share thereof." [God] will requite them for all that they [falsely] attribute [to Him]: behold, He is wise, all-knowing. (6:140) Lost, indeed, are they who, in their weakminded ignorance, slay their children and declare as forbidden that which God has provided for them as sustenance, falsely ascribing [such prohibitions] to God: they have gone astray and have not found the right path.
6:141
For it is He who has brought into being gardens - [both] the cultivated ones and those growing wild127 - and the date-palm, and fields bearing multiform produce, and the olive tree, and the pomegranate: [all] resembling one another and yet so different!128 Eat of their fruit when it comes to fruition, and give [unto the poor] their due on harvest day. And do not waste [God's bounties]: verily, He does not love the wasteful! (6:142) And of the cattle reared for work and for the sake of their flesh, eat whatever God has provided for you as sustenance, and follow not Satan's footsteps:129 behold, he is your open foe!
125 The pre-Islamic Arabs falsely claimed that these taboos were ordained by God, as is made
clear in the last part of this verse. One of these supposed, arbitrary "ordinances" laid down
that only the priests of the particular idol and some men belonging to the tribe could eat
the flesh of such dedicated animals, while women were not allowed to do so (Zamakhshari).
126 I.e., while sacrificing them to their idols (see also 5:103 and the corresponding note).
It would seem from this allusion that, as a rule, the pagan Arabs did pronounce the name of
God - whom they regarded as the supreme deity - over the animals which they slaughtered;
in the above-mentioned exceptional cases, however, they refrained from doing so in the
belief that God Himself had forbidden it.
127 This is the generally-accepted explanation of the term ma'rushat and ghavr ma'rushat
(lit., "those which are and those which are not provided with trellises"). The mention of
"gardens" serves here to illustrate the doctrine that everything living and growing -
like everything else in the universe - owes its existence to God alone, and that it is,
therefore, blasphemous to connect it causally or devotionally with any other power, be
it real or imaginary.
128 See note 85 on verse 99 of this surah.
129 I.e., by superstitiously declaring as forbidden what God has made lawful to man. All the
references to pre-Islamic taboos given in verses 138-140 as well as 142-144 are meant to
stress the lawfulness of any food (and, by implication, of any other physical enjoyment)
which God has not expressly forbidden through revelation.
6:143
[His followers would have it that, in certain cases, any of these] four kinds of cattle of either sex [is unlawful to man]: either of the two sexes of sheep and of goats."130 Ask [them]: "Is it the two males that He has forbidden, or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females may contain? Tell me what you know in this respect,"131 if what you say is true."
6:144
And [likewise they declare as unlawful] either of the two sexes of camels and of bovine cattle. 132 Ask [them]: "Is it the two males that He has forbidden, or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females may contain? Is it, perchance, that you [yourselves] were witnesses when God enjoined [all] this upon you?"
And who could be more wicked than he who, without any [real] knowledge, attributes his own lying inventions to God, and thus leads people astray'?133 Behold, God does not grace [such] evildoing folk with His guidance.
6:145
Say [O Prophet]: "In all that has been revealed unto me, I do not find anything forbidden to eat, if one wants to eat thereof,134 unless it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine - for that, behold, is loathsome - or a sinful offering 135 over which any name other than God's has been invoked. But if one is driven by necessity - neither coveting it nor exceeding his immediate need - then [know that], behold, thy Sustainer iis much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace."136
130 Lit., "eight [in] pairs - of sheep two and of goats two" (the two other pairs are mentioned
in the next verse). This is an outstanding example of the ellipticism often employed in the
Qur'an: a mode of expression which cannot be correctly rendered in any other language without
the use of explanatory interpolations. The term zawj denotes a pair of things as well as each
of the two constituents of a pair: hence my rendering of thamaniyat azwa! (lit., "eight [in]
pairs") as "four kinds of cattle of either sex". The particular superstition to which this
and the next verse refer is probably identical with the one mentioned in 5:103.
131 Lit., "tell me with knowledge" - i.e., not on the basis of guesswork but of knowledge acquired
through authentic revelation. The preceding and subsequent ironical questions are meant to
bring out the vagueness and inconsistency which characterizes all such superstitious,
self-imposed prohibitions.
132 Lit., "and of camels two, and of bovine cattle two" - thus completing the enumeration of
the "eight kinds [i.e., four pairs] of cattle".
133 Lit., "[thus] to lead people astray". However, the conjunction li prefixed to the verb
yudill ("he leads astray") does not denote here - as is usually the case - an intent ("in
order that") but, rather, a logical sequel ("and thus..."): a use which is described by
the grammarians as lam al-aqibah, "the letter lam signifying a causal sequence".
134 Lit., "forbidden to an eater to eat thereof".
135 Lit., "a sinful deed" (fisq) - here signifying an idolatrous offering.
6:146
And [only] unto those who followed the Jewish faith did We forbid all beasts that have claws;137 and We forbade unto them the fat of both oxen and sheep, excepting that which is in their backs or entrails or that which is within the bone:138 thus did We requite them for their evildoing - for, behold, We are true to Our word!"139
6:147
And if they give thee the lie,140 say: "Limitless is your Sustainer in His grace; but His punishment shall not be averted from people who are lost in sin."
6:148
THOSE who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God will say, "Had God so willed, we would not have ascribed divinity to aught but Him, nor would our forefathers [have done so]; and neither would we have declared as forbidden anything [that He has allowed]." Even so did those who lived before them give the lie to the truth141 - until they came to taste Our punishment!
Say: "Have you any [certain] knowledge which you could proffer to us?142 You follow but [other people's] conjectures, and you yourselves do nothing but guess." (6:149) Say: "[Know,] then, that the final evidence [of all truth] rests with God alone; and had He so willed, He would have guided you all aright.143
136 Cf. 2:173 and 5:3.
137 The construction of the above sentence makes it clear that this prohibition was imposed
specifically on the Jews, to the exclusion of believers of later times (Razi).
138 Cf. Leviticus vii, 23 (where, however, "all manner" of fat of ox, sheep or goat is declared
forbidden).
139 See 3:93.
140 I.e., regarding the Qur'anic statement (in verse 145) that God forbids only a few,
clearly-defined categories of food. The pronoun "they" refers to the Jews as well as to
the pagan Arabs spoken of in the preceding verses - both of whom claim that God has imposed
on man various complicated restrictions in the matter of food. According to the Qur'an,
the Jews are wrong in their claim inasmuch as they overlook the fact that the severe
Mosaic food laws were a punishment for their past misdeeds (see 3:93) and, therefore,
intended for them alone; and the pagan Arabs are wrong because their taboos have no divine
basis whatsoever and are due to mere superstition.
141 I.e., the truth that God has endowed man with the ability to choose between right and
wrong. The above verse constitutes a categorical rejection of the doctrine of "predestination"
in the commonly-accepted sense of this term.
142 I.e., knowledge regarding "predestination".
143 In other words, the real relationship between God's knowledge of the future (and, therefore, 197
the ineluctability of what is to happen in the future) on the one side, and man's free will,
on the other - two propositions which, on the face of it, seem to contradict one another -
is beyond man's comprehension; but since both are postulated by God, both must be true. The
very concept of "God" presupposes His omniscience; and the very concept of morality and
moral responsibility presupposes free will on man's part. Had God so willed, every human being
would have been forced to live righteously; but this would have amounted to depriving man of
his free will, and morality of all its meaning.
6:150
Say: "Bring forward your witnesses who could bear witness that God has forbidden [all] this!"144 - and if they bear witness [falsely], do not bear witness with them; and do not follow the errant views of those who have given the lie to Our messages, nor of those who believe not in the life to come, and who regard other powers as their Sustainer's equals!145
6:151
Say: "Come, let me convey unto you what God has [really] forbidden to you:
"Do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him; and [do not offend against but, rather,] do good unto your parents;146 and do not kill your children for fear of poverty - [for] it is We who shall provide sustenance for you as well as for them;147 and do not commit any shameful deeds, be they open or secret; and do not take any human being's life - [the life] which God has declared to be sacred - otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice: this has He enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason;148 (152) and do not touch the substance of an orphan - save to improve it - before he comes of age."149
And [in all your dealings] give full measure and weight,150 with equity: [however,] We do not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear;151 and when you voice an opinion, be just, even though it be [against] one near of kin.152
And [always] observe your bond with God:153 this has He enjoined upon you, so that you might keep it in mind. (6:153) And [know] that this is the way leading straight unto Me: follow it, then, and follow not other ways, lest they cause you to deviate 154 from His way.
[All] this has He enjoined upon you, so that you might remain conscious of Him.
144 A reference to the arbitrary prohibitions mentioned in the preceding passages.
145 Lit., "make [others] equal to their Sustainer": i.e., attribute divine or almost-divine
qualities to certain ill-defined natural powers - e.g., believe in "spontaneous" creative
evolution, or in a "self-created" universe, or in a mysterious, impersonal elan vital that
supposedly underlies all existence, etc.
146 In the consensus of all the commentators, the phrase interpolated by me between brackets
is clearly implied in the above commandment, since it is mentioned among the things which God
has forbidden - and being good towards one's parents is not only not forbidden but, on the
contrary, enjoined over and over in the Qur'an.
147 This may possibly refer to abortions dictated by economic considerations.
148 Sc., "and not resort to brute force whenever your private interests are involved". The
expression "otherwise than in (the pursuit of) justice" refers to the execution of a legal
punishment or to killing in a just - that is, defensive-war, or to individual, legitimate
self-defence.
149 I.e., after the orphan in one's charge has come of age, the former guardian may "touch"
his property, legally, by borrowing from it or otherwise utilizing it with the owner's consent.
The phrase rendered by me as "save to improve it" reads, literally, "in a manner that is best",
which implies the intent of bettering it.
150 This refers metonymically to all dealings between men and not only to commercial transactions:
hence my interpolation of "in all your dealings".
151 The meaning is that God does not expect man to behave with "mathematical" equity -
which, in view of the many intangible factors involved, is rarely attainable in human
dealings - but expects him to do his best towards achieving this ideal.
152 According to Razi, the phrase "when you voice an opinion" (lit., "when you speak") applies
to expressing an opinion on any subject, whether it concerns one personally or not; but
the subsequent reference to one's "near of kin" makes it probable that the above injunction
relates, in particular, to the giving of evidence in cases under dispute.
153 See surah 2, note 19.
154 Lit., "to become scattered"
6:154
AND ONCE AGAIN:155 We vouchsafed the divine writ unto Moses in fulfilment [of Our favour] upon those who persevered in doing good, clearly spelling out everything, 156 and [thus providing] guidance and grace, so that they might have faith in the [final] meeting with their Sustainer.
6:155
And this, too, is a divine writ which We have bestowed from on high, a blessed one: follow it, then, and be conscious of God, so that you might be graced with His mercy. (6:156) (It has been given to you] lest you say, "Only unto two groups of people, [both of them] before our time, has a divine writ been bestowed from on high 157 - and we were indeed unaware of their teachings"; (6:157) or lest you say, "If a divine writ had been bestowed from on high upon us, we would surely have followed its guidance better than they did."158
And so, a clear evidence of the truth has now come unto you from your Sustainer, and guidance, and grace. Who, then, could be more wicked than he who gives the lie to God's messages, and turns away from them in disdain?
We shail requite those who turn away from Our messages in disdain with evil suffering for having thus turned away!
6:158
Do they, perchance, wait for the angels to appear unto them, or for thy Sustainer [Himself] to appear, or for some of thy Sustainer's [final] portents to appear?159 [But] on the Day when thy Sustainer's [final] portents do appear, believing will be of no avail to any human being who did not believe before, or who, while believing, did no good works.160
Say: "Wait, [then, for the Last Day, O unbelievers:] behold, we [believers] are waiting, too!"
155 See note 31 on the last paragraph of verse 38 of this surah. In this instance, the stress
implied in the use of thumma seems to point to verse 91 of this surah.
156 I.e., everything that they needed by way of laws and injunctions appropriate to their time
and the stage of their development (Razi). See in this connection the phrase, "Unto every one
of you have We appointed a [different] law and way of life", occurring in 5:48, and the
corresponding note 66.
157 I.e., to the Jews and the Christians, who were the only two communities known to the
Arabs as possessing revealed scriptures.
158 Although this passage refers, in the first instance, to the Arabian contemporaries of
the Prophet, its message is not restricted to them but relates to all people, at all times,
who refuse to believe in revelation unless they themselves are its direct recipients.
159 Le., the signs announcing the Day of Judgment.
160 Lit., "or [did not] earn good in his faith": thus, faith without good works is here declared
to be equivalent to having no faith at all (Zamakhshari).
6:159
VERILY, as for those who have broken the unity of their faith and have become sects - thou hast nothing to do with them 161 Behold, their case rests with God: and in time He will make them understand what they were doing. (6:160) Whoever shall come [before God] with a good deed will gain ten times the like thereof; but whoever shall come with an evil deed will be requited with no more than the like thereof; and none shall be wronged.162
6:161
SAY: "Behold, my Sustainer has guided me onto a straight way through an ever-true faith - the way of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false, and was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him." (6:162) Say: "Behold, my prayer, and [all] my acts of worship, and my living and my dying are for God [alone], the Sustainer of all the worlds, (6:163) in whose divinity none has a share: for thus have I been bidden - and I shall [always] be foremost among those who surrender themselves unto Him."
161 A reference primarily, to the Jews and the Christians, who have departed from the fundamental
religious principles which they had originally shared in their entirety, and have gone
different ways in respect of doctrine and ethics (cf. 3:105). Beyond this "primary" reference,
however, the above verse connects logically with verse 153 above, "this is the way leading
straight unto Me: follow if, then, and follow not other ways, lest they cause you to deviate
from His way" - and thus relates prophetically to the followers of the Qur'an as well: in
other words, it expresses a condemnation of all sectarianism arising out of people's intolerant,
mutually-exclusive claims to being "the only true exponents" of the Qur'anic teachings. Thus,
when asked about the implications of this verse, the Prophet's Companion Abu Hurayrah is
reported to have answered, "It has been revealed with reference to this [our] community"
(Tabari).
162 Lit., "and they shall not be wronged". See in this connection the statement that God "has
willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy", occurring in verse 12 of this surah, and the
corresponding note 10.
6:164
Say: "Am I, then, to seek a sustainer other than God, when He is the Sustainer of all things?" And whatever [wrong] any human being commits rests upon himself alone; and no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another's burden. 163 And, in time, unto your Sustainer you all must return: and then He will make you. [truly] understand all that on which you were wont to differ.164
6:165
For, He it is who has made you inherit the earth, 165 and has raised some of you by degrees above others, so that He might try you by means of what He has bestowed upon you.166
Verily, thy Sustainer is swift in retribution: yet, behold, He is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
163 This statement - which is also found in 17:15, 35:18. 39:7 and 53:38 - constitutes a
categorical rejection of the Christian doctrines of "original sin" and "vicarious atonement".
For the wider ethical implications of this statement, see 53:38, where it occurs for the
first time in the chronological order of revelation.
164 See surah 2, note 94.
165 See 2:30, and the corresponding note 22.
166 I.e., by way of character, strength, knowledge, social position, wealth, etc.
THE TITLE of this surah is based on an expression which occurs in verses 46 and 48; its meaning is explained in note 37. According to most of the authorities (and particularly Ibn 'Abbas), the whole of Al-A'raf was revealed shortly before the preceding surah - that is, in the last year of the Prophet's stay at Mecca; the assertion of As-Suyuti and some other scholars to the effect that verses 163-171 belong to the Medina period is the result of mere conjecture and cannot, therefore, be accepted (Manar VIII, 294).
Although, in the chronological order of revelation, Al-A'raf precedes the sixth surah, it has been placed after the latter because it elaborates the theme outlined therein. After the exposition of God's oneness and uniqueness - which, as I have pointed out in the introductory note to Al-An'am, constitutes the main theme of the sixth surah - Al-A'raf proceeds with a reference to revelation as a means by which God communicates His will to man: in other words, to the mission of the prophets. The need for continued prophetic guidance arises from the fact of man's weakness and his readiness to follow every temptation that appeals to his appetites, his vanity, or his mistaken sense of self-interest: and this essential aspect of the human condition is illustrated in the allegory of Adam and Eve and their fall from grace (verses 19-25), preceded by the allegory of Iblis as man's eternal tempter (verses 16-18). Without the guidance which God offers man through His prophets, the right way cannot be found; and, therefore, "unto those who give the lie to Our messages and scorn them in their pride, the gates of heaven shall not be opened" (verse 40). From verse 59 onwards, most of the surah is devoted to the histories of some of the earlier prophets whose warnings were rejected by their people, beginning with Noah, continuing with Hud, Salih, Lot and Shu'ayb, and culminating in a lengthy account of Shu'ayb's son-in-law, Moses, and his experiences with the children of Israel. With verse 172 the discourse reverts to the complex psychology of man, his instinctive ability to perceive God's existence and oneness, and to "what happens to him to whom God vouchsafes His messages and who then discards them: Satan catches up with him, and he strays, like so many others, into grievous error" (verse 175). This brings us to God's final message, the Qur'an, and to the role of the Last Prophet, Muhammad, who is "nothing but a warner and a herald of glad tidings" (verse 188): a mortal servant of God, having no "supernatural" powers or qualities, and - like all God-conscious men - "never too proud to worship Him" (verse 206).
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
7:1
Alif. Lam. Mim. Sad.1
A DIVINE WRIT has been bestowed from on high upon thee - and let there be no doubt about this in thy heart - in order that thou mayest warn [the erring] thereby, and [thus] admonish the believers:2
1 See Appendix II.
2 The expression haraj (lit., "straitness" or "tightness") is often used idiomatically to denote
"doubt": and this is, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah, the meaning of the term
here (see Tabari', Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi, Ibn Kathir). The construction of the whole
sentence makes it clear that the "doubt" does not relate to the origin of the divine writ but
to its purpose: and thus, although ostensibly addressed to the Prophet, the above passage
is meant to draw the attention of all whom the Qur'anic message may reach to the fact that
it has a twofold objective - namely, to warn the rejectors of the truth and to guide those
who already believe in it. Both the warning and the admonition are summarized in the sequence.
7:3
"Follow what has been sent down unto you by your Sustainer, and follow no masters other than Him.3 How seldom do you keep this in mind! (7:4) And how many a [rebellious] community have We destroyed, with Our punishment coming upon it by night, or while they were resting at noontide!4 (7:5) And when Our punishment came upon them, they had nothing to say for themselves, and could only cry,5 "Verily, we were wrongdoers!"
7:6
Thus, [on Judgment Day] We shall most certainly call to account all those unto whom a [divine] message was sent, and We shall most certainly call to account the message-bearers [themselves];6 (7:7) and thereupon We shall most certainly reveal unto them Our knowledge [of their doings]:7 for never have We been absent [from them].
7:8
And true will be the weighing on that Day; and those whose weight [of good deeds] is heavy in the balance - it is they, they who shall attain to a happy state; (7:9) whereas those whose weight is light in the balance - it is they who will have squandered their own selves by their wilful rejection of Our messages!
YEA, INDEED, [O men,] We have given you a [bountiful] place on earth, and appointed thereon means of livelihood for you: [yet] how seldom are you grateful! (7:11) Yea, indeed, We have created you, and then formed you;9 and then We said unto the angels, "Prostrate yourselves before Adam!" - whereupon they [all] prostrated themselves, save Iblis: he was not among those who prostrated themselves.10
3 Some of the great Muslim thinkers, and particularly Ibn Hazm and Ibn Taymiyyah, maintain
that the expression awliya' (here rendered as "masters") denotes, in this context, "authorities"
in the religious sense of the word, implying a prohibition of attributing legal validity - side
by side with Qur'anic ordinances - to the subjective opinions of any person below the Prophet.
See in this connection 5:101, and the corresponding notes.
4 I.e., suddenly, when the people felt completely secure and at ease. This passage connects with
the obligation, laid down in the preceding two verses, to follow God's revealed messages.
5 Lit., "their plea was nothing but that they said". 6 Cf. 5:109.
7 Lit., "relate to them with knowledge".
8 Lit., "for that they were wont to act wrongfully with regard to Our messages".
9 The sequence of these two statements - "We have created you [i.e., "brought you into being as
living organisms"] and then formed you" [or "given you your shape", i.e., as human beings]-
is meant to bring out the fact of man's gradual development, in the individual sense, from
the embryonic stage to full-fledged existence, as well as of the evolution of the human race
as such.
10 As regards God's allegorical command to the angels to "prostrate themselves" before Adam,
see 2:30-34, and the corresponding notes. The reference to all mankind which precedes the story
of Adam in this surah makes it clear that his name symbolizes, in this context, the whole
human race.
Western scholars usually take it for granted that the name "Iblis" is a corruption of the Greek
word diabolos, from which the English "devil" is derived. There is, however, not the slightest
evidence that the pre-Islamic Arabs borrowed this or any other mythological term from the Greeks -
while on the other hand, it is established that the Greeks derived a good deal of their
mythological concepts (including various deities and their functions) from the much earlier
South-Arabian civilization (cf. Encyclopaedia of Islam I, 379 f.). One may, therefore, assume
with something approaching certainty that the Greek diabolos is a Hellenized form of the
Arabic name for the Fallen Angel, which, in turn, is derived from the root-verb ablasa, "he
despaired" or "gave up hope" or "became broken in spirit" (see Lane I, 248). The fact that
the noun diabolos ("slanderer" - derived from the verb diaballein, "to throw [something] across")
is of genuinely Greek origin does not, by itself, detract anything from this hypothesis: for
it is conceivable that the Greeks, with their well-known tendency to Hellenize foreign names,
identified the name "Iblis" with the, to them, much more familiar term diabolos. - As regards
Iblis' statement, in the next verse, that he had been created "out of fire", see surah 38.
note 60.
7:12
[And God] said: "What has kept thee from prostrating thyself when I commanded thee?" Answered [Iblis]: "I am better than he: Thou hast created me out of fire, whereas him Thou hast created out of clay." (7:13) [God] said: "Down with thee, then, from this [state] - for it is not meet for thee to show arrogance here! Go forth, then: verily, among the humiliated shalt thou be!"
7:14
Said [Iblis]: "Grant me a respite till the Day when all shall be raised from the dead." (7:15) [And God] replied: "Verily, thou shalt be among those who are granted a respite." (7:16) [Whereupon Iblis] said: "Now that Thou hast thwarted me,11 I shall most certainly lie in ambush for them all along Thy straight way, (7:17) and shall most certainly fall upon them openly as well as in a manner beyond their ken,12 and from their right and from their left: and most of them Thou wilt find ungrateful."
7:18
[And God] said: "Go forth from here, disgraced and disowned! [And] as for such of them as follow thee - I will most certainly fill hell with you all!
11 Or: "allowed me to fall into error". The term aghwahu denotes both "he caused [or "allowed"]
him to err" or "he caused him to be disappointed" or "to fail in attaining his desire" (cf.
Lane VI, 2304 f.). Since. in this case, the saying of Iblis refers to the loss of his erstwhile
position among the angels, the rendering adopted by me seems to be the most appropriate.
12 Lit., "from between their hands and from behind them". Regarding this idiomatic expression
and my rendering of it, see the similar phrase in 2:255 ("He knows all that lies open before
men and all that is hidden from them"). The subsequent phrase "from their right and from their
left" signifies "from all directions and by all possible means".
7:19
And [as for thee], O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in this garden, and eat, both of you, whatever you may wish; but do not approach this one tree, lest you become evildoers!"13 (7:20) Thereupon Satan whispered unto the two with a view to making them conscious of their nakedness, of which [hitherto] they had been unaware;14 and he said: "Your Sustainer has but forbidden you this tree lest you two become [as] angels, or lest you live forever."15
7:21
And he swore unto them, "Verily, I am of those who wish you well indeed!16 (22) - and thus he led them on with deluding thoughts.
But as soon as the two had tasted [the fruit] of the tree, they became conscious of their nakedness; and they began to cover themselves with pieced-together leaves from the garden. And their Sustainer called unto them: "Did I not forbid that tree unto you and tell you, 'Verily, Satan is your open foe'?"
7:23
The two replied: "O our Sustainer! We have sinned against ourselves - and unless Thou grant us forgiveness and bestow Thy mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost!" (7:24) Said He: "Down with you,16 [and be henceforth] enemies unto one another, having on earth your abode and livelihood for a while: (7:25) there shall you live" - He added - "and there shall you die, and thence shall you be brought forth [on Resurrection Day]!"
13 See 2:35 and 20:120, as well as the corresponding notes.
14 Lit., "so as to make manifest to them that of their nakedness which [hitherto] had been
imperceptible to them": an allegory of the state of innocence in which man lived before his
fall from grace - that is, before his consciousness made him aware of himself and of the
possibility of choosing between alternative courses of action, with all the attending
temptations towards evil and the misery which must follow a wrong choice.
15 Lit., "or [lest] you become of those who are enduring": thus instilling in them the desire
to live forever and to become in this respect, like God. (See note 106 on 20:120.)
16 Sc., "from this state of blessedness and innocence". As in the parallel account of this parable
of the Fall in 2:35-36, the dual form of address changes at this stage into the plural, thus
connecting once again with verse 10 and the beginning of verse 11 of this surah, and making it
clear that the story of Adam and Eve is, in reality, an allegory of human destiny. In his
earlier state of innocence man was unaware of the existence of evil and, therefore, of the
ever-present necessity of making a choice between the many possibilities of action and behaviour:
in other words, he lived, like all other animals, in the light of his instincts alone.
Inasmuch, however, as this innocence was only a condition of his existence and not a virtue,
it gave to his life a static quality and thus precluded him from moral and intellectual
development. The growth of his consciousness - symbolized by the wilful act of disobedience
to God's command - changed all this. It transformed him from a purely instinctive being into
a full-fledged human entity as we know it - a human being capable of discerning between right
and wrong and thus of choosing his way of life. In this deeper sense, the allegory of the
Fall does not describe a retrogressive happening but, rather, a new stage of human development:
an opening of doors to moral considerations. By forbidding him to "approach this tree", God
made it possible for man to act wrongly - and, therefore, to act rightly as well: and so
man became endowed with that moral free will which distinguishes him from all other sentient
beings. - Regarding the role of Satan - or Iblis - as the eternal tempter of man, see note
26 on 2:34 and note 31 on 15:41.
7:26
O CHILDREN of Adam! Indeed, We have bestowed upon you from on high [the knowledge of making] garments to cover your nakedness, and as a thing of beauty:17 but the garment of God-consciousness is the best of all. Herein lies a message from God, so that man18 might take it to heart. (7:27) O children of Adam! Do not allow Satan to seduce you in the same way as he caused your ancestors to be driven out of the garden: he deprived them of their garment [of God-consciousness] in order to make them aware of their nakedness. Verily, he and his tribe are lying in wait for you where you cannot perceive them!19
Verily, We have placed [all manner of] satanic forces near unto those who do not [truly] believe;20 (7:28) and [so,] whenever they commit a shameful deed, they are wont to say, "We found our forefathers doing it," and, "God has enjoined it upon us."
Say: "Behold, never does God enjoin deeds of abomination. Would you attribute unto God something of which you have no knowledge?"
7:29
Say: "My Sustainer has [but] enjoined the doing of what is right; and [He desires you to] put your whole being into every act of worship,21 and to call unto Him, sincere in your faith in Him alone. As it was He who brought you into being in the first instance, so also [unto Him] you will return: (7:30) some [of you] He will have graced with His guidance, whereas, for some a straying from the right path will have become unavoidable:22 for, behold, they will have taken [their own] evil impulses for their masters in preference to God, thinking all the while that they have found the right path!"
17 Lit., "as plumage" - a metaphorical expression derived from the beauty of birds' plumage.
18 Lit., "this is [one] of God's messages, so that they.. .", etc.
19 Lit., "see you from where you do not see them".
20 The interpolated word "truly" is implied in this phrase in view of the subsequent reference
to the erroneous beliefs of such people: for, although their beliefs are wrong, some of them
are under the impression that the "shameful deeds" subsequently referred to have been enjoined
by God. As for the "satanic forces" (shayatin), it is to be remembered that this designation
is applied in the Qur'an to all kinds of wicked impulses or propensities that are "near unto"
(i.e., in the hearts of) those who do not truly believe in God (see note 31 on 14:22): hence,
the term shayatin occurring in verse 30 below has been rendered as "evil impulses".
21 The term wajh (lit., "face") occurring here is often used, in the abstract sense, to denote
a person's entire being or entire attention - as, for instance, in the phrase aslamtu
wajhi li'llahi, "I have surrendered my whole being unto God" (3:20). The word masjid, which
usually signifies the time or place of prostration in prayer (sujud), evidently stands in
this context - as well as in verse 31 below - for any act of worship.
22 Lit., "will have become incumbent upon them" (haqqa 'alayhim), implying that this straying
was an inevitable consequence of their own doings and attitudes.
7:31
O CHILDREN of Adam! Beautify yourselves23 for every act of worship, and eat and drink [freely], but do not waste: verily, He does not love the wasteful! (7:32) Say: "Who is there to forbid the beauty which God has brought forth for His creatures, and the good things from among the means of sustenance?"
Say: "They are [lawful] in the life of this world unto all who have attained to faith - to be theirs alone on Resurrection Day."24 Thus clearly do We spell out these messages unto people of [innate] knowledge!
7:33
Say: "Verily, my Sustainer has forbidden only shameful deeds, be they open or secret, and [every kind of] sinning, and unjustified envy, and the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him - since He has never bestowed any warrant therefor from on high and the attributing unto God of aught of which you have no knowledge." (7:34) And for all people a term has been set:25 and when [the end of] their term approaches, they can neither delay it by a single moment,26 nor can they hasten it.
7:35
O CHILDREN of Adam! Whenever there come unto you apostles of your own, conveying My messages unto you, then all who are conscious of Me and live righteously - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve; (7:36) but they who give the lie to Our messages and scorn them in their pride - these are destined for the fire, therein to abide.
23 Lit., "take to your adornment (zinah)". According to Raghib (as quoted in Lane III, 1279 f.),
the proper 'meaning of zinah is "a [beautifying] thing that does not disgrace or render
unseemly ... either in the present world or in that which is to come": thus, it signifies
anything of beauty in both the physical and moral connotations of the word.
24 By declaring that all good and beautiful things of life - i.e., those which are not expressly
prohibited - are lawful to the believers, the Qur'an condemns, by implication, all forms of
life-denying asceticism, world-renunciation and self-mortification. While, in the life of this
world, those good things are shared by believers and unbelievers alike, they will be denied
to the latter in the hereafter (cf. verses 50-51 of this surah).
25 Lit., "for every community (ummah) there is a term": i.e., all people have a life-term decreed
by God, during which they are at liberty to accept or to reject the guidance offered them
through revelation. The word ummah often denotes "living beings" - in this context, "people".
26 In Arabic usage, the term sa'ah (lit., "hour") signifies not merely the astronomical hour -
i.e., the twenty-fourth part of a mean solar day - but also "time" in an absolute sense, or
any fraction of it, whether large or small. In the above context, it has obviously been used
in the sense of "a least fraction of time" or "a single moment".
7:37
And who could be more wicked than they who attribute their own lying inventions to God or give the lie to His messages? Whatever has been decreed to be their lot [in life] will be theirs" - till there shall come unto them Our messengers to cause them to die, [and] shall say, "Where, now, are those beings whom you were wont to invoke beside God?"
And [those sinners] will reply, "They have forsaken us!" - and [thus] they will bear witness against themselves that they had been denying the truth.
7:38
[And God] will say: "Join those hosts of invisible beings and humans who have gone before you into the fire!"
[And] every time a host enters [the fire], it will curse its fellow-host - so much so that, when they all shall have passed into it, one after another, the last of them will speak [thus] of the first of them:28 "O our Sustainer! It is they who have led us astray:. give, them, therefore, double suffering through fire!"
He, will reply: "Every one of you deserves double suffering29 - but you know it not."
7:39
And the first of them will say unto the last of them: "So you were in no wise superior to us!30 Taste, then, this suffering for all [the evil] that you were wont to do!"
VERILY, unto those who give the lie to Our messages and scorn them in their pride, the gates of heaven shall not be opened;31 and they shall not enter paradise any more than a twisted rope can pass through a needle's eye:32 for thus do We requite such as are lost in sin. (7:41) Hell will be their resting-place and their covering as well:33 for thus do We requite the evildoers.
27 Lit., "their share of the [divine] decree (al-kitab) will reach them": i.e., they will have
in their lifetime, like all other people, all the good or bad fortune envisaged for them in
God's eternal decree. The "messengers" (rusul) referred to in the next clause are, apparently,
the angels of death.
28 The terms "first" and "last" refer here either to a sequence in time ("those who came earlier"
and "those who came later") or in status ("leaders" and "followers"); and in both cases they
relate, as the next sentence indicates, to the evil influence which the former exerted on the
latter during their lifetime - either directly, as leaders of thought and persons of
distinction, or indirectly, as forerunners in time, whose example was followed by later
generations.
29 Lit., "to everyone a double [suffering]": i.e., for having gone astray and for having, by
his example, led others astray. Cf. 16:25 - "on Resurrection Day they shall bear the full
weight of their own burdens, as well as some of the burdens of those ignorant ones whom
they have led astray".
30 I.e., "You went the wrong way, as we did, out of your own free will, and you bear the same
responsibility as we do." Another possible interpretation is: "You are not superior to us
because you have learnt nothing from our mistakes."
31 According to Ibn 'Abbas (as quoted by Razi), this metaphor signifies that God will not accept
any of the good deeds of such sinners, nor their subsequent supplications.
32 Lit., "until (hatta) a twisted rope passes through a needle's eye"; since this phrase is
meant to express an impossibility, the rendering of hatta as "any more than" seems to be
appropriate here. As for the word jamal occurring in this sentence, there is hardly any doubt
that its translation, in this context, as "camel" is erroneous. As pointed out by Zamakhshari
(and confirmed by other classical commentators, including Razi), Ibn 'Abbas used to read the
word in the spelling jummal, which signifies "a thick rope" or "a twisted cable"; and the same
reading is attributed to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (Taj al-'Arus). It is to be noted that there are
also several other dialectical spellings of this word, namely, jumal, juml, jumul and, finally,
jamal (as in the generally-accepted version of the Qur'an) - all of them signifying "a thick,
twisted rope" (Jawhari), and all of them used in this sense by some of the Prophet's Companions
or their immediate successors (tabi'un). Ibn 'Abbas is also quoted by Zamakhshari as having said
that God could not have coined so inappropriate a metaphor as "a camel passing through a needle's
eye" - meaning that there is no relationship whatsoever between a camel and a needle's eye whereas,
on the other hand, there is a definite relationship between the latter and a rope (which, after
all, is but an extremely thick thread). On all accounts, therefore, the rendering of jamal as
"a twisted rope" is, in this context, infinitely preferable to that of "a camel". The fact that
the latter rendering occurs in a somewhat similar phrase in the Greek version of the Synoptic
Gospels (Matthew xix, 24, Mark x, 25 and Luke xviii, 25) does not affect this contention. One
should remember that the Gospels were originally composed in Aramaic, the language of Palestine
at the time of Jesus, and that those Aramaic texts are now lost. It is more than probable that,
owing to the customary absence of vowel signs in Aramaic writing, the Greek translator
misunderstood the consonant spelling g-m-l (corresponding to the Arabic j-m-l), and took it
to mean "a camel": a mistake repeated since, with regard to the above Qur'an-verse, by many
Muslims and all, non-Muslim orientalists as well.
33 Lit., "for them there will be a resting-place of [the fires of] hell and, from above them,
coverings [thereof]".
7:42
But those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds - [and] We do not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear - they are destined for paradise, therein to abide, (7:43) after We shall have removed whatever unworthy thoughts or feelings may have been [lingering] in their bosoms. Running waters will flow at their feet;34 and they will say: "All praise is due to God, who has guided us unto this; for we would certainly not have found the right path unless God had guided us! Indeed, our Sustainer's apostles have told us the truth!"
And [a voice] will call out unto them: "This is the paradise which you have inherited by virtue of your past deeds!" (7:44) And the inmates of paradise will call out to the inmates of the fire: "Now we have found that what our Sustainer promised us has come true; have you too, found that what your Sustainer promised you has come true?"
[The others] will answer, "Yes!"- whereupon from their midst a voice35 will loudly proclaim: "God's rejection is the due of the evildoers (7:45) who turn others away from God's path and try to make it appear crooked, and who refuse to acknowledge the truth of the life to come!"
34 Lit., "beneath them": i.e., all blessings will be at their command. 35 Lit., "an announcer" (mu'adhdhin).
7:46
And between the two there will be a barrier.36 And there will be persons who [in life] were endowed with the faculty of discernment [between right and wrong], recognizing each by its mark.37 And they will call out unto the inmates of paradise, "Peace be upon you!"- not having entered it themselves, but longing [for it]. (7:47) And whenever their eyes are turned towards the inmates of the fire, they will cry: "O our Sustainer! Place us not among the people who have been guilty of evildoing!"
7:48
And they who [in life] had possessed this faculty of discernment will call out to those whom they recognize by their marks [as sinners], saying: "What has your amassing [of wealth] availed you, and all the false pride of your past? (7:49) Are those [blessed ones] the self-same people of whom you once solemnly declared, 'Never will God bestow His grace upon them'?38 [For now they have been told,] 'Enter paradise; no fear need you have, and neither shall you grieve!"'
7:50
And the inmates of the fire will call out unto the inmates of paradise: "Pour some water upon us, or some of the sustenance [of paradise] which God has provided for you!"
[The inmates of paradise] will reply: "Verily, God has denied both to those who have denied the truth - (7:51) those who, beguiled by the life of this world, have made play and passing delights their religion!"39
[And God will say:] "And so We shall be oblivious of them today as they were oblivious of the coming of this their Day [of Judgment], and as Our messages they did deny: (7:52) for, indeed, We did convey unto them a divine writ which We clearly, and wisely,40 spelled out - a guidance and a grace unto people who will believe."
36 The word hijab denotes anything that intervenes as an obstacle between things or conceals one
thing from another; it is used in both an abstract and a concrete sense.
37 The term al-a'raf (which gave to this surah its title) occurs in the Qur'an only twice - namely,
in the above verse and in verse 48. It is the plural of 'urf, which primarily denotes
"acknowledgement" or "discernment", and is also used to denote the highest, or most elevated,
part of anything (because it is most easily discerned): for instance, the 'urf of a cock is
the coxcomb, that of a horse its mane, and so forth. On the basis of this idiomatic usage, many
commentators assume that the a'raf referred to here are "elevated places", like the heights of
a wall or its ramparts, and identify it with the "barrier" (hijab) mentioned at the end of
the preceding sentence. A far more likely interpretation, however, is forthcoming from the
primary significance of the word 'urf and its plural a'raf: namely, "discernment" and "the
faculty of discernment", respectively. This interpretation has been adopted by some of the
great, early commentators of the Qur'an, like Al-Hasan al-Bagff and Az-Zajjaj, whose views
Razi quotes with evident approval. They state emphatically that the expression 'ala 'l-a'raf
is synonymous with 'ala ma'rifah, that is, "possessing knowledge" or "endowed with the faculty
of discernment" (i.e., between right and wrong); and that the persons thus described are those
who in their lifetime were able to discern between right and wrong ("recognizing each by its
mark"), but did not definitely incline to either: in brief, the indifferent ones. Their lukewarm
attitude has prevented them from doing either much good or much wrong - with the result that,
as the next sentence shows, they deserve neither paradise nor hell. (Several Traditions to
this effect are quoted by Tabari as well as by Ibn Kathir in their commentaries on this verse.) -
The noun rijal (lit., "men") at the beginning of the next sentence as well as in verse 48
obviously denotes "persons" of both sexes.
38 Implying either that the believers did not deserve God's grace or, alternatively, that God
does not exist. The expression "you solemnly declared" (lit., "you said under oath") is a
metaphor for the unbelievers' utter conviction in this respect.
39 See 6:70 and the corresponding note 60.
40 Lit., "with knowledge".
7:53
Are [the unbelievers] but waiting for the final meaning of that [Day of Judgment] to unfold?"41 [But] on the Day when its final meaning is unfolded, those who aforetime had been oblivious thereof will say: "Our Sustainer's apostles have indeed told us the truth! Have we, then, any intercessors who could intercede in our behalf? Or could we be brought back [to life] so that we might act otherwise than we were wont to act?"42
Indeed, they will have squandered their own selves, and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.
VERILY, your Sustainer is God, who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons, and is established on the throne of His almightiness.43 He covers the day with the night in swift pursuit, with the sun and the moon and the stars subservient to His command: oh, verily, His is all creation and all command. Hallowed is God, the Sustainer of all the worlds!
7:55
Call unto your Sustainer humbly, and in the secrecy of your hearts. Verily, He loves not those who transgress the bounds of what is right: (7:56) hence, do not spread corruption on earth after it has been so well ordered. And call unto Him with fear and longing: verily, God's grace is ever near unto the doers of good!
41 In this context, the term ta'wil (which literally means "an endeavour to arrive at the final
meaning [of a saying or occurrence]"- cf. 3:7) signifies the fulfilment of the warnings contained
in the Qur'an: and in this sense it connotes the "unfolding of its final meaning"
42 Cf. 6 : 27-28.
43 The conjunctive particle thumma which precedes this clause does not always denote order in time
("then" or "thereupon"). In cases where it is used to link parallel statements it has often the
function of the simple conjunction wa ("and") - as, for instance, in 2:29 ("and has applied His
design...", etc.) As regards the term 'arsh (lit., "throne" or "seat of power"), all Muslim
commentators, classical and modern, are unanimously of the opinion that its metaphorical use in
the Qur'an is meant to express God's absolute sway over all His creation. It is noteworthy that
in all the seven instances where God is spoken of in the Qur'an as "established on the throne of
His almightiness" (7:54, 10:3, 13:2, 20:5, 25:59, 32:4 and 57:4), this expression is connected
with a declaration of His having created the universe.- The word yawm, commonly translated as
"day" - but rendered above as "aeon" - is used in Arabic to denote any period, whether extremely
long ("aeon") or extremely short ("moment"): its application to an earthly "day" of twenty-four
hours is only one of its many connotations. (Cf. in this respect note 26 above, where the
meaning of sa'ah - lit., "hour" - is explained.)
7:57
And He it is who sends forth the winds as a glad tiding of His coming grace - so that, when they have brought heavy clouds, We may drive them towards dead land and cause thereby water to descend; and by this means do We cause all manner of fruit to come forth. Even thus shall We cause the dead to come forth: [and this] you ought to keep in mind.44 (7:58) As for the good land, its vegetation comes forth [in abundance] by its Sustainer's leave, whereas from the bad it comes forth but poorly.
Thus do We give many facets to Our messages for [the benefit of] people who are grateful!
7:59
INDEED, We sent forth Noah unto his people,45 and he said: "O my people! Worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him. Verily, I fear lest suffering befall you on an awesome Day!"46 (7:60) The great ones among his people replied: "Verily, we see that thou art obviously lost in error!" (7:61) Said [Noah]: "O my people! There is no error in me, but I am an apostle from the Sustainer of all the worlds. (7:62) I am delivering unto you my Sustainer's messages and giving you good advice: for I know [through revelation] from God what you do not know. (7:63) Why, do you deem it strange that a tiding from your Sustainer should have come unto you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you, and that you might become conscious of God, and that you might be graced with His mercy?"
7:64
And yet they gave him the lie! And so We saved him and those who stood by him, in the ark, the while We caused those who had given the lie to Our messages to drown: verily, they were blind folk!47
44 This is the key-sentence of the parable set forth in verses 57-58: by the exercise of the
same life-giving power by which God causes plants to grow, He will resurrect the dead at the
end of time. The next sentence continues the parable by likening those whose hearts are open
to the voice of truth to fertile earth, and those who are bent on denying it, to barren earth.
45 In continuation of the stress, in the preceding passages, on God's omnipotence and transcendental
oneness, verses 59-93 refer to several of the earlier prophets, who preached the same truth, and
whose names were familiar to the Arabs before the revelation of the Qur'an. Their stories -
beginning with that of Noah, who is considered the first apostle ever sent to mankind - are
reduced here to the warnings with which they unsuccessfully tried to persuade their people to
worship God alone and to live righteously.
46 This refers either to the Day of Judgment or to the approaching deluge.
47 Explaining this verse in his translation of the Qur'an, Muhammad Ali rightly points out that 212
the latter "does not support the theory of a world deluge, for it plainly states ... that only
people to whom Noah had delivered his message called him a liar, and ... were drowned .... Hence
the deluge affected the territory of Noah's people, not the whole world, as the Bible would have
us believe." To this may be added that the deluge spoken of in the Bible, in the myths of Sumeria
and Babylonia, and, finally, in the Qur'an, most probably represents the inundation, during the
Ice Age, of the huge basin which today is covered by the Mediterranean: an inundation which was
due to the break-in of the Atlantic through the land-barrier at the modern Gibraltar, and of the
Black Sea through what is now the Dardanelles.
7:65
AND UNTO [the tribe of] 'Ad [We sent] their brother Hud.48 He said: "O my people! Worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him. Will you not, then, be conscious of Him?" (7:66) Said the great ones among his people, who refused to acknowledge the truth: "Verily, we see that thou art weak-minded; and, verily, we think that thou art a liar!"49
7:67
Said [Hud]: "O my people! There is no weakmindedness in me, but I am an apostle from the Sustainer of all the worlds. (7:68) I am delivering unto you my Sustainer's messages and advising you truly and well.50] (69) Why, do you deem it strange that a tiding from your Sustainer should have come unto you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you? Do but remember how He made you heirs to Noah's people, and endowed you abundantly with power:51 remember, then, God's blessings, so that you might attain to a happy state!"
(70) They answered: "Hast thou come to us [with the demand] that we worship God alone, and give up all that our forefathers were wont to worship? Bring about, then, that [punishment] with which thou hast threatened us, if thou art a man of truth!"
(71) Said [Hud]: "You are already beset by loathsome evils and by your Sustainer's condemnation! Do you argue with me about the [empty] names which you have invented53 - you and your forefathers - for which God has bestowed no warrant from on high? Wait, then, [for what will happen:] verily, I shall wait with you!"54
48 Hud is said to have been the first Arabian prophet. He may be identical with the Biblical 'Eber,
the ancestor of the Hebrews ('Ibrim) who - like most of the Semitic tribes - had probably originated
in South Arabia. (References to Eber are found in Genesis x, 24-25 and xi, 14 ff.) The ancient
Arabian name Hud is still reflected in that of Jacob's son Judah (Yahudah in Hebrew), which provided
the subsequent designation of the Jews. The name 'Eber - both in Hebrew and in its Arabic form
'Abir - signifies "one who crosses over" (i.e., from one territory to another), and may be a Biblical
echo of the fact that this tribe "crossed over" from Arabia to Mesopotamia in pre-Abrahamic times.-
The tribe of 'Ad, to which Hud belonged ("their brother Hud"), inhabited the vast desert region
known as Al-Ahqaf, between 'Uman and Hadramawt, and was noted for its great power and influence
(see 89:8 - "the like of whom has never been reared in all the land"). It disappeared from history
many centuries before the advent of Islam, but its memory always remained alive in Arabian tradition.
49 They considered him "weak-minded" because he expected them to give up their traditional beliefs
and deities; and a "liar", because he claimed to be a prophet of God.
50 Lit., "I am a trustworthy adviser to you".
51 Lit., "successors after Noah's people"- i.e., the most numerous and powerful of all the tribes
that descended from Noah - "and increased you abundantly in respect of [your] natural endowment
(khalq)". The latter term also signifies "power" (Razi).
52 A reference to their idolatry and obstinacy.
53 Lit., "names which you have named"- i.e., the false deities, which have no real existence.
54 Lit., "I shall be, together with you, among those who wait."
7:72
And so, by Our grace, We saved him and those who stood by him, the while We wiped out the last remnant of those who gave the lie to Our messages and would not believe.55
7:73
AND UNTO [the tribe of] Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih56 He said: "O my people! Worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him. Clear evidence of the truth has now come unto you from your Sustainer.
"This she-camel belonging to God shall be a token for you: so leave her alone to pasture on God's earth, and do her no harm, lest grievous chastisement befall you.57 (7:74) "And remember how He made you heirs to [the tribe of] 'Ad58 and settled you firmly on earth, so that you [are able to] build for yourselves castles on its plains and hew out mountains [to serve you] as dwellings:59 remember, then, God's blessings, and do not act wickedly on earth by spreading corruption."
55 As is shown in 69:6-8, this destruction came about through a violent sandstorm raging without
a break for seven nights and eight days.
56 The Nabataean tribe of Thamud descended from the tribe of 'Ad mentioned in the preceding passage,
and is, therefore, often referred to in pre-Islamic poetry as the "Second 'Ad". Apart from
Arabian sources, "a series of older references, not of Arabian origin, confirm the historical
existence of the name and people of Thamud. Thus the inscription of Sargon of the year 715 B.C.
mentions the Thamud among the people of eastern and central Arabia subjected by the Assyrians.
We also find the Thamudaei, Thamudenes mentioned in Aristo, Ptolemy, and Pliny" (Encyclopaedia
of Islam IV, 736). At the time of which the Qur'an speaks, the Thamud were settled in the
northernmost Hijaz, near the confines of Syria. Rock-inscriptions attributed to them are still
extant in the region of Al-Hijr - As in the case of the 'Adite prophet Hud - and the prophet
Shu'ayb spoken of in verses 85-93 of this surah - Salih is called the "brother" of the tribe
because he belonged to it.
57 The commentators cite various legends to the effect that this she-camel was of miraculous
origin. Since neither the Qur'an nor any authentic Tradition provides the least support for
these legends, we must assume that they are based on the expression naqat Allah ("God's she-camel"),
which has led some pious Muslims to fantastic conjectures. However, as Rashid Riza' points out
(Manar VIII, 502), this expression denotes merely the fact that the animal in question was not
owned by any one person, and was therefore to be protected by the whole tribe; a further,
analogous expression is found in the words "God's earth" in the same verse: an illustration
of the fact that everything belongs to God. The particular stress placed by Salih on good
treatment of this ownerless animal - referred to in several places in the Qur'an - was obviously
due to the cruel high-handedness displayed by the tribe, who, as the next two verses show, were
wont to "act wickedly on earth by spreading corruption" and "gloried in their arrogance towards
all who were deemed weak": in other words, their treatment of the defenceless animal was to be
a "token" of their change of heart or (as is made clear in 54:27) "a test for them".
58 Cf. the parallel expression in verse 69 above - "heirs to Noah's people" - and the corresponding
note. From all the historical references to the Thamud it is apparent that they were one of
the greatest and most powerful Arab tribes of their time.
59 A reference to the elaborate rock-dwellings or tombs - to be seen to this day - which the
Thamud carved out of the cliffs west of Al-Hijr, in northern Hijaz, and embellished with
sculptures of animals as well as many inscriptions attesting to the comparatively high degree
of their civilization and power. In popular Arabian parlance, these rock-dwellings are nowadays
called Mada'in Salih ("The Towns of Salih").
7:75
The great ones among his people, who gloried in their arrogance towards all who were deemed weak, said unto the believers among them: "Do you [really] know that Salih has been sent by his Sustainer?"
They answered: "Verily, we believe in the message which he bears."60 (7:76) [But] the arrogant ones said: "Behold, what you have come to believe in we refuse to regard as true!" (7:77) And then they cruelly slaughtered the she-camel 61 and turned with disdain from their Sustainer's commandment, and said: "O Salih! Bring about that [punishment] with which thou hast threatened us, if thou art truly one of God's message-bearers!"
7:78
Thereupon an earthquake overtook them: and then they lay lifeless, in their very homes, on the ground.62 (7:79) And [Salih] turned away from them, and said: "O my people! Indeed, I delivered unto you my Sustainer's message and gave you good advice: but you did not love those who gave [you] good advice."
60 The contents of his message (lit., "that with which he has been sent") appeared to them
justification enough to accept it on its merits, without the need of any esoteric "proof" of
Salih's mission. In a subtle way, this statement of faith has a meaning which goes far beyond
the story of the Thamud. It is an invitation to the sceptic who is unable to believe in the
divine origin of a religious message, to judge it on its intrinsic merits and not to make his
acceptance dependent on extraneous, and objectively impossible, proofs of its origin: for only
through the contents of a message can its truth and validity be established.
61 The verb 'aqara primarily denotes "he hamstrung [an animal]"- i.e., before slaughtering it, so
that it might not run away. This barbarous custom was widely practiced in pre-Islamic Arabia,
so that 'agr ("hamstringing") gradually became synonymous with slaughtering in a cruel manner
(Razi; see also Lane V, 2107 f.).
62 Lit., "they became, in their homes, prostrate on the ground". The term rajfah which occurs
at the beginning of this sentence signifies any violent commotion or trembling, and is often,
though not always, applied to an earthquake (rajfat al-ard). It is possible that the earthquake
mentioned here was accompanied by the volcanic eruption which at some time overtook the historical
dwelling-places of the Thamud tribe, and to which the extensive black lava-fields (harrah) of
northern Hijaz, and particularly near Mada'in Salih (see note 59 above), bear eloquent witness
to this day.
7:80
AND [remember] Lot,63 when he said unto his people: "Will you commit abominations such as none in all the world has ever done before you? (7:81) Verily, with lust you approach men instead of women: nay, but you are people given to excesses!"
7:82
But his people's only answer was this:64 "Expel them from your land! Verily, they are folk who make themselves out to be pure !65 (7:83) Thereupon We saved him and his household except his wife, who was among those that stayed behind66 - (7:84) the while We rained a rain [of destruction] upon the others: and behold what happened in the end to those people lost in sin!
7:85
AND UNTO [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb.67 He said: "O my people! Worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him. Clear evidence of the truth has now come unto you from your Sustainer. Give, therefore, full measure and weight [in all your dealings], and do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs;68 and do not spread corruption on earth after it has been so well ordered: [all] this is for your own good, if you would but believe. (7:86) And do not lie in ambush by every road [that leads to the truth (69)], threatening and trying to turn away from God's path all who believe in Him, and trying to make it appear crooked. And remember [the time] when you were few, and,[how] He made you many: and behold what happened in the end to the spreaders of corruption! (7:87) "And if there be some among you who have come to believe in the message which I bear, the while the others do not believe, then have patience in adversity till God shall judge between us [and them]: for He is the best of all judges!"
63 The story of Lot, Abraham's nephew (Lut in Arabic), is given in greater detail in 11:69-83.
64 Lit., "their answer was nothing but that they said".
65 Lit., "who purify themselves"; also, "who keep aloof from unclean things": here obviously
used ironically. The plural relates to Lot, his family and his followers (cf. 27:56).
66 Contrary to the Biblical account; according to which Lot's wife only "looked back"
inadvertently (Genesis xix, 26), the Qur'an makes it clear in 11:81 and 66:10 that she
remained behind deliberately, being at heart one with the sinning people of Sodom and having
no faith in her husband.
67 Shu'ayb is said to be identical with Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, also called in the
Bible Reu-el (Exodus ii, 18), meaning "Faithful to God". The region of Madyan - the Midian of
the Bible - extended from the present-day Gulf of Aqabah westwards deep into the Sinai Peninsula
and to the mountains of Moab east of the Dead Sea; its inhabitants were Arabs of the Amorite
group of tribes.
68 Lit., "do not diminish to people their things" - an expression which applies to physical
possessions as well as to moral and social rights. Regarding my interpolation of "in all
your dealings", see surah 6, note 150.
69 Thus Zamakhshari and Razi, stressing the metaphorical meaning of the above phrase. Cf. a
similar expression, attributed to Satan, in verse 16 of this surah.
7:88
Said the great ones among his people, who gloried in their arrogance: "Most certainly, O Shu'ayb, we shall expel thee and thy fellow-believers from our land, unless you indeed return to our ways!"
Said [Shu'ayb]: "Why, even though we abhor [them]? (7:89) We should be guilty of blaspheming against God 70 were we to return to your ways after God has saved us from them! It is not conceivable that we should return to them - unless God, our Sustainer, so wills." All things does our Sustainer embrace within His knowledge; in God do we place our trust. O our Sustainer! Lay Thou open the truth between us and our people - for Thou art the best of all to lay open the truth !-72
7:90
But the great ones among his people, who were bent on denying the truth, said [to his followers]: "Indeed, if you follow Shu'ayb, you will, verily, be the losers!" (7:91) Thereupon an earthquake overtook them: and then they lay lifeless, in their very homes, on the ground"- (7:92) they who had given the lie to Shu'ayb - as though they had never lived there: they who had given the lie to Shu'ayb - it was they who were the losers!
7:93
And he turned away from them, and said: "O my people! Indeed, I delivered unto you my Sustainer's message and gave you good advice: how, then, could I mourn for people who have denied the truth?"
7:94
AND NEVER YET have We sent a prophet unto any community without trying its people with misfortune and hardship, so that they might humble themselves; (7:95) then We transformed the affliction into ease of life,74 so that they throve and said [to themselves], "Misfortune and hardship befell our forefathers as well"75 - whereupon We took them to task, all of a sudden, without their being aware [of what was coming].76
70 Lit., "inventing a lie about God".
71 An expression of humility, and not of the idea that God might "will" them to blaspheme.
72 Or: "Thou art the best of all deciders" - since the verb fataha can also be rendered as
"he decided". However, Shu'ayb's prayer could not have implied a request for God's "decision"
(for there was no doubt in his mind as to who was right), and therefore the primary
significance of iftah ("lay open") and fatih ("one who lays open", i.e., the truth) is
preferable.
73 See note 62 above. Like the harrah once inhabited by the Thamud tribe, the adjoining region
of Madyan (the Biblical Midian) shows ample evidence of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
74 Lit., "then We put good [things] in place of the bad".
75 Le., they regarded it as a normal course of events and did not draw any lesson from it.
7:96
Yet if the people of those communities had but attained to faith and been conscious of Us, We would indeed have opened up for them blessings out of heaven and earth: but they gave the lie to the truth - and so We took them to task through what they [themselves] had been doing."
7:97
Can, then, the people of any community ever feel secure that Our punishment will not come upon them by night, while they are asleep? (7:98) Why, can the people of any community ever feel secure that Our punishment will not come upon them in broad daylight, while they are engaged in (worldly] play?78 (7:99) Can they, then, ever feel secure from God's deep devising? But none feels secure from God's deep devising save people who are [already] lost.79
7:100
Has it, then, not become obvious unto those who have inherited the earth in the wake of former generations80 that, if We so willed, We could smite them [too] by means of their sins, sealing their hearts so that they cannot hear [the truth]?81 (7:101) Unto those [earlier] communities - some of whose stories We [now] relate unto thee - there had indeed come apostles of their own with all evidence of the truth; but they would not believe in anything to which they had once given the lie:82 thus it is that God seals the hearts of those who deny the truth; (7:102) and in most of them We found no [inner] bond with anything that is right83 - and most of them We found to be iniquitous indeed.
76 Cf. 6:42-45.
77 Thus the discourse returns to its starting-point at the beginning of this surah (verses 4-5):
namely, that the destruction which is bound to overtake any community (the proper significance
of the term qaryah in this context) which lives in opposition to the eternal moral verities
amounts, in the last resort, to self-annihilation: for this is the real meaning of God's "taking
them to task through what (bi-ma) they themselves were doing".
78 I.e., while they enjoy ease and a sense of security, and are unaware of any danger that may
threaten them (cf. verse 4 of this surah).
79 I.e., morally lost and, therefore, destined to perish. The term makr Allah ("God's deep
devising") denotes here His unfathomable planning, which is alluded to elsewhere in the
Qur'an by the expression sunnat Allah ("God's [unchangeable] way" - cf., in particular,
33:62, 35:43 and 48:23).
80 Lit., "after its [former] people". The people "who have inherited the earth" are those now living.
81 See surah 2, note 7. Here, again, we have an affirmation that what the Qur'an describes as
"God's punishment" (as well as "God's reward") is, in reality, a consequence of man's own doings,
and not an arbitrary act of God: it is "by means of their sins" (bi-dhunubihim) that God
"sets a seal" upon the hearts of men. This statement is further elucidated at the end of verse 101.
82 Lit., "to which they had given the lie aforetime": an allusion to the instinctive unwillingness
of most people to give up the notions - positive or negative - to which they are accustomed.
83 Thus Raghib explains the term 'ahd occurring in this sentence. Its usual rendering as "covenant"
or "loyalty to their covenant" is entirely meaningless in this context. Rashid Rida' widens
Raghib's interpretation and includes in the above term man's instinctive ability to discern
between right and wrong and, thus, to follow the dictates of his own conscience (Manar IX, 33 ff.).
Regarding the deeper implications of this expression, see surah 2, note 19.
7:103
AND AFTER those [early people] We sent Moses with Our messages unto Pharaoh and his great ones, and they wilfully rejected them:84 and behold what happened in the end to those spreaders of corruption! (7:104) And Moses said: "O Pharaoh! Verily, I am an apostle from the Sustainer of all the worlds, (7:105) so constituted that I cannot say anything about God but the truth. I have now come unto you with a clear evidence from your Sustainer: let, then, the children of Israel go with me!"
7:106
Said [Pharaoh]: "If thou hast come with a sign, produce it - if thou art a man of truth!" (7:107) Thereupon [Moses] threw down his staff, and lo! it was a serpent, plainly visible; (7:108) and he drew forth his hand, and lo! it appeared [shining] white to the beholders.85
7:109
The great ones among Pharaoh's people said: "Verily, this is indeed a sorcerer of great knowledge, (7:110) who wants to drive you out of your land!"86
[Said Pharaoh:] "What, then, do you advise?" (7:111) They answered: "Let him and his brother 87 wait awhile, and send unto all cities heralds (7:112) who shall bring before thee every sorcerer of great knowledge." (7:113) And the sorcerers came unto Pharaoh [and] said: "Verily, we ought to have a great reward88 if it is we who prevail."
7:114
Answered [Pharaoh]: "Yes; and, verily, you shall be among those who are near unto me." (7:115) They said: "O Moses! Either thou shalt throw [thy staff first], or we shall [be the first to] throw."
84 Lit., "they did wrong to them".
85 As is evident from 20:22, 27:12 and 28:32, the hand of Moses was "[shining] white, without
blemish", i.e., endowed with transcendent luminosity in token of his prophethood - and not,
as stated in the Bible (Exodus iv, 6), "leprous as snow". Regarding the possible mystic
significance of the miracle of the staff, see note 14 on 20: 21.
86 I.e., "deprive you of your rule". The plural "you" relates to Pharaoh and the ruling class.
87 I.e., Aaron, who - as is mentioned in several other places in the Qur'an - accompanied Moses on
his mission.
88 The particle la preceding the noun ajr ("reward") indicates an emphasis which gives to this
combination the meaning of "great reward".
7:116
He answered: "You throw [first]."
And when they threw down [their staffs], they cast a spell upon the people's eyes, and struck them with awe, and produced mighty sorcery. (7:117) And [then] We inspired Moses, "Throw down thy staff!" - and lo! it swallowed up all their deceptions:89 (7:118) whereupon the truth was established, and vain was proved all that they had been doing. (7:119) And thus were they vanquished there and then, and became utterly humiliated.
7:120
And down fell the sorcerers,90 prostrating themselves (121) [and] exclaiming: "We have come to believe in the Sustainer of all the worlds, (7:122) the Sustainer of Moses and Aaron!" (7:123) Said Pharaoh: "Have you come to believe in him91 ere I have given you permission? Behold, this is indeed a plot which you have cunningly devised in this [my] city in order to drive out its people hence! But in time you shall come to know, [my revenge]: (7:124) most certainly shall I cut off your hands and your feet in great numbers, because of [your] perverseness, and then I shall most certainly crucify you, in great numbers, all together!"92
7:125
They answered: "Verily, unto our Sustainer do we turn - (7:126) for thou takest vengeance on us only because we have come to believe in our Sustainer's messages as soon as they came to us. O our Sustainer! Shower us with patience in adversity, and make us die as men who have surrendered themselves unto Thee!"
7:127
And the great ones among Pharaoh's people said: "Wilt thou allow Moses and his people to spread corruption on earth, and to [cause thy people to] forsake thee and thy gods?"
[Pharaoh] replied: "We shall slay their sons in great numbers and shall spare [only] their women: for, verily, we hold sway over them!"
89 Implying that the act of Moses was a genuine miracle, whereas that of the sorcerers was a
feat of make-believe (cf. 20:66).
90 Lit., "the sorcerers were thrown down" - i.e., they fell to the ground as if thrown by a
superior force (Zamakhshari).
91 This personal pronoun may refer either to God or to Moses; but a similar expression in
20:71 and 26:49 makes it obvious that it refers here to Moses.
92 The grammatical forms la-uqatti'anna and la-usallibannakum must be rendered as "most certainly
shall I cut off [your hands and feet] in great numbers" and "crucify you in great numbers":
and this indicates that either the repentant sorcerers thus addressed were many or, alternatively,
that they had a large following among the people of Egypt. The latter assumption seems to be
corroborated by the Biblical reference to the fact that many Egyptians joined the Israelites
in their exodus from Egypt: "And a mixed multitude went up also with them" (Exodus xii, 38).
As regards my rendering of min khilaf as "because of [your] perverseness", see surah 5, note
44 (last sentence).
7:128
[And] Moses said unto his people: "Turn unto God for aid, and have patience in adversity. Verily, all the earth belongs to God: He gives it as a heritage - to such as He wills of His servants; and the future belongs to the God-conscious!"
7:129
[But the children of Israel] said: "We have suffered hurt ere thou camest to us and since thou hast come to us!93
[Moses] replied: "It may well be that your Sustainer will destroy your foe and make you inherit the earth: and thereupon he will behold how you act."94
7:130
And most certainly did We overwhelm Pharaoh's people with drought and scarcity of fruits, so that they might take it to heart. (7:131) But whenever good fortune alighted upon them, they would say, "This is [but] our due"; and whenever affliction befell them, they would blame their evil fortune on Moses and those who followed him.95 Oh, verily, their [evil] fortune had been decreed by God - but most of them knew it not.
7:132
And they said [unto Moses]: "Whatever sign thou mayest produce before us in order to cast a spell upon us thereby, we shall not believe thee!" (7:133) Thereupon We let loose upon them floods, and [plagues of] locusts, and lice, and frogs, and [water turning into] blood96 - distinct signs [all]: but they gloried in their arrogance, for they were people lost in sin.
7:134
And whenever a plague struck them, they would cry: "O Moses, pray for us to thy Sustainer on the strength of the covenant [of prophethood] which He has made with thee! If thou remove this plague from us, we will truly believe in thee and will let the children of Israel go with thee!"
93 This is, in the above context, the first hint of the inconstancy and weakness of faith for
which the Qur'an so often blames the children of Israel: and this, together with what follows
in verses 138-140 and 148 ff., is the reason why the story of Moses has been included here
among the stories of the earlier prophets whose warnings were neglected by their communities.
94 I.e., "He will judge you by your actions". As is evident from the reference, in verse 137
below, to the "patience in adversity" which the children of Israel subsequently displayed,
it would seem that the hope held out to them by Moses helped them, once again, to overcome
their moral weakness; but, at the same time, his words "God will behold how you act" imply
a distinct warning.
95 The phrase tatayyara bihi signifies "he attributed an evil omen to him" or "he augured evil,
from him". It is based on the pre-Islamic Arab custom of divining the future or establishing
an omen from the flight of birds. Thus, the noun ta'ir (lit., "a flying creature" or "a bird")
is often used in classical Arabic to denote "destiny" or "fortune", both good and evil, as
in the next sentence of the above verse ("their [evil] fortune had been decreed by [lit.,
"was with"] God"). Instances of this tropical employment of the expressions ta'ir and tayr
and their verbal derivations are also found in 3:49, 5:110, 17:13, 27:47, 36:18-19.
96 For a description of these plagues, see Exodus vii-x.
7:135
But whenever We removed the plague from them, giving them time to make good their promise,97 lo, they would break their word. (7:136) And so We inflicted Our retribution on them, and caused them to drown in the sea, because they had given the lie to Our messages and had been heedless of them; (7:137) whereas unto the people who [in the past] had been deemed utterly low, We gave as their heritage the eastern and western parts of the land that We had blessed.98
And [thus] thy Sustainer's good promise unto the children of Israel was fulfilled in result of their patience in adversity;99 whereas We utterly destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had wrought, and all that they had built.100
7:138
AND WE BROUGHT the children of Israel across the sea; and thereupon they came upon people who were devoted to the worship of some idols of theirs.101 Said [the children of Israel]: "O Moses, set up for us a god even as they have gods!"
He replied: "Verily, you are people without any awareness [of right and wrong]! (7:139) As for these here - verily, their way of life is bound to lead to destruction; and worthless is all that they have ever done!"
7:140
[And] he said: "Am I to seek for you a deity other than God, although it is He who has favoured you above all other people?"102 (7:141) And [he reminded them of this word of God]: "Lo, We saved you from Pharaoh's people who afflicted you with cruel suffering, slaying your sons in great numbers and sparing [only] your women - which was an awesome trial from your Sustainer."103
97 Lit., "until a term which they should reach".
98 Palestine is spoken of as "blessed" because it was the land in which Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob had lived, and because so many other prophets were to appear there.
99 The promise of God referred to here is the one given to the children of Israel through Moses
(see verses 128 and 129).
100 The story of the suffering of the Israelites during their bondage in Egypt, their deliverance
through Moses, their crossing of the Red Sea (or, more probably, of what today is known as the
Gulf of Suez) and the destruction of Pharaoh and his hosts is narrated in considerable detail
in the Bible (Exodus i-xiv). The Qur'an, on the other hand, does not give us a consecutive
narrative: for historical narrative as such is never its purpose. Whenever the Qur'an refers
to past events whether recorded in the Bible or alive in Arabian tradition - it does so
exclusively with a view to bringing out elements that are relevant to the ethical, teachings
which it propounds.
101 The Qur'an does not say who those people were. It is, however, probable that they belonged
to the group of Arabian tribes described in the Bible as "Amalekites", who inhabited
southernmost Palestine, the adjoining regions of the Hijaz, and parts of the Sinai Peninsula.
102 I.e., by having raised so many prophets out of their midst.
103 Cf. 2:49. It appears that this passage is part of Moses' reminder to his people (Manor IX,
115 ff.); I have brought this out by interpolating "he reminded them of this word of God"
between brackets.
7:142
AND [then] We appointed for Moses thirty nights [on Mount Sinai]; and We added to them ten, whereby the term of forty nights set bye, his Sustainer was fulfilled.104 And Moses said unto his brother Aaron: "Take thou my place among my people; and act righteously, and follow not the path of the spreaders of corruption."
7:143
And when Moses came [to Mount Sinai] at the time set by Us, and his Sustainer spoke unto him, he said: "O my Sustainer! Show [Thyself] unto me, so that I might behold Thee!"
Said [God]: "Never canst thou see Me. However, behold this mountain: if it remains firm in its place, then - only then - wilt thou see Me."105
And as soon as his Sustainer revealed His glory to the mountain, He caused it to crumble to dust; and Moses fell down in a swoon. And when he came to himself, he said: "Limitless art Thou in Thy glory! Unto Thee do I turn in repentance; and I shall [always] be the first to believe in Thee!"106
7:144
Said [God]: "O Moses! Behold, I have raised thee above all people by virtue of the messages which I have entrusted to thee,107 and by virtue of My speaking [unto thee]: hold fast, therefore, unto what I have vouchsafed thee, and be among the grateful!" (7:145) And We ordained for him in the tablets [of the Law] all manner of admonition, clearly spelling out everything.108 And [We said:] "Hold fast unto them with [all thy] strength, and bid thy people to hold fast to their most goodly rules."
I will show you the way the iniquitous shall go.109] (7:146) From My messages shall I cause to turn away all those who, without any right, behave haughtily on earth: for, though they may see every sign [of the truth], they do not believe in it, and though they may see the path of rectitude, they do not choose fo follow it - whereas, if they see a path of error, they take it for their own: this, because they have given the lie to Our messages, and have remained heedless of them.110
104 According to several of the Prophet's Companions, and particularly Ibn 'Abbas, the first
thirty nights were to be spent by Moses in spiritual preparation, including fasting, whereupon
the Law would be revealed to him in the remaining ten (Zamakhshari and Razi); see also Manar
IX, 119 ff.). In Arabic usage, a period of time designated as "nights" comprises the days
as well.
105 Lit., "then, in time (sawfa) wilt thou see Me". As these words express the impossibility of
man's seeing God - which is clearly implied in the Arabic construction - a literal rendering
would not do justice to it.
106 Since Moses was already a believer, his words do not merely allude to belief in God's
existence but, rather, belief in the impossibility of man's seeing God (Ibn Kathir, on the
authority of Ibn 'Abbas).
107 Lit., "by virtue of My messages".
108 See surah 6, note 156.
109 Lit., "I will show you the abode of the iniquitous". The rendering adopted by me corresponds
to the interpretations given by Tabari (on the authority of Mujahid and Al-Hasan al-Basri) and
by Ibn Kathir; regarding the meaning of dar ("abode") in this context, see surah 6, note 118.
Some of the commentators are of the opinion that the above sentence concludes God's admonition to
Moses, but the plural form of address in "I will show you" makes it more probable that it is
the beginning of a parenthetic passage connected, no doubt, with the preceding one, but having
a general import not confined to Moses.
110 As so often in the Qur'an, God's "causing" the sinners to sin is shown to be a consequence
of their own behaviour and the result of their free choice. By "those who, without any right,
behave haughtily on earth" are obviously meant people who think that their own judgment as to
what constitutes right and wrong is the only valid one, and who therefore refuse to submit their
personal concerns to the criterion of absolute (i.e., revealed) moral standards; cf. 96:6-7 -
"man becomes grossly overweening whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient".
7:147
Hence, all who give the lie to Our messages, and [thus] to the truth111 of the life to come - in vain shall be all their doings: [for] are they to be rewarded for aught but what they were wont to do?112
7:148
AND IN his absence the people of Moses took to worshipping the effigy of a calf [made] of their ornaments, which gave forth a lowing sound.113 Did they not see that it could neither speak unto them nor guide them in any way? [And yet] they took to worshipping it, for they were evildoers: (7:149) although [later,] when they would smite their hands in remorse,114 having perceived that they had gone astray, they would say, "Indeed, unless our Sustainer have mercy on us and grant us forgiveness, we shall most certainly be among the lost!"115
111 Lit., "to the meeting (liqa')" - in the sense of its being a pre-ordained fact.
112 This is the end of the parenthetic passage beginning with the words, "I will show you the
way the iniquitous shall go".
113 The golden calf of the Israelites was obviously a result of centuries-old Egyptian influences.
The Egyptians worshipped at Memphis the sacred bull, Apis, which they believed to be an incarnation
of the god Ptah. A new Apis was supposed always to be born at the moment when the old one died,
while the soul of the latter was believed to pass into Osiris in the Realm of the Dead, to be
henceforth worshipped as Osiris-Apis (the "Serapis" of the Greco-Egyptian period). The "lowing
sound" (khuwar) which the golden calf emitted was probably produced by wind effects, as was the
case with some of the hollow Egyptian temple effigies.
114 Lit., "when it was made to fall upon their hands"- an idiomatic phrase denoting intense
remorse, probably derived from the striking ("falling") of hand upon hand as an expression
of grief or regret.
7:150
And when Moses returned to his people, full of wrath and sorrow, he exclaimed: "Vile is the course which you have followed in my absence! Have you forsaken"' your Sustainer's commandment?"
And he threw down the tablets [of the Law], and seized his brother's head, dragging him towards himself. Cried Aaron: "O my mother's son! Behold, the people brought me low117 and almost slew me: so let not mine enemies rejoice at my affliction, and count me not among the evildoing folk!"
7:151
Said [Moses]: "O my Sustainer! Grant Thou forgiveness unto me118 and my brother, and admit us unto Thy grace: for Thou art the most merciful of the merciful!" (7:152) [And to Aaron he said:] "Verily, as for those who have taken to worshipping the [golden] calf - their Sustainer's condemnation will overtake them, and ignominy [will be their lot] in the life of this world!"
For thus do We requite all who invent [such] falsehood.119 (7:153) But as for those who do bad deeds and afterwards repent and [truly] believe - verily, after such repentance120 thy Sustainer is indeed much forgiving, a dispenser of grace!
7:154
And when Moses' wrath as stilled, he took up the tablets, in the writing whereof there was guidance and grace for all who stood in awe of their Sustainer.121 (7:155) And Moses chose out of his people seventy men to come [and pray for forgiveness] at a time set by Us. Then, when violent trembling seized them, 122 he prayed:
"O my Sustainer! Hadst Thou so willed, Thou wouldst have destroyed them ere this, and me [with them]. Wilt Thou destroy us for what the weak-minded among us have done? (All] this is but a trial from Thee, whereby Thou allowest to go astray whom Thou willest, and guidest aright whom Thou willest. Thou art near unto us: grant us, then, forgiveness and have mercy on us - for Thou art the best of all forgivers! (7:156) And ordain Thou for us what is good in this world as well as in the life to come: behold, unto Thee have we turned in repentance!"
[God] answered: "With My chastisement do I afflict whom I will - but My grace overspreads everything: 123 and so I shall confer it on those who are conscious of Me and spend in charity, and who believe in Our messages -(7:157) those who shall follow the [last] Apostle, the unlettered Prophet whom they shall find described in the Torah that is with them, and [later on] in the Gospel:124 [the Prophet] who will enjoin upon them the doing of what is right and forbid them the doing of what is wrong, and make lawful to them the good things of life and forbid them the bad things, and lift from them their burdens and the shackles that were upon them [aforetime].125 Those, therefore, who shall believe in him, and honour him, and succour him, and follow the light that has been bestowed from on high through him - it is they that shall attain to a happy state."
115 The whole of verse 149 is a parenthetic clause (jumlah mu'taridah) referring to a later time -
for the repentance of the Israelites came after Moses' return from Mount Sinai, of which the
next verse speaks.
116 Lit., "outrun". The expression "one has outrun a forsaken it" or "left it undone" (Zamakhshari).
117 Lit., "made me [or "deemed me"] utterly weak". Contrary to the Biblical account (Exodus xxxii, 1-5),
the Qur'an does not accuse Aaron of having actually participated in making or worshipping the
golden calf; his guilt consisted in having remained passive in the face of his people's idolatry
for fear of causing a split among them (cf. 20:92-94).
118 Sc., "for my anger and my harshness" (Razi).
119 Throughout the Qur'an, this expression is used to describe (a) the attribution of divine
qualities to any concrete or imaginary object or person, and (b) the making of false statements
about God, His attributes, or the contents of His messages. In the above context it refers to
any false imagery which deflects man from the worship of the One God.
120 Lit., "after'it".
121 According to the Bible (Exodus xxxii, 19), Moses broke the tablets when he threw them down
in anger; the Qur'anic narrative, however, shows them as having remained intact.
122 Most of the commentators take rajfah to mean here "earthquake", as it evidently does in
other places in the Qur'an (e.g., in verses 78 and 91 of this surah). However, it should be
remembered that this noun denotes any "violent commotion" or "trembling", from whatever cause;
and since there is no reason to suppose that in this context an earthquake is meant, we may
assume that the violent trembling which seized the seventy elders was caused by their intense
regret and fear of God's punishment.
123 Cf. 6:12 (and the corresponding note 10), as well as 6:54.
124 The interpolation of the words "later on" before the reference to the Gospel is necessitated
by the fact that the whole of this passage is addressed to Moses and the children of Israel,
that is, long before the Gospel (in the Qur'anic sense of this term - cf. surah 3, note 4) was
revealed to Jesus. The stories of some of the earlier prophets given in this surah - beginning
with the story of Noah and ending with that of Moses and the children of Israel - constitute
a kind of introduction to this command to follow the "unlettered Prophet", Muhammad. The stress
on his having been "unlettered" (ummi), i.e., unable to read and write, serves to bring out
the fact that all his knowledge of the earlier prophets and of the messages transmitted by
them was due to divine inspiration alone, and not to a familiarity with the Bible as such. For
the Old Testament predictions of the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (especially in Deuteronomy
xviii, 15 and 18), see surah 2, note 33; for the New Testament prophecies to the same effect,
see 61:6 and the corresponding note 6.
125 A reference to the many severe rituals and obligations laid down in Mosaic Law, as well as
to the tendency towards asceticism evident in the teachings of the Gospels. Thus the Qur'an
implies that those "burdens and shackles", intended as means of spiritual discipline for
particular communities and particular stages of man's development, will become unnecessary as
soon as God's message to man shall have achieved its final, universal character in the teachings
of the Last Prophet, Muhammad.
7:158
Say [O Muhammad]: "O mankind! Verily, I am an apostle of God to all of you,"126 [sent by Him] unto whom the dominion over the heavens and the earth belongs! There is no deity save Him; He [alone] grants life and deals death!"
Believe, then, in God and His Apostle - the unlettered Prophet who believes in God and His words - and follow him, so that you might find guidance!
7:159
AND AMONG the folk of Moses there have been people who would guide [others] in the way of the truth and act justly in its light.127 (7:160) And We divided them into twelve tribes, [or] communities. And when his people asked Moses for water, We inspired him, "Strike the rock with thy staff!" - whereupon twelve springs gushed forth from it, so that all the people knew whence to drink.
And We caused the clouds to comfort them with their shade, and We sent down unto them manna and quails, [saying:] "Partake of the good things which We have provided for you as sustenance."
And [by all their sinning] they did no harm unto Us - but [only] against their own selves did they sin. (7:161) And [remember] when you were told: "Dwell in this land and eat of its food as you may desire; but say, 'Remove Thou from us the burden of our sins,' and enter the gate humbly - [whereupon] We shall forgive you your sins [and] shall amply reward the doers of good."
(162) But those among them who were bent on wrongdoing substituted another saying for that which they had been given: and so We let loose against them a plague from heaven in requital of all their evil doings.
126 This verse, placed parenthetically in the midst of the story of Moses and the children of
Israel, is meant to elucidate the preceding passage. Each of the earlier prophets was sent
to his, and only his, community: thus, the Old Testament addresses itself only to the children
of Israel, and even Jesus, whose message had a wider bearing, speaks of himself as "sent only
unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew xv. 24). In contrast, the message of the
Qur'an is universal - that is, addressed to mankind as a whole - and is neither time-bound
nor confined to any particular cultural environment. It is for this reason that Muhammad,
through whom this message was revealed, is described in the Qur'an (21:107) as an evidence
of "[God's] grace towards all the worlds" (i.e. towards all mankind), and as "the Seal of
all Prophets" (33:40) - in other words, the last of them.
127 I.e., people like those spoken of in 3:113-115. With this verse, the discourse returns to
the moral history of the children of Israel. The stress on the fact that there have always
been righteous people among them is meant to contrast this righteousness with the rebellious
sinfulness which most of them displayed throughout their Biblical history. It provides at the
same time, an indication that although the wrongdoing of some of its members may sometimes
plunge whole communities into suffering, God judges men individually, and not in groups.
7:163
And ask them about that town which stood by the sea: how its people would profane the Sabbath whenever their fish came to them, breaking the water's surface, on a day on which they ought to have kept Sabbath - because they would not come to them on other than Sabbath-days!129 Thus did We try them by means of their [own] iniquitous doings. (7:164) And whenever some people130 among them asked [those who tried to restrain the Sabbath-breakers], "Why do you preach to people whom God is about to destroy or [at least] to chastise with suffering severe?" - the pious ones131 would answer, "In order to be free from blame before your Sustainer, and that these [transgressors, too,] might become conscious of Him."
7:165
And thereupon, when those [sinners] had forgotten all that they had been told to take to heart, We saved those who had tried to prevent the doing of evil,132 and overwhelmed those who had been bent on evildoing with dreadful suffering for all their iniquity; (7:166) and then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said unto them: "Be as apes despicable!"133
128 For an explanation of this and the preceding verse, see 2:58-59, and the corresponding notes.
129 Lit., "on a day when they did not keep Sabbath". Under Mosaic Law, they were obliged to
refrain from all work - and, therefore, also from fishing - on Sabbath-days, with the result
that the fish were more plentiful and would come closer to the shore on those days: and the
inhabitants of the town took this as an excuse to break the Sabbath-law. Since the Qur'an does
not mention the name of the town nor give any indication as to the historical period in which
those offences were committed, it may be assumed that the story of the Sabbath-breakers
(alluded to in several places in the Qur'an) is a general illustration of the tendency, so
often manifested by the children of Israel, to offend against their religious laws in pursuit
of their passions or for the sake of worldly gain. Although, according to the teachings of
Islam, the Mosaic dispensation has since been abrogated, the Qur'an frequently points out its
great role in the history of man's monotheistic beliefs, and stresses again and again its
(time-bound) importance as a means of enforcing spiritual discipline on the children of Israel.
Their repeated, deliberate breaches of the Mosaic Law are shown as evidence of their rebellious
attitude towards that discipline and, thus, towards God's commandments in general.
130 Lit., "a community" - obviously people who, while not actively protesting against the impiety
of their environment, did not themselves participate in this profanation of the Sabbath.
131 Lit., "they" - an allusion to the really pious among them, such as are described in verse 159 above.
132 Lit., "who were forbidding the evil".
133 According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the expression "We said unto them" is here synonymous
with "We decreed with' regard to them" - God's "saying" being in this case a metonym for a
manifestation of His will. As for the substance of God's decree, "Be as apes despicable",
the famous tabi'i Mujahid explain it thus: "[Only] their hearts were transformed, that is,
they were not [really] transformed into apes: this is but a metaphor (mathal) coined by God
with regard to them, similar to the metaphor of 'the ass carrying books' [62:5]" (Tabari,
in his commentary on 2:65; also Manar I, 343; VI, 448; and IX, 379). A similar explanation
is given by Raghib. It should be borne in mind that the expression "like an ape" is often
used in classical Arabic to describe a person who is unable to restrain his gross appetites
or passions.
7:167
And lo! Thy Sustainer made it known that most certainly He would rouse against them, unto Resurrection Day, people who would afflict them with cruel suffering: verily, thy Sustainer is swift in retribution - yet, verily, He is [also] much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. (7:168) And We dispersed them as [separate] communities all over the earth; some of them were righteous, and some of them less than that: and the latter We tried with blessings as well as with afflictions, so that they might mend their ways.134
7:169
And they have been succeeded by [new] generations who - [in spite of] having inherited the divine writ - clutch but at the fleeting good of this lower world and say, "We shall be forgiven,"135 the while they are ready, if another such fleeting good should come their way, to clutch at it [and sin again]. Have they not been solemnly pledged through the divine writ not to attribute unto God aught but what is true,136 and [have they not] read again and again all that is therein?
Since the life in the hereafter is the better [of the two] for all who are conscious of God - will you not, then, use your reason? (7:170) For [We shall requite] all those who hold fast to the divine writ and are constant in prayer: verily, We shall not fail to requite those who enjoin the doing of what is right!
7:171
And [did We not say,] when We caused Mount Sinai to quake above the children of Israel138 as though it were a [mere] shadow, and they thought that it would fall upon them, "Hold fast with [all your] strength unto what We have vouchsafed you, and bear in mind all that is therein, so that you might remain conscious of God"?138
(172) AND WHENEVER thy Sustainer brings forth their offspring from the loins of the children of Adam, He [thus] calls upon them to bear witness about themselves: "Am I not your Sustainer?" - to which they answer: "Yea, indeed, we do bear witness thereto!"139
[Of this We remind you,] lest you say on the Day of Resurrection, "Verily, we were unaware of this"; (7:173) or lest you say, "Verily, it was but our forefathers who, in times gone by, began to ascribe divinity to other beings beside God; and we were but their late offspring: wilt Thou, then, destroy us for the doings of those inventors of falsehoods?"
134 Lit., "so that they might return [to righteousness]".
135 I.e., for breaking God's commandments in their pursuit of worldly gain: an allusion to
their persistent belief that they are "God's chosen people" and that, no matter what they
do, His forgiveness and grace are assured to them by virtue of their being Abraham's
descendants.
136 A reference to their erroneous idea that God's forgiveness could be obtained without
sincere repentance. The divine writ mentioned twice in this passage is obviously the Bible.
137 Lit., "when We shook the mountain over them": possibly a reference to an earthquake
which took place at the time of the revelation of the Law (the "tablets") to Moses.
138 This is the end, so far as this surah is concerned, of the story of the children of Israel.
In accordance with the method of the Qur'an, their story is made an object-lesson for all
believers in God, of whatever community or time: and, therefore, the next passage speaks
of the "children of Adam", that is, of the whole human race.
139 In the original, this passage is in the past tense ("He brought forth", "He asked them", etc.),
thus stressing the continuous recurrence of the above metaphorical "question" and "answer":
a continuity which is more clearly brought out in translation by the use of the present tense.
According to the Qur'an, the ability to perceive the existence of the Supreme Power is inborn
in human nature (fitrah); and it is this instinctive cognition - which may or may not be
subsequently blurred by self-indulgence or adverse environmental influences - that makes every
sane human being "bear witness about himself" before God. As so often in the Qur'an, God's
"speaking" and man's "answering" is a metonym for the creative act of God and of man's
existential response to it.
7:174
And thus clearly do We spell out these messages; and [We do it] so that they [who have sinned] might return [unto Us]. (7:175) And tell them what happens to him140 to whom We vouchsafe Our messages and who then discards them: Satan catches up with him, and he strays, like so many others, into grievous error. 141 (7:176) Now had We so willed, We could indeed have exalted him by means of those [messages]: but he always clung to the earth and followed but his own desires.
Thus, his parable is that of an [excited] dog: if thou approach him threateningly, he will pant with his tongue lolling; and if thou leave him alone, he will pant with his tongue lolling. 142 Such is the parable of those who are bent on giving the lie to Our messages. Tell [them], then, this story, so that they might take thought.
140 Lit., "convey to them the tiding of him".
141 Lit., "he became one of those who have strayed into grievous error". In the original, this
whole verse is in the past tense; but since its obvious purport is the statement of a general
truth (cf. Razi, on the authority of Qatadah, 'Ikrimah and Abu Muslim) and not, as some
commentators assume, a reference to a particular person, it is best rendered in the present
tense. The kind of man spoken of here is one who has understood the divine message but,
nevertheless, refuses to admit its truth because - as is pointed out in the next verse -
he "clings to the earth", i.e., is dominated by a materialistic, "earthly" outlook on life.
(Cf. the allegory of "a creature out of the earth" in 27:82.)
142 Because his attitudes are influenced only by what his earth-bound desires represent to
him as his immediate "advantages" or "disadvantages", the type of man alluded to in this
passage is always - whatever the outward circumstances - a prey to a conflict between his
reason and his base urges and, thus, to inner disquiet and imaginary fears and cannot
attain to that peace of mind which a believer achieves through his faith.
7:177
Evil is the example of people who are bent on giving the lie to Our messages: for it is against their own selves that they are sinning! (7:178) He whom God guides, he alone is truly guided; whereas those whom He lets go astray - it is they, they who are the losers!
7:179
And most certainly have We destined for hell many of the invisible beings 143 and men who have hearts with which they fail to grasp the truth, and eyes with which they fail to see, and ears with which they fail to hear. They are like cattle - nay, they are even less conscious of the right way:144 it is they, they who are the [truly] heedless!
7:180
AND GOD'S [alone] are the attributes of perfection;145 invoke Him, then, by these, and stand aloof from all who distort the meaning of His attributes:146 they shall be requited for all that they were wont to do!
7:181
Now, among those whom We have created there are people who guide [others] in the way of the truth and act justly in its light. 141 (7:182) But as for those who are bent on giving the lie to Our messages - We shall bring them low, step by step, without their perceiving how it came about:142 (7:183) for, behold, though I may give them rein for a while. My subtle scheme is exceedingly firm! (7:184) Has it, then, never occurred to them149 that there is no madness whatever in [this] their fellowman? He is only a plain warner.150
143 See Appendix 111.
144 Lit.; "they are farther astray" - inasmuch as animals follow only their instincts and
natural needs and are not conscious of the possibility or necessity of a moral choice.
145 This passage connects with the mention, at the end of the preceding verse, of "the heedless
ones" who do not use their faculty of discernment in the way intended for it by God, and
remain heedless of Him who comprises within Himself all the attributes of perfection and
represents, therefore, the Ultimate Reality. As regards the expression al-asma' al-husna
(lit., "the most perfect [or "most goodly"] names"), which occurs in the Qur'an four times -
i.e., in the above verse as well as in 17:110, 20:8 and 59:24 - it is to be borne in mind
that the term ism is, primarily, a word applied to denote the substance or the intrinsic
attributes of an object under consideration, while the term al-husna is the plural form of
al-ahsan ("that which is best" or "most goodly"). Thus, the combination al-asma' al-husna
may be appropriately rendered as "the attributes of perfection" - a term reserved in the
Qur'an for God alone.
146 I.e., by applying them to other beings or objects or, alternatively, by trying to "define"
God in anthropomorphic terms and relationships, like "father" or "son" (Razi).
147 Sc., "and they will be rewarded accordingly". See verse 159 above, where the righteous "among
the folk of Moses" are thus described. In this verse, the reference is broadened to include
the righteous of all times and communities - that is, all those who are receptive to God's
messages and live up to them by virtue of their conviction that God is the Ultimate Reality.
148 Lit., "without their knowing whence [it comes]". For an explanation of the term kayd
("subtle scheme") occurring in the next verse, see note 25 on 68:45, where this term appears
for the first time in Qur'anic revelation.
149 Lit., "Have they, then, not reflected".
150 Because he enunciated a message that differed radically from anything to which the Meccans
had been accustomed, the Prophet was considered mad by many of his unbelieving contemporaries.
The stress on his being "their fellow-man" (sahibuhum - lit., "their companion") is meant to
emphasize the fact that he is human, and thus to counteract any possible tendency on the part
of his followers to invest him with superhuman qualities: an argument which is more fully
developed in verse 188.
7:185
Have they, then, never considered [God's] mighty dominion over the heavens and the earth, and all the things that God has created, and [asked themselves] whether, perchance, the end of their own term might already have drawn nigh? In what other tiding, then, will they, after this, believe?151 (7:186) For those whom God lets go astray, there is no guide; and He shall leave them in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.152
7:187
THEY WILL ASK thee [O Prophet] about the Last Hour: "When will it come to pass?"
Say: "Verily, knowledge thereof rests with my Sustainer alone. None but He will reveal it in its time. Heavily will it weigh on the heavens and the earth; [and] it will not fall upon you otherwise than of a sudden."
They will ask thee - as if thou couldst gain insight into this [mystery] by dint of persistent inquiry!153 Say: "Knowledge thereof rests with my Sustainer alone; but [of this] most people are unaware."
7:188
Say [O Prophet]: "It is not within my power to bring benefit to, or avert harm from, myself, except as God may please. And if I knew that which is beyond the reach of human perception, abundant good fortune - would surely have fallen to my lot, and no evil would ever have touched me. I am nothing but a warner, and a herald of glad tidings unto people who will believe." 154
151 Apart from a reminder of man's utter dependence on God, the implication of the above
passage is this: Since everything in the observable or intellectually conceivable universe
is obviously caused, it must have had a beginning and, therefore, must also have an end.
Furthermore, since the universe is not eternal in the sense of having had no beginning, and
since it cannot possibly have evolved "by itself" out of nothing, and since "nothingness" is
a concept devoid of all reality, we are forced to predicate the existence of a Primary Cause
which is beyond the limits of our experience and, hence, beyond the categories of our thought
- that is, the existence of God: and this is the meaning of the "tiding" to which this verse
refers.
152 As in verse 178 above - and in many other places in the Qur'an - the expression "he whom God
lets [or "causes to"] go astray" indicates the natural law instituted by God (sunnat Allah),
whereby a wilful neglect of one's inborn, cognitive faculties unavoidably results in the, loss
of all ethical orientation: that is, not an act of "predestination" but a result of one's own
choice. See also surah 2, note 7, and surah 14, note 4.
153 The verb ahfa means "he did [a thing] in an excessive measure" or "he exceeded the usual
bounds in doing [something]". In connection with an inquiry, and especially when followed by
'anhu or 'anha ("about it"), it signifies "he tried hard to gain insight [into something] by
persistently inquiring about it". Thus, used as a participle, it means "one who has gained
insight [into something] through persistent inquiry". In the above context, the implication
is that no amount of inquiry or speculation can reveal to man - the prophets included -
the coming of the Last Hour before its actual manifestation.
154 See 6:50, as well as the corresponding note. The repeated insistence in the Qur'an on the
humanness of the Prophet is in tune with the doctrine that no created being has or could have
any share, however small, in any of the Creator's qualities or powers. In logical continuation
of this argument, the next passage (verses 189-198) stresses the uniqueness and exclusiveness
of God's creative powers.
7:189
IT IS HE who has created you [all] out of one living entity, and out of it brought into being its mate, so that man might incline [with love] towards woman.155 And so, when he has embraced her, she conceives [what at first is] a light burden, and continues to bear it. Then, when she grows heavy [with child], they both call unto God, their Sustainer, "If Thou indeed grant us a sound [child], we shall most certainly be among the grateful!"
7:190
And yet, as soon as He has granted them sound [offspring], they begin to ascribe to other powers beside Him a share in bringing about what He has granted them !146 Sublimely exalted, however, is God - above anything to which men may ascribe a share in His divinity!
7:191
Will they, then,- ascribe divinity, side by side with Him, unto beings that cannot create anything157 since they themselves are created - (7:192) and neither are able to give them succour nor can succour themselves, (7:193) and, if you pray to them for guidance, do not respond to you?158 As far as you are concerned, it is all one whether you invoke them or keep silent. (7:194) Verily, all those whom you invoke beside God are but created beings159 like yourselves: invoke them, then, and let them answer your prayer - if what you claim is true!
155 Lit., "so that he might incline towards her". For an explanation of the terms "one living
entity" and "its mate", see 4:l, and the corresponding note.
156 Lit., "they attribute to Him partners with regard to that which He has granted them": i.e.,
many of them look upon the contributing factors of sound childbirth (like personal care during
pregnancy, medical assistance, eugenics, etc.) as something independent of God, forgetting that
all these contributing factors are - like the birth of the child itself - but an outcome of
God's will and grace: a manifestation of what the Qur'an calls "the way of God" (sunnat Allah).
Since this kind of mental association of "other" factors with God is not really intentional, it
does not amount to the unforgivable sin of shirk ("the ascribing of divine qualities to powers
other than God"); but it is close enough to it to warrant the subsequent discourse on shirk in
the real meaning of this term.
157 Lit., "that which does not create anything": a phrase expressed in the singular, but having
the plural meaning of "beings" - that is, either animate beings (like saints or supposedly
"divine" personalities) or their inanimate representations.
158 Lit., "do not follow you". As regards my translation of in tad'ahum ila 'l-huda as "if you
pray to them for guidance" (instead of the erroneous - but common - translation "if you invite
[or "call") them to guidance"), see Zamakhshari, Razi and Ibn Kathir. Cf. also verse 198 below.
159 Lit., "servants" ('ibad)- i.e., created beings subservient to God's will. This refers to saints
living or dead, as well as to inanimate objects of every description, including idols, fetishes
and representational images - physical or mental - of saints or deified persons.
7:195
Have these [images], perchance, feet on which they could walk? Or have they hands with which they could grasp? Or have they eyes with which they could see? Or have they ears with which they could hear?
Say [O Prophet]: "Summon to your aid all those to whom you ascribe a share in God's divinity," and thereupon contrive [anything you may wish] against me, and give me no respite! (7:196) Verily, my protector is God, who has bestowed this divine writ from on high: for it is He who protects the righteous, (7:197) whereas all those whom you invoke in His stead are neither able to give you succour nor can succour themselves; (7:198) and if you pray unto them for guidance, they do not hear; and though thou mayest imagine that they behold thee,161 they do not see."
7:199
MAKE due allowance for man's nature, 162 and enjoin the doing of what is right; and leave alone all those who choose to remain ignorant."164 (7:200) And if it should happen that a prompting from Satan stirs thee up [to blind anger]," seek refuge with God: behold, He is all-hearing, all-knowing.
160 Lit., "summon your [God-]partners" (see surah 6, note 15).
161 Lit., "though thou seest them looking at thee" - but since the pronoun "them" in tarahum
("thou seest them") refers to mental images no less than to physical representations, the verb
must be understood in its abstract sense of "seeing with the mind", i.e., "considering" or
"imagining". In contrast with the preceding passages, which are addressed to those who actually
invoke false deities or images, the last sentence is addressed to man in general, sinner and
believer alike: and this generalization is brought out by changing the form of address from
"you" to "thou".
162 Lit., "accept what is easily forthcoming [from man's nature]". According to Zamakhshari,
khudh al-afw means: "Accept what comes easily to thee [or "what is willingly accorded to thee"]
of the doings and the nature of men, and make things easy [for them], without causing them undue
hardship (kulfah); and do not demand of them efforts that may be too difficult for them." This
interpretation - which has been adopted by many other classical commentators as well - is based
on the identical explanation of the phrase khudh al-afw by 'Abd Allah ibn az-Zubayr and his
brother 'Urwah (Bukhari), as well as by 'A'ishah and, in the next generation, by Hisham ibn
'Urwah and Mujahid (see Tabari, Baghawi and Ibn Kathir). Thus, in accordance with the Qur'anic
statements that "man has been created weak" (4:28) and that "God does not burden any human being
with more than he is well able to bear" (2:286. 6:152, 7:42, 23:62), the believer is admonished
to make due allowance for human nature and not to be too harsh with those who err. This admonition
is the more remarkable as it follows immediately upon a discourse on the most unforgivable of
all sins - the ascribing of divine powers or qualities to anyone or anything but God.'
163 Lit., "the ignorant ones" - i.e., those who wilfully remain deaf to moral truths and not
those who are simply unaware of them.
164 I.e., anger at the rejection of the truth by "those who choose to remain ignorant". The
words "to blind anger" interpolated between brackets are based on a Tradition according to which
the Prophet, after the revelation of the preceding verse calling for forbearance, exclaimed,
"And what about [justified] anger, O my Sustainer?" - whereupon the above verse was revealed
to him (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Razi, Ibn Kathir).
7:201
Verily, they who are conscious of God bethink themselves [of Him] whenever any dark suggestion from Satan touches them165 - whereupon, lo! they begin to see [things] clearly, (7:202) even though their [godless] brethren would [like to] draw them into error:166 and then they cannot fail [to do what is right].
7:203
And yet, when thou [O Prophet] dost not produce any miracle for them, some [people] say, "Why dost thou not seek to obtain it [from God]?'"167
Say: "I only follow whatever is being revealed to me by my Sustainer: this [revelation] is a means of insight from your Sustainer, and a guidance and grace unto people who will believe. (7:204) Hence, when the Qur'an is voiced, hearken unto it, and listen in silence, so that you might be graced with [God's] mercy." (7:205) And bethink thyself of thy Sustainer humbly and with awe, and without raising thy voice, at morn and at evening; and do not allow thyself to be heedless.
7:206
Behold, those who are near unto thy Sustainer168 are never too proud to worship Him; and they extol His limitless glory, and prostrate themselves before Him [alone].
165 The noun ta'if (also forthcoming in the forms tayf and tayyif denotes any ungraspable
phantom, image or suggestion, as in a dream, or "an imperceptible obsession which obscures
the mind" (Taj al-'Arus). Since, in the above context, it is described as coming from Satan,
"a dark suggestion" seems to be an appropriate rendering.
166 I.e., by goading them to anger or trying to engage them in futile argument. "Their brethren"
are those who wilfully remain ignorant of the truth (with the pronoun referring to the
God-conscious). The conjunctive particle wa preceding this clause has here the meaning of
"although" or "even though".
167 Sc., "if thou art really His apostle" (cf. 6 :37 and 109, and the corresponding notes). Some
of the commentators assume that the term ayah - translated by me as "miracle" - denotes here
a verbal "message" which would answer the objections of those who did not believe in the Prophet.
Since, however, the continuous revelation of the Qur'an was full of such messages, the demand
of the unbelievers must have related to some particular manifestation or "proof" of his divinely-
inspired mission: namely, to a concrete miracle which would establish the truth of his claim
in a supposedly "objective" manner. In its wider implication, the above verse relates to the
primitive mentality of all who regard miracles, and not the message itself, as the only valid
"proof" of prophethood.
168 Lit., "those who are with thy Sustainer": a metaphorical description of utter God-consciousness.
MOST of Al-Anfal (a title taken from the reference to "spoils of war" in verse 1) was revealed during and immediately after the battle of Badr, in the year 2 H.; but some of its verses, and particularly the concluding section, are considered to be of a later date. Since it deals almost entirely with the battle of Badr and the lessons to be derived from it, a historical survey is necessary for a correct understanding of this surah.
In the month of Sha'ban, 2 H., the Muslims of Medina learned that a great Meccan trade caravan, which had gone to Syria some months earlier under the leadership of Abu Sufyan, had started on its return journey southwards and would be passing Medina a few weeks later. In view of the fact that ever since the exodus of the Muslims from Mecca to Medina a state of open war had existed between them and the Meccan Quraysh, the Prophet informed his followers that he intended to attack the caravan as soon as it approached Medina; and rumours of this plan reached Abu Sufyan while he and the caravan were still in Syria. The weeks that must elapse before they would reach the area of danger gave Abu Sufyan an opportunity to send a fast-riding courier to Mecca with an urgent request for help (the caravan itself, consisting of about one thousand camels laden with valuable merchandise, was accompanied by only about forty armed men). On receipt of Abu Sufyan's message, the Quraysh assembled a powerful army under the leadership of the Prophet's most bitter opponent, Abu Jahl, and set out northwards to the rescue of the caravan. The latter had, in the meantime, changed its traditional route and veered towards the coastal lowlands in order to put as much distance as possible between itself and Medina.
The fact that the Prophet, contrary to his custom, had on this occasion made his plans known so long in advance suggests that the purported attack on the caravan was no more than a feint, and that from the very outset his real objective had been an encounter with the Quraysh army. As already mentioned, a state of war already existed between the Quraysh of Mecca and the Muslim community at Medina. So far, however, no decisive encounter had taken place, and the Muslims were living under the constant threat of a Quraysh invasion. It is probable that the Prophet wished to put an end to this state of affairs and to inflict, if possible, a decisive defeat on the Quraysh, thus securing a measure of safety for his, as yet weak, community. Had he really intended no more than to attack and plunder Abu Sufyan's caravan, he could have done so by simply waiting until it reached the vicinity of Medina and then swooping down on it; and in that event Abu Sufyan would have had no time to obtain further armed help from Mecca. As it was, the Prophet's announcement, weeks ahead, of the impending attack gave Abu Sufyan time to alert his compatriots in Mecca, and induced the latter to dispatch a considerable force towards Medina.
While Abu Sufyan's caravan was proceeding southwards along the coast, and thus out of reach of the Muslims, the Quraysh army - consisting of about one thousand warriors clad in chain mail, seven hundred camels and over one hundred horses - arrived at the valley of Badr, approximately one hundred miles west-southwest of Medina, expecting to meet Abu Sufyan there, unaware that in the meantime he had taken the coastal route. At the same time the Prophet marched out of Medina at the head of three hundred and odd Muslims, all of them very poorly armed, with only seventy camels and two horses between them. The Prophet's followers had been under the impression that they were going to attack the trade caravan and its weak escort; and when, on the 17th (or, according to some authorities, on the 19th or 21st) of Ramadan, they came face to face with a powerful Quraysh force more than thrice their number, they held a council of war. A few of the Muslims were of the opinion that the enemy was too strong for them, and that they should withdraw to Medina. But the overwhelming majority, led by Abu Bakr and 'Umar, were in favour of an immediate advance, and their enthusiasm carried the others along with them; and thereupon the Prophet attacked the Quraysh. After a few single combats - held in accordance with time-honoured Arabian custom - the fighting became general; the Meccan forces were completely routed and several of their most prominent chieftains - Abu Jahl among them - were killed.
It was the first open battle between the pagan Quraysh and the young Muslim community of Medina; and its outcome made the Quraysh realize that the movement inaugurated by Muhammad was not an ephemeral dream but the beginning of a new political power and a new era different from anything that the Arabian past had known. The Meccans' apprehensions, which had already been aroused by the exodus of the Prophet and his Companions to Medina, found a shattering confirmation on the day of Badr. Although the power of Arabian paganism was not finally broken until some years later, its decay became apparent from that historic moment. For the Muslims, too, Badr proved to be a turning-point. It may safely be assumed that until then only a very few of the Prophet's Companions had fully understood the political implications of the new order of Islam. To most of them, their exodus to Medina had meant, in those early days, no more than a refuge from the persecutions which they had had to endure in Mecca: after the battle of Badr, however, even the most simple-minded among them became aware that they were on their way towards a new social order. The spirit of passive sacrifice, so characteristic of their earlier days, received its complement in the idea of sacrifice through action. The doctrine of action as the most fundamental, creative element of life was, perhaps for the first time in the history of man, consciously realized not only by a few select individuals but by a whole community; and the intense activism which was to distinguish Muslim history in the coming decades and centuries was a direct, immediate consequence of the battle of Badr.
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
8:1
THEY WILL ASK thee about the spoils of war. Say: "All spoils of war belong to God and the Apostle."1 Remain, then, conscious of God, and keep alive the bonds of brotherhood among yourselves,2 and pay heed unto God and His Apostle, if you are [truly] believers!
8:2
Believers are only they whose hearts tremble with awe whenever God is mentioned, and whose faith is strengthened whenever His messages are conveyed unto them,; and who in their Sustainer place their trust - (8:3) those who are constant in prayer and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance 4 (8:4) it is they, they who are truly believers! Theirs shall be great dignity in their Sustainer's sight, and forgiveness of sins, and a most excellent sustenance.5
1 The term nafl (of which anfal is the plural) denotes, in its purely linguistic sense, "an
accretion or addition received beyond one's due" or "something given in excess of one's obligation"
(from which latter meaning the term salat an-nafl - i.e., a "supererogatory prayer" - is derived).
In its plural form anfal, which occurs in the Qur'an only in the above verse, this word signifies
"spoils of war", inasmuch as such spoils are an incidental accession above and beyond anything
that a mujahid ("a fighter in God's cause") is entitled to expect. The statement that "all spoils
of war belong to God and the Apostle" implies that no individual warrior has a claim to any war
booty: it is public property, to be utilized or distributed by the government of an Islamic state
in accordance with the principles laid down in the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet. For
further details relating to the division of spoils of war, see verse 41 of this surah.- The
immediate occasion of this revelation was the question of the booty acquired by the Muslims -
in the battle of Badr (an account of which is given in the introductory note to this surah); but
the principle enunciated above is valid for all times and circumstances.
2 Lit., "set to rights the relationship between yourselves" - i.e., "remain conscious of your
brotherhood in faith and banish all discord among yourselves".
3 Lit., "and whenever His messages are conveyed to them, they increase them in faith"
4 See surah 2, note 4.
5 I.e., in paradise. According to Razi, however, the "most excellent sustenance" is a metonym
for "the spiritual raptures arising from the knowledge of God, the love of Him, and the
self-immersion (istighraq) in worshipping Him". In Razi's interpretation, this expression
refers to the spiritual reward of faith in this world. Some commentators (cf. Manar IX, 597)
regard the above definition of true believers as the most important passage of this surah. -
The phrase rendered by me as "theirs shall be great dignity" reads, literally, "they shall
have degrees", 'namely, of excellence and dignity.
8:5
EVEN AS thy Sustainer brought thee forth from thy home [to fight] in the cause of the truth, although some of the believers were averse to it, (8:6) [so, too,] they would argue with thee about the truth [itself] after it had become manifest6 - just as if they were being driven towards death and beheld it with their very eyes.
8:7
And, lo, God gave you the promise that one of the two [enemy] hosts would fall to you: and you would have liked to seize the less powerful one,7 whereas it was God's will to prove the truth to be true in accordance with His words, and to wipe out the last remnant of those who denied the truth8- (8:8) so that He might prove the truth to be true and the false to be false, however hateful this might be to those who were lost in sin.9
6 I.e., after it had become clear that it was indeed God's will that the Muslims should give open
battle to the Quraysh army. This reference to the antecedents of the battle of Badr (see the
introductory note to this surah) connects with the admonition given in verse l, "pay heed unto
God and His Apostle", as well as with the reminder, in verse 2, that true believers place all
their trust in God. A few of the followers of the Prophet disliked the idea of giving battle to
the main army of the Quraysh, instead of attacking the Meccan caravan returning from Syria and
thus of acquiring easy booty; but the majority of them immediately declared that they would
follow God's Apostle wherever he might lead them. - Some of the commentators are inclined to
relate the adverbial particle kama ("just as" or "even as"), introducing this sentence, to the
preceding passage and, thus, to their duty to follow God's commands. Others, however, regard
this interpretation as somewhat laboured, and relate the comparison implied in kama to the
first clause of verse 6, explaining the passage thus: "Just as some of the believers were averse
to going forth from Medina to give battle to the Quraysh, so, too, they would argue with thee
as to whether it was really willed by God." This, in particular, was the view of Mujahid, whom
Tabari quotes with approval in his commentary on this verse.
7 Lit., "while you would have liked the one which was not powerful to be yours" - i.e., the caravan
coming from Syria, which was accompanied by only forty armed men and could therefore, be attacked
without great danger.
8 The destruction of the Meccan army at Badr was the prelude to the elimination, in the course of
the next few years, of all opposition to Islam in its homeland: and it is to this future fulfilment
of God's promise that the above words refer. See also surah 11, note 103.
9 The implication is that the truth of the Prophet's cause could not have been vindicated by the
Muslims' overcoming and plundering the rich caravan which was approaching from the north. Although
such an action would have benefited the Muslims materially, it would not have lessened the strength
of the pagan Quraysh: while on the other hand, the encounter at Badr with the main. heavily-armed
Quraysh force - resulting as it did in a decisive victory of the Muslims, was destined to shatter
the self-confidence of the enemy and thus to pave the way for the ultimate triumph of Islam in
Arabia.
8:9
Lo! You were praying unto your Sustainer for aid, whereupon He thus responded to you: "I shall, verily, aid you with a thousand angels following one upon another!" (8:10) And God ordained this only as a glad tiding, and that your hearts should thereby be set at rest - since no succour can come from any save God: verily, God is almighty, wise!10
8:11
[Remember how it was] when He caused inner calm to enfold you,11 as an assurance from Him, and sent down upon you water from the skies, so that He might purify you thereby and free you from Satan's unclean whisperings12 and strengthen your hearts and thus make firm your steps. (8:12) Lo! Thy Sustainer inspired the angels [to convey this His message to the believers]: "I am with you !"13
[And He commanded the angels:] "And give firmness unto those who have attained to faith [with these words from Me]:14 'I shall cast terror into the hearts of those who are bent on denying the truth; strike, then, their necks, [O believers,] and strike off every one of their finger-tips!"15
10 "On the day of the battle of Badr, the Prophet looked at his followers, who were three
hundred and odd men, and he looked at those who were ascribing divinity to beings other than
God: and lo, they were more than one thousand. Thereupon God's Prophet turned towards the
qiblah, raised his hands and thus implored his Sustainer: 'O God! Fulfil what Thou hast promised
me! O God! If this little band of those who have surrendered themselves unto Thee is destroyed,
Thou wilt not be worshipped on earth...'." This authentic Tradition, quoted by Muslim,
Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, etc., appears also in a very similar version in Bukhari's
Sahih. It is said that the above Qur'an-verse was revealed in response to the Prophet's prayer -
whereupon he recited another, much earlier verse (54:45): "The hosts shall be routed, and shall
turn their backs [in flight]" (Bukhari). - As regards the promise of aid through thousands of
angels, see 3:124-125, where a similar promise - made on the occasion of the battle of Uhud -
is said to have been uttered by the Prophet and thus, by implication, confirmed by God. The
spiritual nature of this angelic aid is clearly expressed by the words, "and God ordained this
only as a glad tiding...", etc. (See also surah 3, notes 93 and 94.)
11 Le., before the battle of Badr. Regarding the interpretation of nu'as as "inner calm", see
surah 3, note 112. Here it refers to the spiritual quiet and self-confidence of the believers
in the face of overwhelming odds.
12 Lit., "take away from you the pollution of Satan". Immediately before the beginning of the
battle, the Meccan army invested the wells of Badr, thus depriving the Muslims of water; and,
under the influence of thirst, some of the latter fell prey to utter despair (here symbolized
by "Satan's unclean whisperings") - when, suddenly, abundant rain fell and enabled them to
satisfy their thirst (Tabari, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbds). '
13 The phrase "I am with you" is addressed (through the angels) to the believers - "for, the
purport of these words was the removal of fear, since it was the Muslims, and not the angels,
who feared the deniers of the truth" (Razi).
14 The following is, again, addressed to the believers (Razi). Verse 10 of this surah makes it
clear that the aid of the angels was purely spiritual in nature; and there is no evidence
anywhere in the Qur'an that they did, or were meant to, participate in the battle in a physical
sense. In his commentary on the above verse, Razi stresses this point repeatedly; among modern
commentators, Rashid Rida emphatically rejects the legendary notion that angels actually fought
in this or any other of the Prophet's battles (see Manar IX, 612 ff.). It is mainly on the
basis of Razi's interpretation of this passage that I have interpolated, in several places,
explanatory clauses between brackets.
15. I.e., "destroy them utterly".
8:13
This, because they have cut themselves off from 16 God and His Apostle: and as for him who cuts himself off from God and His Apostle - verily, God is severe in retribution. (8:14) This [for you, O enemies of God]! Taste it, then, [and know] that suffering through fire awaits those who deny the truth!
8:15
O YOU who have attained to faith! When you meet in battle those who are bent on denying the truth, advancing in great force, do not turn your backs on them:17 (8:16) for, whoever on that day turns his back on them - unless it be in a battle manoeuvre or in an endeavour to join another troop [of the believers] - shall indeed have earned the burden of God's condemnation, and his goal shall be hell: and how vile a journey's end!
8:17
And yet, [O believers,] it was not you who slew the enemy,18 but it was God who slew them; and it was not thou who cast [terror into them, O Prophet], when thou didst cast it, but it was God who cast it:19 and [He did all this] in order that He might test the believers by a goodly test of His Own or daining.20 Verily, God is all-hearing, all-knowing! (8:18) This [was God's purpose] - and also [to show] that God renders vain the artful schemes of those who deny the truth.
16 Or: "contended against" (Baghawi). However, since the primary meaning of shaqqahu ("he
separated himself from him" or "cut himself off from him") comprises the concepts of both
estrangement and opposition (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Razi), the rendering adopted by me seems to
be the most suitable in this context.
17 I.e., in flight: the implication being that in view of God's promise of victory no retreat is
permissible. Since this verse (like the whole of this surah) relates predominantly to the battle
of Badr, it may well be presumed that the above admonition forms part of the message of
encouragement beginning with the words, "I am with you" (verse 12), which God commanded the
angels to convey to the believers before the battle. In accordance with the didactic method of
the Qur'an, however, the moral lesson contained in this verse is not confined to the historical
occasion to which it refers, but has the validity of a permanent law.
18 Lit., "you did not slay them - i.e., in the battle of Badr, which ended with a complete
victory of the Muslims.
19 According to several Traditions, the Prophet cast, at the beginning of the battle, a handful of
pebbles or dust in the direction of the enemy, thus symbolically indicating their approaching
defeat. However, none of these accounts attains to the standard of authenticity described as
sahih (i.e., "reliable") by the great exponents of the science of Tradition ('ilm al-hadith),
and cannot, therefore, satisfactorily explain the above Qur'anic passage (see Ibn Kathir's
commentary on this verse, as well as Manar IX, 620 f.). Since the verb rams (lit., "he cast" or
"flung") applies also to the act of "shooting an arrow" or "flinging a spear", it might be
explained here as a reference to the Prophet's active participation in the battle. Alternatively,
it may denote his "casting terror", i.e., into the hearts of his enemies, by his and his
followers' extreme valour. Whichever explanation is adopted, the above verse implies that the
victory of the Muslims over the much more numerous and much better equipped army of the Quraysh
was due to God's grace alone: and, thus, it is a reminder to the faithful, of all times, not
to indulge in undue pride in any of their achievements (which is the meaning of the "test"
mentioned in the next sentence).
20 Lit., "from Himself".
8:19
If you have been praying for victory, [O believers] - victory has now indeed come unto you. And if you abstain [from sinning], it will be for your own good; but if you revert to it, We shall revoke [Our promise of aid] - and never will your community be of any avail to you, however great its numbers: for, behold, God is [only] with those who believe!21 (8:20) [Hence,] O you who have attained to faith, pay heed unto God and His Apostle, and do not turn away from Him now that you hear [His message]; (8:21) and be not like those who say, "We have heard", the while they do not hearken.22
8:22
Verily, the vilest of all creatures23 in the sight of God are those deaf, those dumb ones who do not use their reason. (8:23) For, if God had seen any good in them, He would certainly have made them hear: but [as it is,] even if He had made them hear, they would surely have turned away in their obstinacy.
21 There is no unanimity among the commentators as to whether this verse is addressed to the
believers or to their opponents at Badr, that is, the pagan Quraysh. While some of the commentators
(e.g., Razi) are of the opinion that it is an admonition to the believers and understand it in
the sense rendered by me above, others maintain that it is a warning addressed to the Quraysh. In
order to justify this view, they give to the word fath (lit., "opening") occurring in the first
sentence the meaning of "judgment" or "decision" (which is undoubtedly permissible from the
linguistic point of view), and arrive at the following rendering: "If you have been seeking a
decision [O unbelievers] - a decision has now indeed come unto you. And if you abstain [from making
war on God and His Apostle], it will be for your own good; but if you revert to it, We shall
revert [to defeating you] - and never will your army be of any avail to you, however great its
numbers: for, behold, God is with the believers!"
As can be seen from this alternative rendering, the difference in interpretation pivots on the
tropical meaning which one gives to the words fath ("decision" or "victory") and fi'ah ("army"
or "community"). As regards the latter, it is to be borne in mind that its primary significance
is "a group" or "a congregated body of men" - more or less synonymous with ta'ifah or jama'ah;
it can, therefore, be used to denote "an army" as well as "a community". Similarly, the expression
na'ud can be understood in either of two ways: namely, as meaning "We shall revert [to defeating
you]" - or, as in my rendering, "We shall revoke [Our promise of aid]" - addressed, in the one
instance to the unbelievers, and in the other, to the believers. (For the use of the verb 'ada
in the sense of "he revoked", see Taj al-'Arus; also Lane V, 2189.) But while both interpretations
of the above verse are linguistically justified, the one adopted by me (and supported, according
to Ibn Kathir, by Ubayy ibn Ka'b) is in greater harmony with the context, inasmuch as both the
preceding and subsequent passages are unmistakably addressed to the believers. Thus, the verse must
be understood as a reminder to the Muslims that God will be with them only so long as they remain
firm in faith and righteous in action, and that, however large their community may be in the future,
they will be powerless unless they are true believers.
22 See 2:93 and 4:46, and the corresponding notes. While in the above-mentioned two instances the
Jews are alluded to, the present allusion is more general, and relates to all people who have
come to know and understand the message of the Qur'an, but pay no heed to it.
23 Lit., "animals that walk or crawl" (dawab, sing. dabbah ), including man as well.
8:24
O you who have attained to faith! Respond to the call of God and the Apostle whenever he calls you unto that which will give you life; and know that God intervenes between man and [the desires of] his heart,24 and that unto Him you shall be gathered. (8:25) And beware of that temptation to evil which does not befall only those among you who are bent on denying the truth, to the exclusion of others;25 and know that God is severe in retribution.
8:26
And remember the time when you were few [and] helpless on earth, fearful lest people do away with you26 - whereupon He sheltered you, and strengthened you with His succour, and provided for you sustenance out of the good things of life, so that you might have cause to be grateful. (8:27) [Hence,] O you who have attained to faith, do not be false to God and the Apostle, and do not knowingly be false to the trust that has been reposed in you;27 (8:28) and know that your worldly goods and your children are but a trial and a temptation, and that with God there is a tremendous reward.28
24 I.e.. between a man's desires and the outward action that may result from those desires:
indicating that God can turn man away from what his heart urges him to do (Raghib). In other
words, it is God-consciousness alone that can prevent man from being misled by wrong desires
and, thus, from becoming like "those deaf, those dumb ones who do not use their reason" (verse
22 above); and it is God-consciousness alone that can enable man to follow the call "unto that
which gives life" - that is, spiritual awareness of right and wrong and the will to act accordingly.
25 The term fitnah - here rendered as "temptation to evil" - comprises a wide range of concepts,
e.g., "seduction" or "trial" or "test" or "an affliction whereby one is tried"; hence also
"confusion" (as in 3:7 and 6:23), "discord" or "dissension" (because it constitutes a "trial"
of human groupments), as well as "persecution" and "oppression" (because it is an affliction which
may cause man to go astray and to lose his faith in spiritual values - a meaning in which the word
fitnah is used in 2:191 and 193); and, finally, "sedition" and "civil war" (because it leads whole
communities astray). Since the expression "temptation to evil" is applicable to all these meanings,
it appears to be the most suitable in the above context: the idea being that it is not merely the
deliberate deniers of spiritual truths who are exposed to such a temptation, but that also people
who are otherwise righteous may fall prey to it unless they remain always, and consciously, on
their guard against anything that might lead them astray from the right course.
26 A reference to the weakness of the believers in the early days of Islam, before their exodus from
Mecca to Medina. In its wider meaning; it is a reminder to every community of true believers, at
all times, of their initial weakness and numerical insignificance and their subsequent growth in
numbers and influence.
27 Lit., "do not be false to your trusts, the while you know". Regarding the deeper meaning of
amanah ("trust"), see note 87 on 33:72.
28 Inasmuch as love of worldly goods and a desire to protect one's family may lead a person to
transgression (and, thus, to a betrayal of the moral values postulated in God's message), they
are described as fitnah - which, in this context, is best rendered by the two words "trial
and temptation". This reminder connects with verse 25 above, "beware of that temptation to evil
which does not befall only those who are bent on denying the truth," since it is acquisitiveness
and a desire to confer benefits on one's own family which often tempt an otherwise good person
to offend against the rights of his fellow-men. It is to be borne in mind that, contrary to the
New Testament, the Qur'an does not postulate a contempt for worldly attachments as a
pre-requisite of righteousness: it only demands of man that he should not allow these attachments
to deflect him from the pursuit of moral verities.
8:29
O you who have attained to faith! If you remain conscious of God. He will endow you with a standard by which to discern the true from the false,29 and will efface your bad deeds, and will forgive you your sins: for God is limitless in His great bounty.
8:30
AND [remember, O Prophet,] how those who were bent on denying the truth were scheming against thee, in order to restrain thee [from preaching], or to slay thee, or to drive thee away: thus have they [always] schemed:30 but God brought their scheming to nought - for God is above all schemers.
8:31
And whenever Our messages were conveyed to them, they would say, "We have heard [all this] before; if we wanted, we could certainly compose sayings like these [ourselves]: they are nothing but fables of ancient times!"31 (8:32) And, lo, they would say, "O God! If this be indeed the truth from Thee, then rain down upon us stones from the skies, or inflict [some other] grievous suffering on us!"32
8:33
But God did not choose thus to chastise them when thou [O Prophet] wert still among them," nor would God chastise them when they [might yet] ask for forgiveness. (8:34) But what have they [now] in their favour that God should not chastise them - seeing that they bar [the believers] from the Inviolable House of Worship, although they are not its [rightful] guardians?34
None but the God-conscious can be its guardians: but of this most of these [evildoers] are unaware; (8:35) and their prayers before the Temple are nothing but whistling and clapping of hands. Taste then, [O unbelievers,] this chastisement as an outcome of your persistent denial of the truth!35
29 I.e., the faculty of moral valuation (Manor IX, 648). See also surah 2, note 38.
30 While the first sentence of this verse is a reference to the persecution to which the Prophet
and his followers had been exposed in Mecca before their exodus to Medina, this concluding
passage points to the ever-recurring fact of man's religious history that those who deny the
truth of divine revelation are always intent on rendering its preachers powerless or destroying
them, either physically or, figuratively, through ridicule.
31 Cf. 6:25. As regards the expression la-qulna - here rendered as "we could certainly [ourselves]
compose" - it is to be remembered that the verb gala does not always signify only "he said", but
also "he asserted" or "expressed an opinion", as well as-in connection with a literary production -
"he composed": thus, qala shi'r means "he composed a poem". In the above context, this expression
alludes to the oft-repeated (but never fulfilled) boast of the pagan Quraysh that they could
produce a poetic message comparable in merit to that of the Qur'an; in its wider sense, it is
an allusion to the attitude of many unbelievers towards revealed scriptures in general.
32 This sarcastic appeal of the unbelievers - referred to several times in the Qur'an - is meant
to stress their conviction that the Qur'an is not a divine revelation. According to Anas ibn
Malik, these words were first uttered by Abu Jahl, the Prophet's chief opponent at Mecca -
who was killed in the battle of Badr (Bukhari).
33 I.e., in Mecca, before the exodus to Medina.
34 At the time of the revelation of this surah (the year 2 H.) Mecca was still in the possession
of the hostile Quraysh, and no Muslim was allowed to enter it. Owing to their descent from
Abraham, the Quraysh considered themselves entitled to the guardianship of the Ka'bah ("the
Inviolable House of Worship"), which had been built by Abraham as the first temple ever dedicated
to the One God (see surah 2, note 102). The Qur'an refutes this contention, just as it refutes
the claim of the children of Israel to being "the chosen people" by virtue of their descent
from Abraham. (Cf. in this connection 2:124, and especially the last sentence, "My covenant
does not embrace the wrongdoers.") Although they still retained a modicum of belief in God,
the Quraysh had entirely forsaken the unitarian faith of Abraham, thus forfeiting any moral
claim to the guardianship of the Temple (al-bayt) built by him.
35 I.e., devoid of all spiritual contents. Some of the early authorities maintain that dancing
around the Ka'bah, accompanied by whistling and hand-clapping, was actually a ritual practiced
by the pre-Islamic Arabs. Although this explanation is quite plausible, it would appear from
the context that the expression "whistling and clapping of hands" is used here metaphorically,
to denote the spiritual emptiness of the religious rituals of people who are wont to attribute
a quasi-divine efficacy to all manner of circumstantial "forces" - like wealth, power,
social status, "luck", etc.
8:36
Behold, those who are bent on denying the truth are spending their riches in order to turn others away from the path of God; and they will go on spending them until they become [a source of] intense regret for them; and then they will be overcome! And those who [until their death] have denied the truth shall be gathered unto hell, (8:37) so that God might separate the bad from the good, and join the bad with one another, and link them all together [within His condemnation], and then place them in hell. They, they are the lost!
8:38
Tell those who are bent on denying the truth that if they desist,37 all that is past shall be forgiven them; but if they revert [to their wrongdoing], let them remember what happened to the like of them in times gone by.38 (8:39) And fight against them until there is no more oppression and all worship is devoted to God alone.39
And if they desist-behold, God sees all that they do;40 (8:40) and if they turn away [from righteousness], (8:41) know that God is your Lord Supreme: [and] how excellent is this Lord Supreme, and how excellent this Giver of Succour!
AND KNOW that whatever booty you acquire [in war], one-fifth thereof belongs to God and the Apostle, and the near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer.41
[This you must observe] if you believe in God and in what We bestowed from on high upon Our servant on the day when the true was distinguished from the false - the day when the two hosts met in battle. And God has the power to will anything.42
36 The chastisement or suffering referred to here was their crushing defeat at Badr.
37 I.e., from their endeavour to turn others away from the path of God and from waging war
against the believers.
38 Lit., "the example (sunnah) of the people of old times has already come to pass": an allusion
to the disasters that have overtaken, and are bound to overtake, those who persistently deny
moral truths.
39 I.e., until man is free to worship God. Cf. the identical phrase in 2:193, and the corresponding
note. Both these passages stress self-defence - in the widest sense of this word - as the only
justification of war.
40 I.e., He knows their motives, and will requite them according to their merits.
41 According to verse 1 of this surah, "all spoils of war belong to God and the Apostle", i.e.,
are to be administered by the authorities of an Islamic state in the interests of the common
weal. Most of the great Islamic jurists are of the opinion that whereas four-fifths of all
spoils may either be distributed among those who actively took part in the war effort or may
be otherwise utilized for the welfare of the community, one-fifth must be reserved for the
specific purposes enumerated in the above verse, including a share "for God and the Apostle"
(which is obviously a metonym for a government that rules in accordance with the laws of the
Qur'an and the teachings of God's Apostle); this latter share is to be used for the exigencies
of state administration. Since a full discussion of this complex juridical problem would go
far beyond the scope of these explanatory notes, the reader is referred, in particular, to
Manar X, 4 ff., where the views of the classical exponents of Islamic jurisprudence are summarized. -
For the term ibn as-sabil occurring in this verse, see surah 2, note 145. By "the near of kin
and the orphans" apparently the relatives of fallen combatants are meant in this context.
42 I.e., "He can grant you victory or can withhold it from you". The battle of Badr is described
here as "the day when the true was distinguished from the false" (yawm al-furqan) because on
that occasion a small and poorly armed group of believers utterly destroyed an infinitely
better equipped army more than three times its number. The revelation referred to in this
connection was God's promise of victory, given in verses 12-14 of this surah. (See also note
38 on 2:53.)
8:42
[Remember that day] when you were at the near end of the valley [of Badr], and they were at its farthest end, while the caravan was below you.43 And if you had known that a battle was to take place, you would indeed have refused to accept the challenge:44 but [the battle was brought about none the less,] so that God might accomplish a thing [which He willed] to be done,45 [and] that he who would perish might perish in clear evidence of the truth, and that he who would remain alive might live in clear evidence of the truth.46 And, behold, God is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing.
43 Before the beginning of the battle, the Prophet and his followers were encamped in the northern
part of the valley of Badr, nearest to Medina, while their enemies, having come from Mecca,
occupied its southern part. The Meccan trade caravan, coming from Syria under the leadership of
Abu Sufyan, was in the meantime proceeding southwards through the coastal lowlands (see
introductory note to this surah).
44 This is a very free rendering of the elliptic phrase which runs, literally, thus: "And if you
had mutually made an appointment, you would indeed have failed to keep the appointment" - i.e.,
for battle. As already mentioned in the introductory note to this surah, most of the Prophet's
followers had been under the impression that their objective was the relatively weak trade
caravan, and some of them were dismayed at finding themselves face to face with the powerful
Quraysh army advancing from the south.
45 According to all the commentators, the words interpolated by me between brackets are implied
in this highly elliptical sentence. Literally translated, its last words might be rendered as
"a thing that was [already] done": meaning that if God decrees a thing, it must inevitably come
about, and may therefore be described as already done.
46 Some of the great commentators understand this sentence in a metaphorical sense, with
"destruction" signifying persistence in denying the truth (kufr), and "life" being synonymous
with faith. According to this interpretation, the above sentence would have the following meaning:
"... so that the denial of the truth on the part of him who has denied it, and the faith of him
who has attained to it, might become clearly evident" (Zamakhshari); or "let him who is bent on
denying the truth go on denying it after this clear evidence of God's will, and let him who has
attained to belief go on believing" (Ibn Ishaq, as quoted by Ibn Kathir). In my opinion, however,
it is preferable to interpret the references to death and life in their prima-facie (that is,
not metaphorical) sense - namely, as applying to the death or survival of all who took part in
the battle of Badr, believers and unbelievers alike: the believers who fell in that battle died
conscious of being martyrs in God's cause, and those who survived could now clearly discern God's
hand in their victory; while the dead among the deniers of the truth had clearly given their
lives for nothing, and those of them who survived must now realize that their crushing defeat
was due, in the last resort, to something infinitely greater than the valour of the Muslims
(cf. verse 17, and the corresponding notes).
8:43
Lo! God showed them to thee in a dream as few:47 for, had He shown them to you as many, you would surely have lost heart, and would surely have disagreed with one another about what to do.48 But God saved [you from this]: verily, He has full knowledge of what is the hearts [of men]. (8:44) And so, when you met in battle, He made them appear as few in your eyes - just as He made you appear as of little account in their eyes - so that God might accomplish a thing [which He willed] to be done: 49 for all things go back to God [as their source].
8:45
[Hence,] O you who have attained to faith, when you meet a host in battle, be firm, and remember God often; so that you might attain to a happy state! (8:46) And pay heed unto God and His Apostle, and do not [allow yourselves to] be at variance with one another, lest you lose heart and your moral strength desert you.50 And be patient in adversity: for, verily, God is with those who are patient in adversity.
47 Lit., "in thy dream" - obviously relating to a dream which the Prophet had had just before
the encounter at Badr. We have no authentic Tradition to this effect, but the tabi'i Mujahid
is quoted as having said, "God had shown the enemies to the Prophet, in a dream, as few;
he informed his Companions accordingly, and this encouraged them greatly" (Razi and Ibn Kathir,
with minor variants).
48 Lit., "about the matter" - i.e., about the advisability of giving battle or retreating.
49 See note 45 above. Since at the time of the actual encounter the Muslims could no longer
be in doubt as to the great number of the enemy force, the phrase "He made them appear as
few in your eyes" has obviously a metaphorical meaning: it implies that, by that time, the
Prophet's followers were so full of courage that the enemy appeared insignificant to them.
The Quraysh, on the other hand, were so conscious of their own power and numerical
superiority that the Muslims appeared but of little account to them - a mistake which
ultimately cost them the battle and a great number of lives.
50 The relevant word is rih, which literally signifies "wind"; it is used metaphorically to
denote "spirit" or "moral strength".
8:47
And be not like those [unbelievers] who went forth from their homelands full of self-conceit and a desire to be seen and praised by men 51 for they were trying to turn others away from the path of God - the while God encompassed all their doings [with His might]. (8:48) And, lo, Satan made all their doings seem goodly to them, and said, "No one can overcome you this day, for, behold, I shall be your protector! 52 - but as soon as the two hosts came within sight of one another, he turned on his heels and said, "Behold, I am not responsible for you: behold, I see something that you do not see: behold, I fear God - for God is severe in retribution!"53
8:49
At the same time, the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was disease were saying, "Their faith has deluded these [believers]!"54
But he who places his trust in God [knows that], verily, God is almighty, wise.
8:50
AND IF thou couldst but see [how it will be] when He causes those who are bent on denying the truth to die: the angels will strike their faces: and their backs,55 and [will say]: "Taste suffering through fire (8:51) in return for what your own hands have wrought - for, never does God do the least wrong to His creatures!"
51 A reference to the Quraysh army which set forth from Mecca under the leadership of Abu Jahl
in the conviction that they would destroy the Prophet and his followers. These words imply a
warning to the believers, of all times, never to go to war boastfully and for the sake of
empty glory.
52 Lit., "your neighbour"- an expression derived from the ancient Arabian principle that a man
is honour-bound to aid and protect his neighbours.
53 This allegory of Satan's blandishments and of his subsequent abandonment of the sinner occurs,
in a more general form, in 59:16.
54 I.e., into thinking that in spite of their numerical weakness and lack of arms, they could
withstand the powerful Meccan army. The term din, often denoting "religion", obviously stands
here for the attitude one has towards his religion: in another word, one's faith. "Those in
whose hearts was disease" is a reference to the vacillating and faint-hearted among the Prophet's
followers, who were afraid of meeting the Quraysh in battle.- The particle idh which introduces
this sentence has often the meaning of "when"; in this case, however, it signifies "at the
same time".
55 Or: "... when the angels gather in death those who were bent on denying the truth, they
strike...", etc. - depending on whether one attributes the pronoun in yatawaffa to the angels,
which gives the reading "they gather [them] in death", or to God, in which case it means "He
causes [them] to die" (Zamakhshari and Razi).- The beating of the sinners' faces and backs is -
according to Razi, an allegory of their suffering in the life to come in consequence of their
having denied the truth while alive in this world: "They have utter darkness behind them and
utter darkness before them - and this is the meaning of the words, '[the angels] strike their
faces and their backs'." Most of the commentators assume that this passage refers specifically
to the pagan Quraysh who fell in the battle of Badr; but while it undoubtedly does apply to
them, there is no reason, in my opinion. to restrict its import to this particular historical
event - especially in view of the subsequent passages (up to and including verse 55), which
obviously refer to all who are "bent on denying the truth".
8:52
[To them shall happen.] the like of what happened to Pharaoh's people and those who lived before them: they denied the truth of God's messages and so God took them to task for their sins. Verily, God is powerful, severe in retribution! (8:53) This, because God would never change 56 the blessings with which He has graced a people unless they change their inner selves :57 and [know] that God is all-hearing, all-seeing.
8:54
[To those sinners shall happen] the like of what happened to Pharaoh's people and those who lived before them: they gave the lie to their Sustainer's messages - and so We destroyed them in return for their sins, and caused Pharaoh's people to drown: for they were evildoers all. (8:55) Verily, the vilest creatures in the sight of God are those who are bent on denying the truth and therefore do not believe.58
8:56
AS FOR THOSE with whom thou hast made a covenant, and who thereupon break their covenant on every occasion,59 not being conscious of God - (8:57) if thou find them at war [with you], make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them,60 so that they might take it to heart; (8:58) or, if thou hast reason to fear treachery61 from people [with whom thou hast made a covenant], cast it back at them in an equitable manner:62 for, verily, God does not love the treacherous!
56 I.e., withdraw.
57 For an explanation of the wide implications of this statement in the context of the law of
cause and effect which God has decreed on His creation (and which is described elsewhere in
the Qur'an as sunnat Allah. "the way of God"), see my note on the phrase "God does not change
men's condition unless they change their inner selves" occurring in 13:11.
58 Cf. verse 22 of this surah, where the same epithet is applied to human beings "who do not use
their reason". In the present instance, it should be noted, the particle fa at the beginning of
the phrase fa-hum la yu'minun has the meaning of "and therefore" ("and therefore they do not
believe"): thus showing that lack of belief in spiritual verities is a consequence of one's being
"bent on denying the truth". Expressed in positive terms, this amounts to the statement that
belief in any ethical proposition depends on one's readiness to consider it on its merits and
to admit the truth of whatever one's mind judges to be in conformity with other - empirically or
intuitively established - truths. As regards the expression alladhina kafaru, the use of the
past tense is meant here, as so often in the Qur'an, to stress the element of intention, and
is, therefore, consistently rendered by me - wherever the context warrants it - as "those who
are bent on denying the truth" (see also surah 2, note 6).
59 Lit., "every time". The covenants referred to are agreements between the Muslim community
and non-Muslim political groupments. Although this passage is addressed in the first instance,
to the Prophet, the "thou" relates here to every follower of the Qur'an and, thus, to the
Muslim community of all times. With the above verse, the discourse returns to the subject of
war with unbelievers to which most of this surah is devoted. The reference to the unbelievers'
"breaking their covenants" has two implications: firstly, that the establishment of covenants
(i.e., of peaceful relations) with non-Muslims is not only permissible but, in fact desirable
(cf. verse 61): and, secondly, that the Muslims may resort to war only if and when the other
party is openly hostile to them.
60 Lit., "put to flight, by means of them, those who come after them"; or "terrify through them
those who follow them": i.e., "fight against them and inflict an exemplary punishment on them".
61 The "reason to fear treachery" must not, of course, be based on mere surmise but on clear,
objective evidence (Tabari, Baghawi, Razi; also Manar X, 58).
62 I.e., "renounce the covenant in an equitable manner ('ald sawa')"., Tabari explains this sentence
thus: "Before making war on them, inform them that because of the clear evidence of their
treachery thou hast renounced the treaty which existed between thee and them, so that both thou
and they should know that thou art at war with them." Baghawi, in his commentary on this verse,
gives an almost identical interpretation and adds, "so that they should not be under the false
impression that thou hast renounced the treaty after having started the war." Thus the concluding
sentence of this verse - "God does not love the treacherous" - is a warning to the believers as
well as to their enemies (Manor X, 58 f.).
8:59
And let them not think - those who are bent on denying the truth - that they shall escape63 [God]: behold, they can never frustrate [His purpose]. (8:60) Hence, make ready against them whatever force and war mounts64 you are able to muster, so that you might deter thereby the enemies of God, who are your enemies as well,65 and others besides them of whom you may be unaware, [but] of whom God is aware; and whatever you may expend66 in God's cause shall be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.
8:61
But if they incline to peace, incline thou to it as well, and place thy trust in God: verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing! (8:62) And should they seek but to deceive thee [by their show of peace] - behold, God is enough for thee!67
He it is who has strengthened thee with His succour, and by giving thee believing followers68 (8:63) whose hearts He has brought together: [for,] if thou hadst expended all that is on earth, thou couldst not have brought their hearts together [by thyself]: but God did bring them together. Verily, He is almighty, wise.
63 Lit., "that they have outstripped".
64 Lit., "tethering of horses" (ribat al-khayl): an expression which signifies "holding in
readiness mounted troups at all points open to enemy invasion (thughur)"; hence, tropically,
the over-all maintenance of military preparedness.
65 Lit., "God's enemy and your enemy" - implying that every "enemy of God" (i.e., everyone who
deliberately opposes and seeks to undermine the moral laws laid down by God) is, eo ipso, an
enemy of those who believe in Him.
66 I.e., of resources, efforts and sacrifice of life.
67 The implication is that "even if they offer peace only with a view to deceiving thee, this
[offer of] peace must be accepted, since all judgment [of their intentions] must be based on
outward evidence alone" (Razi): in other words, mere suspicion cannot be made an excuse for
rejecting an offer of peace.
68 Lit., "and by the believers": thus signifying the visible means (wasitah) by which God succoured
the Prophet.
8:64
O Prophet! God is enough for thee and those of the believers who follow thee! (8:65) O Prophet! Inspire the believers to conquer all fear of death when fighting,69 [so that,] if there be twenty of you who are patient in adversity, they might overcome two hundred; and [that,] if there be one hundred of you, they might overcome one thousand of those who are bent on denying the truth, because they are people who cannot grasp it.70
8:68
For the time being, [however,] God has lightened your burden - for He knows that you are weak: and so, if there be one hundred of you who are patient in adversity, they should [be able to] overcome two hundred; and if there be one thousand of you, they should [be able to] overcome two thousand by God's leave: for God is with those who are patient in adversity.71
69 For an explanation of the phrase harrid al-mu'minin, see surah 4, note 102. Consistently with
my interpretation, the words 'ala 'l-qital can be rendered here in either of two ways: "[with
a view] to fighting" or "when fighting". On the basis of the conventional interpretation of
the verb harrid as "urge" or "rouse", the phrase could be translated as "urge the believers to
fight": but this, as I have pointed out in the earlier note referred to above, does not convey
the true sense of this injunction.
70 Some of the commentators see in this verse a divine prediction, thus: "If there be twenty of
you .... they shall overcome two hundred ...", etc. Since, however, history shows that the
believers, even at the time of the Prophet, were not always victorious against such odds, the
above view is not tenable. In order to understand this passage correctly, we must read it in
close conjunction with the opening sentence, "Inspire the believers to conquer all fear of
death", whereupon we arrive at the meaning given in my rendering: namely, an exhortation to the
believers to conquer all fear of death and to be so patient in adversity that they might be
able to overcome an enemy many times their number (Razi: see also Manar X, 87). The concluding
words of this verse --because they are people who cannot grasp it [i.e.. the truth]" - can be
understood in either of two ways: (a) as giving an additional reason of the true believers'
superiority over "those who are bent on denying the truth" (alladhina kafaru), inasmuch as the
latter, not believing in the eternal verities and in life after death. cannot rise to that
enthusiasm and readiness for self-sacrifice which distinguishes the true believers: or (b)
as explaining that "those who are bent on denying the truth" deny it simply because their
spiritual deafness and blindness prevents them from grasping it. To my mind, the second of
these two interpretations is preferable, and particularly so in view of the fact that the
Qur'an often explains in these terms the attitude of "those who deny the truth" (e.g., in 6:25,
7:179, 9:87, etc.).
71 This relates to the time at which the above verse was revealed, namely, immediately after the
battle of Badr (2 H.), when the Muslims were extremely weak both in numbers and in equipment,
and their community had not yet attained to any significant degree of political organization.
Under those circumstances, the Qur'an says, they could not - nor could any Muslim community
of later times, in similar circumstances - be expected to bring forth the effort and the
efficiency required of a fully developed community of believers; but even so they should be
able to stand up to an enemy twice their number. (The proportions one to two, or - as in the
preceding verse, one to ten - are not, of course, to be taken literallly; as a matter of fact,
the Muslims defeated at Badr a much better armed army more than thrice their own number.)
The reference to God's having "lightened the burden" imposed on the believers in this respect
makes it clear that both this and the preceding verse imply a divine command couched in terms
of exhortation, and not a prediction of events to come (Razi).
8:67
IT DOES NOT behove a prophet to keep captives unless he has battled strenuously on earth.72 You may desire the fleeting gains of this world - but God desires [for you the good of] the life to come: and God is almighty, wise. (8:68) Had it not been for a decree from God that had already gone forth, there would indeed have befallen you a tremendous chastisement on account of all [the captives] that you took.73
8:69
Enjoy, then, all that is lawful and good among the things which you have gained in war, and remain conscious of God: verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. (8:70) [Hence,] O Prophet, say unto the captives who are in your hands: "If God finds any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than all that has been taken from you, and will forgive you your sins: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace."74
72 I.e., as an aftermath of a war in a just cause. As almost always in the Qur'an, an injunction
addressed to the Prophet is, by implication, binding on his followers as well. Consequently, the
above verse lays down that no person may be taken, or for any time retained, in captivity unless
he was taken prisoner in a jihad - that is, a holy war in defence of the Faith or of freedom
(regarding which see surah 2, note 167) - and that, therefore, the acquisition of a slave by
"peaceful" means, and the keeping of a slave thus acquired, is entirely prohibited: which, to
all practical purposes, amounts to a prohitition of slavery as a "social institution". But even
with regard to captives taken in war, the Qur'an ordains (in 47:4) that they should be freed
after the war is over.
73 This is apparently a reference to the captives taken by the Muslims at Badr, and the discussions
among the Prophet's followers as to what should be done with them. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab was of
the opinion that they should be killed in revenge for their past misdeeds, and in particular for
their persecution of the Muslims before the latters' exodus to Medina; Abu Bakr, on the other
hand, pleaded for forgiveness and a release of the prisoners against ransom, supporting his plea
with the argument that such an act of mercy might induce some of them to realize the truth of
Islam. The Prophet adopted the course of action advocated by Abu Bakr, and released the captives.
(The relevant Traditions are quoted by most of the commentators, and especially - with full
indication of the sources - by Tabari and Ibn Kathir.) The reference in the above verse to the
"tremendous chastisement" that might have befallen the Muslims "but for a decree (kitab) from
God that had already gone forth" - i.e., a course of action fore-ordained in God's knowledge
makes it clear that the killing of the captives would have been an awesome sin.
74 I.e., "If God finds in your hearts a disposition to realize the truth of His message, He will
bestow on you faith and, thus, the good of the life to come: and this will outweigh by far your
defeat in war and the loss of so many of your friends and companions." Although these words
relate primarily to the pagan Quraysh taken prisoner in the battle of Badr, they circumscribe
the Islamic attitude towards all unbelieving enemies who might fall into the believers' hands
in the course of war. For a further discussion of the problem of prisoners of war, see 47:4.
8:71
And should they but seek to play false with thee75 - well, they were false to God [Himself] ere this: but He gave [the believers] mastery over them.76 And God is all-knowing, wise.
BEHOLD, as for those who have attained to faith, and who have forsaken the domain of evil77 and are striving hard, with their possessions and their lives, in God's cause, as well as those who shelter and succour [them]78 - these are [truly] the friends and protectors of one another.
But as for those who have come to believe without having migrated [to your country]79 - you are in no wise responsible for their protection until such a time as they migrate [to you]. Yet, if they ask you for succour against religious persecution,80 it is your duty to give [them] this succour - except against a people between whom and yourselves there is a covenant:81 for God sees all that you do.
8:73
With all this, [remember that] those who are bent on denying the truth are allies of one another;82 and unless you act likewise [among yourselves], oppression will reign on earth, and great corruption. (8:74) And they who have attained to faith, and who have forsaken the domain of evil and are striving hard in God's cause, as well as those who shelter and succour [them] - it is they, they who are truly believers! Forgiveness of sins awaits them, and a most excellent sustenance.83
75 I.e., by falsely pretending to a change of heart and an acceptance of Islam in order to be
freed from the obligation of paying ransom.
76 Sc., "and He can, if He so wills, do it again". Thus, the Muslims are enjoined, by implication,
to accept the declarations of the captives at their face value, and not to be swayed by mere
suspicion of their motives. The possibility of treachery on the part of those captives, and even
a later discovery that some of them had indeed played false, should not induce the Muslims to
deviate from the course ordained by God.
77 See surah 2, note 203. Historically, this expression relates to the Meccan Muslims who migrated
with the Prophet to Medina; but the sequence makes it clear that the definitions and injunctions
provided by this verse are in the nature of a general law, valid for all times. With all this,
it should be noted that the hijrah referred to here has a preponderantly physical connotation,
implying an emigration from a non-Muslim country to a country ruled by the Law of Islam.
78 This refers, in the first instance, to the ansar at Medina - that is, to the newly-converted
Muslims of that town, who gave shelter and whole-hearted aid to the muhajirin ("emigrants") from
Mecca before and after the Prophet's own migration thither: but, similar to the spiritual meaning
attaching to the terms hijrah and muhajir, the expression ansdr transcends its purely historical
connotation and applies to all believers who aid and give comfort to "those who flee from
evil unto God".
79 I.e., those Muslims who, for some reason or other, remain outside the political jurisdiction of
the Islamic state. Since not every non-Muslim country is necessarily a "domain of evil", I am
rendering the phrase wa-lam yuhajiru as "without having migrated [to your country]".
80 Lit., "to succour them in religion": implying that they are exposed to persecution on account
of their religious beliefs.
81 I.e., a treaty of alliance or of non-interference in each other's internal affairs. Since in
such cases an armed intervention of the Islamic state in behalf of the Muslim citizens of a
non-Muslim state would constitute a breach of treaty obligations, the Islamic state is not allowed
to seek redress by force. A solution of the problem could conceivably be brought about by
negotiations between the two states or, alternatively, by an emigration of the persecuted Muslims.
82 The fact of their being bent on denying the truth of the divine message constitutes, as it were,
a common denominator between them, and precludes the possibility of their ever being real friends
to the believers. This refers; of course, to relations between communities, and not necessarily
between individuals: hence my rendering of the term awliya', in this context, as "allies".
83 See note 5 on verse 4 of this surah.
8:75
And as for those who henceforth come to believe,84 and who forsake the domain of evil and strive hard [in God's cause] together with you - these [too] shall belong to you;85 and they who are [thus] closely related have the highest claim on one another in [accordance with] God's decree.86
Verily, God has full knowledge of everything.
84 Although the expression alladhina amanu (lit., "those who have come to believe") is in the
past tense, the words min ba'd ("afterwards" or "henceforth") indicate a future time in relation
to the time at which this verse was revealed: hence, the whole sentence beginning with alladhina
amanu must be understood as referring to the future (Manor X, 134 f.; see also Razi's commentary
on this verse).
85 I.e., they, too, shall belong to the brotherhood of Islam, in which the faith held in common
supplies the decisive bond between believer and believer.
86 The classical commentators are of the opinion that this last clause refers to actual family
relations, as distinct from the spiritual brotherhood based on a community of faith. According
to these commentators, the above sentence abolished the custom which was prevalent among the early
Muslims, whereby the ansar ("the helpers" - i.e., the newly-converted Muslims of Medina) concluded,
individually, symbolic ties of brotherhood with the muhajirin ("the emigrants" from Mecca), who,
almost without exception, arrived at Medina in a state of complete destitution: ties of brotherhood,
that is, which entitled every muhajir to a share in the property of his "brother" from among the
ansar, and, in the event of the tatter's death, to a share in the inheritance left by him. The above
verse is said to have prohibited such arrangements by stipulating that only actual close relations
should henceforth have a claim to inheritance. To my mind, however, this interpretation is not
convincing. Although the expression ulu 'l-arham is derived from the noun rahm (also spelt rihm
and rahim), which literally signifies "womb", one should not forget that it is tropically used
in the sense of "kinship", "relationship" or "close relationship" in general (i.e., not merely
blood-relationship). Thus, "in the classical language, ulu 'l-arham means any relations: and in
law, any relations that have no portion [of the inheritances termed fara'id]" (Lane III, 1056,
citing, among other authorities, the Taj al-'Arus). In the present instance, the reference to
"close relations" comes at the end of a passage which centres on the injunction that the believers
must be "the friends and protectors (awliya') of one another", and that all later believers shall,
similarly, be regarded as members of the Islamic brotherhood. If the reference to "close relations"
were meant to be taken in its literal sense and conceived as alluding to laws of inheritance, it
would be quite out of tune with the rest of the passage, which stresses the bonds of faith among
true believers, as well as the moral obligations arising from these bonds.
In my opinion, therefore, the above verse has no bearing on laws of inheritance, but is meant
to summarize, as it were, the lesson of the preceding verses: All true believers, of all times,
form one single community in the deepest sense of this word; and all who are thus closely related
in spirit have the highest claim on one another in accordance with God's decree that "all
believers are brethren" (49:10).
IN CONTRAST with every other surah of the Qur'an, At-Tawbah is not preceded by the invocation "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace". This undoubtedly deliberate omission is responsible for the view held by many Companions of the Prophet that At-Tawbah is in reality a continuation of Al-Anfal, and that the two together constitute one single surah (Zamakhshari), notwithstanding the fact that an interval of about seven years separates the revelation of the one from that of the other. Although there is no evidence that the Prophet himself ever made a statement to this effect (Razi), the inner relationship between At-Tawbah and Al-Anfal is unmistakable. Both are largely devoted to problems of war between the believers and the deniers of the truth; towards the end of Al-Anfal there is a mention of treaties and of the possibility that these treaties might be treacherously violated by the unbelievers - a theme that is continued and developed at the beginning of At-Tawbah; and both Al-Anfal and At-Tawbah dwell, in the main, on the moral distinction between the believers, on the one hand, and their enemies and ill-wishers, on the other.
A very large part of At-Tawbah is connected with the conditions prevailing at Medina before the Prophet's expedition to Tabuk in the year 9 H., and the vacillating spirit displayed by some of his nominal followers. There is hardly any doubt that almost the whole of the surah was revealed shortly before, during and immediately after the campaign, and most of it at the time of the long march from Medina to Tabuk. (Regarding the reasons for this campaign, see notes 59 and 142.)
The title of the surah is based on the frequent references in it to the repentance (Tawbah) of the erring ones and to its acceptance by God. Some of the Companions called it Al-Bara'ah ("Disavowal") after the first word occurring in it; and Zamakhshari mentions also several other titles by which the surah was designated by the Prophet's Companions and their immediate successors.
At-Tawbah concludes the so-called "seven long surahs" (that is, the distinct, almost self-contained group of chapters beginning with Al-Bagarah and ending with the combination of Al-Anfal and At-Tawbah); and it is significant that some of the last verses of this group (namely, 9:124-127) return to the theme which dominates the early part of Al-Bagarah (2:6-20): the problem of "those in whose hearts is disease" and who cannot attain to faith because they are "bent on denying the truth" whenever it conflicts with their preconceived notions and their personal likes and dislikes: the perennial problem of people whom no spiritual message can convince because they do not want to grasp the truth (9:127), and who thereby "deceive none but themselves, and perceive it not"(2:9).
9:1
DISAVOWAL by God and His Apostle [is herewith announced] unto those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God, [and] with whom you [O believers] have made a covenant.1
1 Sc., "which they (the unbelievers) have deliberately broken" (Tabari, Baghawi, Zamakhshari, Razi);
see also verse 4, which relates to such of the unbelievers as remain faithful to their treaty
obligations towards the believers. The above passage connects with verses 56-58 of the preceding
surah (Al-Anfal). The noun bara'ah (derived from the verb bari'a, "he became free [of something]"
or "quit of having any part [in something]") signifies a declaration of being free or quit of
any bond, moral or contractual, with the person or persons concerned (see Lane I, 178); with
reference to God - or the Apostle speaking in God's name - it is best rendered as "disavowal".
9:2
[Announce unto them:] "Go, then, [freely] about the earth for four months2- but know that you can never elude God, and that, verily, God shall bring disgrace upon all who refuse to acknowledge the truth!" (9:3) And a proclamation from God and His Apostle [is herewith made] unto all mankind on this day of the Greatest Pilgrimage:3 "God disavows all who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and [so does] His Apostle. Hence, if you repent, it shall be for your own good; and if you turn away, then know that you can never elude God!"
And unto those who are bent on denying the truth give thou [O Prophet] the tiding of grievous chastisement.
9:4
But excepted shall be4- from among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God - [people] with whom you [O believers] have made a covenant and who thereafter have in no wise failed to fulfil their obligations towards you, and neither have aided anyone against you: observe, then, your covenant with them until the end of the term agreed with them.5 Verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him. (9:5) And so, when the sacred months are over,6 slay those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God wherever you may come upon them,7 and take them captive, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every conceivable place!8 Yet if they repent, and take to prayer, and render the purifying dues, let them go their way: for, behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.9
2 These words, addressed to the mushrikin ("those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God") who
have deliberately broken the treaties in force between them and the believers, indicate a
cancellation of all treaty obligations on the latters' part. The period of four months which
is to elapse between this announcement and the beginning (or resumption) of hostilities is
a further elaboration of the injunction "cast it [i.e., the treaty] back at them in an equitable
manner", given in 8:58 with reference to a breach of covenant by hostile unbelievers (see also
note 62 on verse 58 of surah 8).
3 There is no unanimity among the commentators as to what is meant by "the day of the Greatest
Pilgrimage". Most of them assume that it refers to the pilgrimage in the year 9H., in which the
Prophet himself did not participate, having entrusted Abu Bakr with the office of amir al-hajj.
This very fact, however, makes it improbable that the designation "the Greatest Pilgrimage"
should have been given in the Qur'an to this particular pilgrimage. On the other hand, there exists
a Tradition on the authority of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar to the effect that the Prophet described in
these very words the last pilgrimage led by himself in 10 H. and known to history as the Farewell
Pilgrimage (Zamakhshari, Razi); one may, therefore, assume that it is this which is alluded to here.
If this assumption is correct, it would justify the conclusion that verses 3 and 4 of this surah
were revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage, i.e., shortly before the Prophet's death. This might
explain the - otherwise perplexing - statement, reliably attributed to the Prophet's Companion
Al-Bard' (Bukhari, Kitab at-Tafsir), that At-Tawbah was the last surah revealed to the Prophet:
for, although it is established beyond any doubt that the surah as a whole was revealed in 9 H.
and was followed by several other parts of the Qur'an, e.g., Al-Ma'idah, it is possible that what
Al-Bard' had in mind were only these two key-verses (3 and 4) of At-Tawbah, which conceivably
were revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage.
4 I.e., from the cancellation, explained in note 2 above, of the treaties which they have concluded
with the believers.
5 Lit., "until their term".
6 According to a pre-Islamic custom prevalent in Arabia, the months of Muharram, Rajab, Dhu'l-Qa'dah
and Dhu'l-Hijjah were considered "sacred" in the sense that all tribal warfare had to cease during
those months. It was with a view to preserving these periods of truce and thus to promoting peace
among the frequently warring tribes that the Qur'an did not revoke, but rather confirmed, this
ancient custom. See also 2:194 and 217.
7 Read in conjunction with the two preceding verses, as well as with 2:190-194, the above verse
relates to warfare already in progress with people who have become guilty of a breach of treaty
obligations and of aggression.
8 I.e., "do everything that may be necessary and advisable in warfare". The term marsad denotes "any place
from which it is possible to perceive the enemy and to observe his movements" (Manar X, 199).
9 As I have pointed out on more than one occasion, every verse of the Qur'an must be read and
interpreted against the background of the Qur'an as a whole. The above verse, which speaks of
a possible conversion to Islam on the part of "those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God"
with whom the believers are at war, must, therefore, be considered in conjunction with several
fundamental Qur'anic ordinances. One of them, "There shall be no coercion in matters of faith"
(2:256), lays down categorically that any attempt at a forcible conversion of unbelievers is
prohibited - which precludes the possibility of the Muslims' demanding or expecting that a defeated
enemy should embrace Islam as the price of immunity. Secondly, the Qur'an ordains, "Fight in God's
cause against those who wage war against you; but do not commit aggression, for, verily, God does
not love aggressors" (2:190); and, "if they do not let you be, and do not offer you peace, and
do not stay their hands, seize them and slay them whenever you come upon them: and it is against
these that We have clearly empowered you [to make war]" (4:91). Thus, war is permissible only in
self-defence (see surah 2, notes 167 and 168), with the further proviso that "if they desist -
behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace" (2:192), and "if they desist, then all
hostility shall cease" (2:193). Now the enemy's conversion to Islam - expressed in the words, "if
they repent, and take to prayer [lit., "establish prayer"] and render the purifying dues (zakah)"-
is no more than one, and by no means the only, way of their "desisting from hostility"; and the
reference to it in verses 5 and 11 of this surah certainly does not imply an alternative of
"conversion or death", as some unfriendly critics of Islam choose to assume. Verses 4 and 6 give
a further elucidation of the attitude which the believers are enjoined to adopt towards such of
the unbelievers as are not hostile to them. (In this connection, see also 60:8-9).
9:6
And if any of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God seeks thy protection,10 grant him protection, so that he might [be able to] hear the word of God [from thee]; and thereupon convey him to a place where he can feel secure:11 this, because they [may be] people who [sin only because they] do not know [the truth].
9:7
HOW COULD they who ascribe divinity to aught beside God be granted a covenant by God and His Apostle,12 unless it be those [of them] with whom you [O believers] have made a covenant in the vicinity of the Inviolable House of Worship?13 [As for the latter,] so long as they remain true to you, be true to them: for, verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him.
10 Lit., "seeks to become thy neighbour": a metaphorical expression denoting a demand for
protection, based on the ancient Arabian custom (strongly affirmed by Islam) of honouring and
protecting a neighbour to the best of one's ability.
11 Lit., "his place of security" (ma'manahu)- i.e., "let him rejoin his homeland" (Razi), which
implies that he is free to accept or not to accept the message of the Qur'an: a further
re-affirmation of the Qur'anic injunction that "there shall be no coercion in matters of
faith" (2:256).
12 Lit., "have a covenant before [or "in the sight of"] God and His Apostle": i.e., be protected by
those who believe in God and His Apostle. The specific reference to the latter is meant to stress
the fact that he speaks and acts in the name of God.
13 Cf. verse 4 above. The "covenant" alluded to is the truce-agreement concluded in 6 H. at
Hudaybiyyah, in the vicinity of Mecca, between the Prophet and the pagan Quraysh, which was (and
was obviously intended to remain) a model of the self-restraint and the tolerance expected of
true believers with regard to such of the unbelievers as are not openly hostile to them.
9:8
How [else could it be]?14 - since, if they [who are hostile to you] were to overcome you, they would not respect any tie [with you,] nor any obligation to protect [you].15 They seek to please you with their mouths, the while their hearts remain averse [to you]; and most of them are iniquitous. (9:9) God's messages have they bartered away for a trifling gain, and have thus turned away from His path: evil, behold, is all that they are wont to do, (9:10) respecting no tie and no protective obligation with regard to a believer; and it is they, they who transgress the bounds of what is right!16
9:11
Yet if they repent, and take to prayer, and render the purifying dues, they become your brethren in faith:17 and clearly do We spell out these messages unto people of [innate] knowledge! (9:12) But if they break their solemn pledges after having concluded a covenant,18 and revile your religion, then fight against these archetypes of faithlessness19 who, behold, have no [regard for their own] pledges, so that they might desist [from aggression]. (9:13) Would you, perchance, fail to fight against people who have broken their solemn pledges, and have done all that they could to drive the Apostle away,20 and have been first to attack you? Do you hold them in awe? Nay, it is God alone of whom you ought to stand in awe,21 if you are [truly] believers!
14 This connects with the opening clause of the preceding verse, and relates to the hostile among
"those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God".
15 The term 'ill' signifies any tie that arises from a compact or from blood-relationship, and
which imposes on both parties the obligation to protect each other (cf. Lane 1, 75); the latter
implication is expressed in the word dhimmah, which literally denotes a "covenant of protection".
16 Or: "who are the aggressors" - the two expressions being, in this context, synonymous.
17 See note 9 above.
18 Lit., "if they break their oaths after their covenant". This obviously refers to unbelievers
who, without having renounced their own beliefs, have concluded treaties of friendship with
the Muslims. Their subsequent "breaking of the solemn pledges" is an allusion to the breach of
the truce of Hudaybiyyah by the pagan Quraysh, which, in turn, led to the conquest of Mecca by
the Muslims in the year 8 H.
19 The word imam (of which a'immah is the plural) denotes not merely a "leader" but also - and
primarily - "a person who is an object of imitation by his followers" (Taj al-'Arus): hence,
a "model", or "exemplar", or "archetype". The term kufr, which usually signifies a "denial of
[or "refusal to acknowledge"] the truth", is rendered here as "faithlessness" because it refers,
specifically, to a deliberate breaking of solemn engagements.
20 I.e., from Mecca, thus bringing about his and his followers' exodus (hijrah) to Medina.
21 Lit., "God is more worthy (ahaqq) that you should stand in awe of Him".
9:14
Fight against them! God will chastise them by your hands, and will bring disgrace upon them, and will succour you against them; and He will soothe the bosoms of those who believe, (9:15) and will remove the wrath that is in their hearts. And God will turn in His mercy unto whom He wills:22 for, God is all-knowing, wise.
9:16
Do you [O believers] think that you will be spared23 unless God takes cognizance of your having striven hard [in His cause]24 without seeking help from any but God and His Apostle and those who believe in Him?25 For, God is aware of all that you do.
9:17
IT IS NOT for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God to visit or tend26 God's houses of worship, the while [by their beliefs] they bear witness against themselves that they are denying the truth. It is they whose works shall come to nought, and they who in the fire shall abide!27 (9:18) Only he should visit or tend God's houses of worship who believes in God and the Last Day, and is constant in prayer, and spends in charity, and stands in awe of none but God: for [only such as] these may hope to be among the rightguided!28
22 This relates to the unbelievers with whom the Muslims are at war: for God may, if He so wills,
bring about a change of heart in them and guide them to a realization of the truth (Baghawi
and Zamakhshari; see also Manar X, 236).
23 Lit., "left [alone]", i.e., without being tried by means of suffering and hardship.
24 Lit., "while God has not yet taken cognizance of those of you who have striven hard". For
an explanation of God's "taking cognizance", see 3:142 and the corresponding note.
25 Lit., "without having taken any intimate helper (walijah) other than God and His Apostle
and the believers".
26 In its transitive form, the verb 'amara comprises the meanings of both visiting and maintaining
a place; hence my rendering of an ya'muru as "that they should visit or tend".
27 Some of the commentators conclude from this verse that "those who ascribe divinity to aught
beside God" are not allowed to enter mosques ("God's houses of worship"). This conclusion,
however, is entirely untenable in view of the fact that in 9 H. - that is, after the revelation
of this surah - the Prophet himself lodged a deputation of the pagan Band Thaqif in the
mosque at Medina (Razi). Thus, the above verse expresses no more than the moral incongruity
of the unbelievers' "visiting or tending God's houses of worship". As regards their exclusion
from the central mosque of Islam at Mecca ("the Inviolable House of Worship"), see verse
28 of this surah.
28 Lit., "it may well be that these will be among the right-guided". However, according to
Abu Muslim (as quoted by Razi), as well as the great grammarian Sibawayh (see Manar X, 253);
the word 'asd, usually signifying "it may well be", is here indicative of the hope which the
above-mentioned believers may entertain.
9:19
Do you, perchance, regard the [mere] giving of water to pilgrims and the tending of the Inviolable House of Worship as being equal to [the works of] one who believes in God and the Last Day and strives hard in God's cause? These [things] are not equal in the sight of God.29 And God does not grace with His guidance people who [deliberately] do wrong. (9:20) Those who believe, and who have forsaken the domain of evil30 and have striven hard in God's cause with their possessions and their lives have the highest rank in the sight of God; and it is they, they who shall triumph [in the end]!
9:21
Their Sustainer gives them the glad tiding of the grace [that flows] from Him, and of [His] goodly acceptance, and of the gardens which await them, full of lasting bliss, (9:22) therein to abide beyond the count of time. Verily, with God is a mighty reward!
9:23
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take your fathers and your brothers for allies if a denial of the truth is dearer to them than faith: for those of you who ally themselves with them - it is they, they who are evildoers!31
29 Many commentators see in this verse an allusion to the boast of the pagan Quraysh, before
the Muslim conquest of Mecca, that they were superior to all other people on account of their
guardianship of the Ka'bah and their providing water (sigayah) to pilgrims; and on being taken
prisoner by the Muslims in the battle of Badr, Al-'Abbas, the Prophet's uncle, excused on these
very grounds his failure to accompany the Muslims on their exodus from Mecca to Medina (Tabari).
It is probable, however, that this verse has yet another, deeper import. According to an authentic
Tradition quoted by Muslim, Abu Da'ud and Ibn Hibban (as well as by Tabari), one of the Prophet's
Companions stated in the mosque of Medina, "I would not care, after having accepted Islam, to
do any good deed beyond providing water to the pilgrims!" - whereupon another of the Companions
declared, "Nay, [I would rather take charge of] the maintenance of the Inviolable House of Worship."
But yet another Companion declared, "Nay, struggle (jihad) in God's cause is far better than
what you have mentioned!" A short time afterwards the above Qur'an-verse was revealed to the
Prophet. It would, therefore, appear that what is meant here is the superior value of faith in
God and struggle in His cause as compared with acts which, however meritorious, are concerned
only with outward forms: in brief, the immense superiority of real self-surrender to God over
mere ritual.
30 See surah 2, note 203, and surah 4, note 124.
31 The term walayah ("alliance" or "friendship") is used in this context in the sense of an alliance
against other believers, as in 3:28. (Regarding the wider, spiritual implications of this expression,
see surah 4, note 154.) That it does not refer to "friendship" in the sense of normal human
affection is obvious from the many exhortations in the Qur'an to be good to one's parents and
kinsfolk; and, more explicitly, from 60:8-9, where the believers are reminded that friendly
relations with unbelievers who are not hostile to the Muslim community are permissible, and
even desirable. (See also Manar X, 269 ff., where a similar interpretation is advanced.)
9:24
Say: "If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your spouses and your clan, and the worldly goods which you have acquired, and the commerce whereof you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you take pleasure - [if all these] are dearer to you than God and His Apostle and the struggle in His cause, then wait until God makes manifest His wil1;32 and [know that] God does not grace iniquitous folk with His guidance."
9:25
Indeed, God has succoured you on many battlefields, [when you were few;] and [He did so, too,] on the Day of Hunayn, when you took pride in your great numbers and they proved of no avail whatever to you - for the earth, despite all its vastness, became [too] narrow for you and you turned back, retreating:33 (9:26) whereupon God bestowed from on high His [gift of] inner peace upon His Apostle and upon the believers, and bestowed [upon you] from on high forces which you could not see,34 and chastised those who were bent on denying the truth: for such is the recompense of all who deny the truth!
9:27
But with all this,36 God will turn in His mercy unto whom He wills: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.37
32 Or: "brings about [the fulfilment of) His command". This may be an allusion to the Day of Judgment
or - more probably - to the inevitable degeneration and decline of communities which place narrow
self-interest above ethical values. In particular, this passage rejects the tendency to regard
ties of kinship and national affiliation (expressed in the term "your clan") as the decisive
factors of social behaviour, and postulates ideology ("God and His Apostle and the struggle in
His cause") as the only valid basis on which a believer's life - individually and socially -
should rest.
33 The battle of Hunayn, a valley situated on one of the roads leading from Mecca to Ta'if, took
place in the year 8 H., shortly after the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims. The latters'
opponents were the pagan tribes of Hawazin (in whose territory the valley lay) and their allies,
the Band Thaqif. The Muslim army - reinforced by many newly-converted Meccans - comprised
about twelve thousand men, whereas the Hawazin and Thaqif had only one-third of that number
at their disposal. Relying on their great numerical superiority, the Muslims were over-confident
and, apparently, careless. In the narrow defiles beyond the oasis of Hunayn they fell into an
ambush prepared by the tribesmen and began to retreat in disorder after heavy losses had been
inflicted on them by the bedouin archers. It was only the example of the Prophet and his early
adherents (the Meccan muhajirun and the ansar from Medina) that saved the day and turned the
initial rout of the Muslims into a decisive victory. It is to this battle that verses 25 and 26
refer, pointing out that true succour can come only from God, and that great numbers, ties of
kinship and worldly wealth are of no avail if they are "dearer to you than God and His Apostle
and the struggle in His cause" (see preceding verse).
34 I.e., spiritual forces. Cf. 3 : 124-125 (relating to the battle of Uhud) and the corresponding
note, as well as 8:9 (which refers to the battle of Badr). The spiritual nature of this aid is
clearly implied in the phrase, "forces which you could not" [or "did not"] see".
35 Lit., "then, after this".
36 Most of the commentators (e.g., Tabari, Baghawi. Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir) understand this verse
as relating to the unbelievers and having a general import; Razi, however, thinks that it refers
to the believers who behaved badly at the opening stage of the battle of Hunayn. In my opinion,
the former interpretation is preferable. (See also last sentence of verse 15 and note 22 above.)
37 The term najas ("impure") occurs in the Qur'an only in this one instance, and carries an exclusively
spiritual meaning (see Manar X, 322 ff.). To this day, the bedouin of Central and Eastern Arabia -
who, contrary to the modern town-dwellers, have preserved the purity of the Arabic idiom to a
high degree - describe a person who is immoral, faithless or wicked as najas. "The Inviolable
House of Worship" (al-masjid al-haram) is, of course, the Ka'bah and, by implication, the whole
of the territory of Mecca: which explains the next sentence.
9:28
O YOU who have attained to faith! Those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God are nothing but impure:" and so they shall not approach the Inviolable House of Worship from this year onwards 38 And should you fear poverty, then [know that] in time God will enrich you out of His bounty, if He so wills:39 for, verily, God is all-knowing, wise!
9:29
[And] fight against those who - despite having been vouchsafed revelation [aforetime]40- do not [truly] believe either in God or the Last Day, and do not consider forbidden that which God and His Apostle have forbidden,41 and do not follow the religion of truth [which God has enjoined upon them] 42 till they [agree to] pay the exemption tax with a willing hand, after having been humbled [in war].43
38 Lit., "after this their year" - i.e., after the year 9 H., in which this surah was revealed.
39 This is an allusion to the apprehension on the part of some Muslims (and not only at the time
of the revelation of this verse) that an exclusion of unbelievers from living in or visiting
Mecca might lead to a loss of its position as a centre of trade and commerce, and thus to an
impoverishment of its inhabitants.
40 Lit., "such of those who were vouchsafed revelation [aforetime] as do not believe...", etc.
In accordance with the fundamental principle - observed throughout my interpretation of the Qur'an -
that all of its statements and ordinances are mutually complementary and cannot, therefore, be
correctly understood unless they are considered as parts of one integral whole, this verse, too
must be read in the context of the clear-cut Qur'anic rule that war is permitted only in self-defence
(see 2:190-194, and the corresponding notes). In other words, the above injunction to fight is
relevant only in the event of aggression committed against the Muslim community or state, or in
the presence of an unmistakable threat to its security: a view which has been shared by that
great Islamic thinker, Muhammad 'Abduh. Commenting on this verse, he declared: "Fighting has been
made obligatory in Islam only for the sake of defending the truth and its followers... All the
campaigns of the Prophet were defensive in character; and so were the wars undertaken by the
Companions in the earliest period [of Islam]" (Manar X, 332).
41 This, to my mind, is the key-phrase of the above ordinance. The term "apostle" is obviously used
here in its generic sense and applies to all the prophets on whose teachings the beliefs of the
Jews and the Christians are supposed to be based - in particular, to Moses and (in the case of
the Christians) to Jesus as well (Manar X, 333 and 337). Since, earlier in this sentence, the
people alluded to are accused of so grave a sin as wilfully refusing to believe in God and the
Last Day (i.e., in life after death and man's individual responsibility for his doings on earth),
it is inconceivable that they should subsequently be blamed for comparatively minor offences
against their religious law: consequently, the stress on their "not forbidding that which God
and His apostle have forbidden" must refer to something which is as grave, or almost as grave, as
disbelief in God. In the context of an ordinance enjoining war against them. this "something"
can mean only one thing - namely, unprovoked aggression: for it is this that has been forbidden by
God through all the apostles who were entrusted with conveying His message to man. Thus, the above
verse must be understood as a call to the believers to fight against such - and only such - of the
nominal followers of earlier revelation as deny their own professed beliefs by committing aggression
against the followers of the Qur'an (cf. Manar X, 338).
42 See in this connection the statement (in 5:13-14) that the Jews and the Christians "have forgotten
much of what they had been told to bear in mind".
43 Sc., "and having become incorporated in the Islamic state". The term jizyah, rendered by me as
"exemption tax", occurs in the Qur'an only once, but its meaning and purpose have been fully
explained in many authentic Traditions. It is intimately bound up with the concept of the Islamic
state as an ideological organization: and this is a point which must always be borne in mind if
the real purport of this tax is to be understood. In the Islamic state, every able-bodied Muslim
is obliged to take up arms in jihad (i.e., in a just war in God's cause) whenever the freedom of
his faith or the political safety of his community is imperilled: in other words, every able-bodied
Muslim is liable to compulsory military service. Since this is, primarily, a religious obligation,
non-Muslim citizens, who do not subscribe to the ideology of Islam, cannot in fairness be expected
to assume a similar burden. On the other hand, they must be accorded full protection of all their
civic rights and of their religious freedom: and it is in order to compensate the Muslim community
for this unequal distribution of civic burdens that a special tax is levied on non-Muslim citizens
(ahl adh-dhimmah, lit., "covenanted" [or "protected"] people", i.e., non-Muslims whose safety is
statutorily assured by the Muslim community). Thus, jizyah is no more and no less than an exemption
tax in lieu of military service and in compensation for the "covenant of protection" (dhimmah)
accorded to such citizens by the Islamic state. (The term itself is derived from the verb jazd,
"he rendered [something] as a satisfaction", or "as a compensation [in lieu of something else]" -
cf. Lane II, 422.) No fixed rate has been set either by the Qur'an or by the Prophet for this tax;
but from all available Traditions it is evident that it is to be considerably lower than the tax
called zakah ("the purifying dues") to which Muslims are liable and which - because it is a
specifically Islamic religious duty - is naturally not to be levied on non-Muslims. Only such of
the non-Muslim citizens who, if they were Muslims, would be expected to serve in the armed forces
of the state are liable to the payment of jizyah, provided that they can easily afford it. Accordingly,
all non-Muslim citizens whose personal status or condition would automatically free them from the
obligation to render military service are statutorily - that is, on the basis of clear-cut ordinances
promulgated by the Prophet - exempted from the payment of jizyah: (a) all women, (b) males who have
not yet reached full maturity, (c) old men, (d) all sick or crippled men, (e) priests and monks.
All non-Muslim citizens who volunteer for military service are obviously exempted from the payment
of jizyah.
My rendering of the expression 'an yad (lit., "out of hand") as "with a willing hand", that is,
without reluctance, is based on one of several explanations offered by Zamakhshari in his
commentary on the above verse. Rashid Rida', taking the word yad in its metaphorical significance
of "power" or "ability", relates the phrase can yad to the financial ability of the person liable
to the payment of jizyah (see Manar X, 342): an interpretation which is undoubtedly justified in
view of the accepted definition of this tax.
9:30
AND THE JEWS say, "Ezra is God's son," while the Christians say, "The Christ is God's son." Such are the sayings which they utter with their mouths, following in spirit assertions made in earlier times by people who denied the truth!" [They deserve the imprecation:] "May God destroy them!"45
How perverted are their minds!46 (9:31) They have taken their rabbis and their monks - as well as the Christ, son of Mary - for their lords beside God,47 although they had been bidden to worship none but the One God, save whom there is no deity: the One who is utterly remote, in His limitless glory, from anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity!
9:32
They want to extinguish God's [guiding] light with their utterances:48 but God will not allow [this to pass], for He has willed to spread His light in all its fullness,49 however hateful this may be to all who deny the truth. (9:33) He it is who has sent forth His Apostle with the [task of spreading] guidance and the religion of truth, to the end that He may cause it to prevail over all [false] religion50 - however hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God.
(34) O you who have attained to faith! Behold, many of the rabbis and monks do indeed wrongfully devour men's possessions and turn [others] away from the path of God. But as for all who lay up treasures of gold and silver and do not spend them for the sake of God51 - give them the tiding of grievous suffering [in the life to come]: (9:35) on the Day when that [hoarded wealth] shall be heated in the fire of hell and their foreheads and their sides and their backs branded therewith,52 [those sinners shall be told:] "These are the treasures which you have laid up for yourselves! Taste, then, [the evil of] your hoarded treasures!"
44 This statement is connected with the preceding verse, which speaks of the erring followers of
earlier revelation. The charge of shirk ("the ascribing of divinity [or "divine qualities"] to
aught beside God") is levelled against both the Jews and the Christians in amplification, as it
were, of the statement that they "do not follow the religion of truth [which God has enjoined
upon them]".
As regards the belief attributed to the Jews that Ezra (or, in the Arabicized form of this name,
'Uzayr) was "God's son", it is to be noted that almost all classical commentators of the Qur'an agree
in that only the Jews of Arabia, and not all Jews, have been thus accused. (According to a Tradition
on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas - quoted by Tabari in his commentary on this verse - some of the Jews
of Medina once said to Muhammad, "How could we follow thee when thou hast forsaken our qiblah and
dost not consider Ezra a son of God?") On the other hand, Ezra occupies a unique position in the
esteem of all Jews, and has always been praised by them in the most extravagant terms. It was he
who restored and codified the Torah after it had been lost during the Babylonian Exile, and "edited"
it in more or less the form which it has today; and thus "he promoted the establishment of an
exclusive, legalistic type of religion that became dominant in later Judaism" (Encyclopaedia Britannica,
1963, vol. IX, p. 15). Ever since then he has been venerated to such a degree that his verdicts
on the Law of Moses have come to be regarded by the Talmudists as being practically equivalent to
the Law itself: which, in Qur'anic ideology, amounts to the unforgivable sin of shirk, inasmuch as
it implies the elevation of a human being to the status of a quasi-divine law-giver and the blasphemous
attribution to him - albeit metaphorically - of the quality of "sonship" in relation to God. Cf.
in this connection Exodus iv, 22-23 ("Israel is My son") or Jeremiah xxxi, 9 ("I am a father to
Israel"): expressions to which, because of their idolatrous implications, the Qur'an takes strong
exception.
45 My interpolation, between brackets, of the words "they deserve the imprecation" is based on
Zamakhshari's and Razi's convincing interpretation of this phrase. Originally, the Arabs used the
expression "may God destroy him" in the sense of a direct imprecation; but already in pre-Qur'anic
Arabic it had assumed the character of an idiomatic device meant to circumscribe anything that
is extremely strange or horrifying: and, according to many philologists, "this, rather than its
literal meaning, is the purport [of this phrase] here" (Manor X, 399).
46 See surah 5, note 90.
47 Cf. 3:64.
48 Lit., "with their mouths" - an allusion to the "sayings" (i.e., beliefs) mentioned in verse 30.
49 Lit., "except (ills) that He bring His light to completion", or "to perfection". The expression
"for He has willed" (i.e., contrary to what the erring ones want), is here elliptically implied
by means of the particle ills.
50 Cf. 3:19 - "the only [true] religion in the sight of God is [man's] self-surrender unto Him".
See also 61 : 8-9.
51 Most probably this is, in the first instance, an allusion to the wealth of the Jewish and
Christian communities, and their misuse of this wealth. Some of the commentators, however, are
of the opinion that the reference is wider, comprising all people, including Muslims, who hoard
their wealth without spending anything thereof on righteous causes.
52 Cf. the parallel allegory, in 3:180, of the suffering which will befall the avaricious and the
niggardly in the life to come. Regarding the eschatological implications of this and similar
allegories, see Appendix I.
9:36
BEHOLD, the number of months, in the sight of God, is twelve months, [laid down] in God's decree on the day when He created the heavens and the earth; [and] out of these, four are sacred:53 this is the ever-true law [of God]. Do not, then, sin against 54 yourselves with regard to these [months].
And fight against those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God, all together - just as they fight against you, [O believers,] all together55 - and know that God is with those who are cconscious of Him.
9:37
The intercalation [of months] is but one more instance of [their] refusal to acknowledge the truth56- [a means] by which those who are bent on denying the truth are led astray. They declare this [intercalation] to be permissible in one year and forbidden in [another] year,57 in order to conform [outwardly] to the number of months which God has hallowed: and thus they make allowable what God has forbidden.58 Goodly seems unto them the evil of their own doings, since God does not grace with His guidance people who refuse to acknowledge the truth.
9:38
O YOU who have attained to faith! What is amiss with you that, when you are called upon, "Go forth to war in God's cause," you cling heavily to the earth?59 Would you content yourselves with [the comforts of] this worldly life in preference to [the good of] the life to come? But the enjoyment of life in this world is but a paltry thing when compared with the life to come!
9:39
If you do not go forth to war [in God's cause], He will chastise you with grievous chastisement, and will place another people in your stead - whereas you shall in no wise harm Him: for, God has the power to will anything.
53 This connects with the subsequent reference to fighting against "those who ascribe divinity to aught
beside God" (see next note). The months spoken of here are lunar months, progressively rotating
through the seasons of the solar year (see surah 2, note 165). Since reckoning by the easily observable
lunar months is more natural than by the arbitrarily fixed months of the solar year, it is described
in this passage as "the ever-true law (din) [of God]". The four "sacred months" during which warfare
was considered blasphemous in pre-Islamic Arabia - a view which has been confirmed by Islam
(see note 6 above) - are Muharram, Rajab, Dhu'l-Qa'dah and Dhu'l-Hijjah.
54 In their endeavour to obviate certain disadvantages for their trade caused by the seasonal rotation
of the lunar months, the pagan Arabs used to intercalate a thirteenth month in the third, sixth and
eighth year of every eight-year period, with a view to making the lunar calendar more or less
stationary, and thus roughly corresponding to the solar year. An acceptance of this unwarranted
intercalation by the Muslims would have tied the-Mecca pilgrimage as well as the fast of Ramadan
to fixed seasons, and would thus have made, permanently, the performance of these religious duties
either too exacting or too easy; and in either case the believers would have been offending against
the spiritual purpose underlying these duties - which is the meaning of the words "do not sin against
yourselves with regard to these [months]": i.e., by following, without any warrant from God, a
custom devised by "those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him", to whom the sequence refers.
55 I.e., "just as all of them are, as it were, united against you in their rejection of the truth, be
united against them in your readiness for self-sacrifice". As regards the circumstances in which
the Muslims are authorized to make war against unbelievers, see the earlier parts of this surah,
and especially verses 12-13, as well as 2:190-194, where the general principles relating to war
are laid down.
56 Lit., "is but an increase in denying the truth (kufr)". The term nasi', rendered by me as
"intercalation", may also be translated as "postponement" - i.e., the postponement of lunar
months by means of the periodical intercalation of a thirteenth month, as practiced by the
pre-Islamic Arabs with a view to bringing the traditional lunar calendar, for purely worldly
reasons, into accord with the solar year (see note 54 above). The Qur'an describes this practice
as an additional instance of kufr because it contravenes God's declared will as regards the
observance of the lunar calendar in respect of various religious duties (cf. the preceding verse,
as well as 2:189 and the corresponding note 165).
57 An allusion to the arbitrary manner in which the pre-Islamic Arabs intercalated a thirteenth month
in the third, sixth and eighth year of every eight-year period.
58 By means of the intercalation spoken of above, the pagan Arabs did in most years keep the number
of months to twelve; but by divorcing the four "sacred months" (Muharram, Rajab, Dhu'l-Qa'dah and
Dhu'l-Hijjah), from their proper lunar context they obviously profaned and perverted the natural law.
59 I.e., "you are sluggish in your response, clinging to the life of this world". This verse - as
well as most of this surah from here onward - alludes to the campaign of Tabuk, in the year 9 H.
The immediate reason for this expedition was the information which the Prophet received to the
effect that the Byzantines, made apprehensive by the rapid growth of Islam in Arabia and incited
by the Prophet's enemy Abu 'Amir (see note 142 on verse 107 of this surah), were assembling large
forces on the confines of the Peninsula with a view to marching against Medina and overthrowing the
Muslims. To guard against such an assault, the Prophet assembled the strongest force the Muslims
were capable of, and set out in the month of Rajab, 9 H., towards the frontier. On reaching Tabuk,
about half-way between Medina and Damascus, the Prophet ascertained that the Byzantines were
either not yet ready to invade Arabia or had entirely given up the idea for the time being; and
so - in accordance with the Islamic principle that war may be waged only in self-defence - he
returned with his followers to Medina without engaging in hostilities.
At the time of the preparation for this expedition, the hypocrites and a minority among the believers
displayed an extreme reluctance (referred to in this and the following verses) to embark on a war
with Byzantium: and it is this minority that the above verse reproaches for "clinging heavily to
the earth" (Manor X, 493).
9:40
If you do not succour the Apostle,60 then [know that God will do so -just as] God succoured him at the time when those who were bent on denying the truth drove him away, [and he was but] one of two:61 when these two were [hiding] in the cave, [and] the Apostle said to his companion, "Grieve not: verily, God is with us."62 And thereupon God bestowed upon him from on high His (gift of] inner peace,63 and brought utterly low the cause of those who were bent on denying the truth, whereas the cause of God remained supreme:64 for God is almighty, wise.
9:41
Go forth to war, whether it be easy or difficult [for you],65 and strive hard in God's cause with your possessions and your lives: this is for your own good -if you but knew it! (9:42) Had there been [a prospect of] immediate gain, and an easy journey, they would certainly have followed thee, [O Prophet:] but the distance was too great for them.66 And yet, [after your return, O believers,] they will swear by God, "Had we been able to do so, we would certainly have set out with you!" - [and by thus falsely swearing] they will be destroying their own selves: for God knows indeed that they are lying!
60 Lit., "him", i.e., Muhammad.
61 Lit., "the second of two": an allusion to the Prophet's flight, in the company of Abu Bakr,
from Mecca to Medina in the year 622 of the Christian era. The expression "the second of two"
does not imply any order of precedence but is synonymous with "one of two": cf. the Prophet's
saying to Abu Bakr, on that very occasion, "What [could], in thy opinion, [happen] to two [men]
who have God as the third with them?" (Bukhari, in the chapter Fada'il Ashab an-Nabi)
62 When the Prophet and Abu Bakr left on their hijrah to Medina, they first hid for three nights
in a cave on Mount Thawr, in the vicinity of Mecca, where they were almost discovered and apprehended
by the pagan Quraysh who were pursuing them (Bukhari, loc. cit.).
63 Cf. verse 26 above.
64 Lit., "is the highest". The expression rendered by me as "cause", which occurs twice in this
sentence, reads, literally, "word" (kalimah).
65 Lit., "lightly or heavily". The rendering adopted by me corresponds to the interpretation given
to this expression by most of the classical commentators (e.g., Zamakhshari and Razi).
66 A reference to the unwillingness of some of the Muslims to follow the Prophet's call and to set
out on the expedition to the frontier (see last paragraph of note 59 above). A strenuous march of
about fourteen days was needed to reach Tabuk, the goal of this expedition; and the uncertainty of
its outcome, as well as the hardships involved, gave rise to all manner of spurious excuses on the
part of the half-hearted believers and hypocrites. As the next verse shows, the Prophet accepted
these excuses in many cases, and allowed the men concerned to remain at Medina.
9:43
May God pardon thee [O Prophet]!67 Why didst thou grant them permission [to stay at home] ere it had become obvious to thee as to who was speaking the truth, and [ere] thou camest to know [who were] the liars?
9:44
Those who [truly] believe in God and the Last Day do not ask thee for exemption from struggling with their possessions and their lives [in God's cause] - and God has full knowledge as to who is conscious of Him-:68 (9:45) only those ask thee for exemption who do not [truly] believe in God and the Last Day and whose hearts have become a prey to doubt, so that in their doubting they waver between one thing and another.
9:46
For, had they been [truly] desirous of setting out [with thee], they would surely have made some preparation therefor: but God was averse to their taking the field, and so He caused them to hold back when it was said, "[You may] stay at home with all [the others] who stay at home."69 (9:47) Had these [hypocrites] set out with you, [O believers,] they would have added nothing to you save the evil of corruption, and would surely have scurried to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up discord among you, seeing that there are in your midst such as would have lent them ear: but God has full knowledge of the evildoers.
9:48
Indeed, even before this time 70 have they tried to stir up discord and devised all manner of plots against thee, [O Prophet,] until the truth was revealed and God's will became manifest, however hateful this may have been to them. (9:49) And among them there was [many a one] who said,71 "Grant me permission [to remain at home], and do not put me to too hard a test!" Oh, verily, [by making such a request] they had [already failed in their test and] succumbed to a temptation to evil:72 and, behold, hell will indeed encompass all who refuse to acknowledge the truth!
67 All the commentators agree in that this phrase, although expressed in the form of an invocation,
has the meaning of a statement - "God pardons thee" or "has pardoned thee" - absolving the Prophet
of any moral responsibility for his mistaken, but humanly understandable, acceptance of equivocal
pleas on the part of those who wished to be excused from participating in the campaign. To me it
seems that this statement of "absolution" was primarily intended to free the Prophet from any
self-reproach for his too-great liberality in this respect. (It should be borne in mind that this
part of At-Tawbah was revealed during or immediately after the expedition.)
68 Lit., "has full knowledge of the God-conscious (bi'l-muttaqin)".
69 This may refer to the permission granted by the Prophet (see verse 43) to certain of his followers
who, for apparently legitimate reasons, were unable to take part in the campaign (Tabari, Zamakhshari,
Razi) - a permission of which the hypocrites only too readily availed themselves. As regards God's
"causing" those hypocrites to sin in this way, see 2:7 and the corresponding note 7, as well as
surah 3, note 117.
70 I.e., before the expedition to Tabuk, during which these passages were revealed.
71 I.e., at the time when the Prophet was making preparations for the campaign.
72 See verses 44 and 45 above. It is to be noted that both the verbal form la taftinni (rendered
by me as "do not put me to too hard a test") and the noun fitnah have the same root, comprising
a great complex of meanings: e.g., test, trial, affliction. temptation to evil, seduction,
persecution, oppression, discord, civil strife, etc. (cf. surah 8, note 25). Since it is impossible
in any language but Arabic to reproduce all these many shades of meaning in a single expression,
the rendering of the term fitnah must necessarily vary in accordance with the context in which
it is used.
9:50
Should good fortune alight on thee,73 [O Prophet,] it will grieve them; and should misfortune befall thee, they will say [to themselves], "We have already taken our precautions beforehand!" - and will turn away, and will rejoice. (9:51) Say: "Never can anything befall us save what God has decreed! He is our Lord Supreme; and in God let the believers place their trust!"
9:52
Say: "Are you, perchance, hopefully waiting for something [bad] to happen to us - [the while nothing can happen to us] save one of the two best things?74 But as far as you are concerned, we are hopefully waiting for God to inflict chastisement upon you, [either] from Himself75 or by our hands! Wait, then, hopefully; behold, we shall hopefully wait with you!"
9:53
Say: "You may spend [anything], willingly - or unwillingly, [pretending that you do it for the sake of God:] it shall never be accepted from you76 - for, verily, you are people bent on iniquity!" (9:54) For, only this prevents their spending from being accepted from them:77 they are bent on refusing to acknowledge God and His Apostle, and never pray without reluctance,78 and never spend [on righteous causes] without resentment. (9:55) Let not, then, their worldly goods or [the happiness which they may derive from] their children excite thy admiration: God but wants to chastise them by these means in this worldly life, and [to cause] their souls to depart while they are [still] denying the truth.79
73 I.e., in the course of the expedition to Tabuk, during which most of this surah was revealed. One
should, however, bear in mind that these verses have not merely a historical connotation but, rather,
aim at depicting hypocrisy as such.
74 I.e., either victory or martyrdom in God's cause. The verb tarabbasa has usually the connotation
of waiting with expectancy, and is, therefore, most suitably rendered as "he hopefully waited".
75 Sc., in the life to come.
76 I.e., "it shall never be acceptable to God": an allusion to the readiness on the part of many
hypocrites to contribute financially to "good causes", ostensibly for the sake of moral considerations
but, in reality, "only to be seen and praised by men" (cf. 2:264 and 4:38).
77 Lit., "nothing prevents their spending from being accepted from them except that...", etc.
78 Lit., "and they do not approach prayer without being reluctant" - i.e., when they participate in
acts of worship they do it only for the sake of outward conformity, and not out of inner conviction.
79 Sc., "for which sin they will have to suffer in the life to come". See also 3:178 and 8:28,
and the corresponding notes.
9:56
And they swear by God that they do indeed belong to you - the while they do not belong to you, but are [only] people ridden by fear: (9:57) if they could but find a place of refuge, or any cavern, or a crevice [in the earth], they would turn towards it in headlong haste.80
9:58
And among them are such as find fault with thee [O Prophet] concerning [the distribution of] the offerings given for the sake of God:81 if they are given something thereof, they are well-pleased; but if they are not given anything thereof, lo! they are consumed with anger. (9:59) And yet, [it would be but for their own good] if they were to content themselves with what God has given them and [caused] His Apostle [to give them],82 and would say, "God is enough for us! God will give us [whatever He wills] out of His bounty, and [will cause] His Apostle [to give us, too]: verily, unto God alone do we turn with hope!"
9:60
The offerings given for the sake of God83 are [meant] only for the poor and the needy, and those who are in charge thereof,84 and those whose hearts are to be won over, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage, and [for] those who are over burdened with debts, and [for every struggle] in God's cause, and [for] the wayfarer: [this is] an ordinance from God - and God is all-knowing, wise.85
80 Thus the Qur'an shows that the innermost cause of all hypocrisy is fear - fear of a moral
commitment and, at the same time, fear of an open breach with one's social environment. In their
overriding, immoral desire for social conformity, "the hypocrites seek to deceive God - the while
it is He who causes them to be deceived [by themselves]" (4:142); and as "they are oblivious of
God, so He is oblivious of them" (9:67). One should note, in this connection, that the Arabic term
munafiq - which, for want of a better word, is rendered as "hypocrite" - applies both to conscious
dissemblers bent on deceiving their fellow-men, as well as to people who, out of an inner uncertainty,
are deceiving themselves. For a fuller discussion of this term, see note 7 on 29:11, which probably
represents the earliest instance of its use in the Qur'an.
81 Since there is no English equivalent for the term sadaqat (sing. sadaqah), I am rendering it
here as "offerings given for the sake of God". This comprises everything that a believer freely
gives to another person, out of love or compassion, as well as what he is morally or legally obliged
to give, without expecting any worldly return: that is, charitable gifts and deeds of every
description (which is the primary meaning of sadagdt -e.g., in 2:263 and 264), as well as the
obligatory tax called zakah ("the purifying dues", because its payment purifies, as it were, a
person's property from the taint of selfishness). In the context of the above verse, this term refers
to the funds thus collected and administered by the Muslim community or state. When these funds are
disbursed for the purposes stipulated in verse 60, they assume once more - this time in relation
to the recipients - the aspect of "charitable gifts".
82 Lit., "what God has given them, and His Apostle": a typically Qur'anic construction meant to bring
out the fact that the real giver is God, and that the Apostle is His instrument. Although this
passage relates, primarily, to the hypocrites at Medina and the historical situation obtaining at
the time of the expedition to Tabuk, the import of these verses goes beyond the historical occasion
of their revelation, describing as it does "the attitude and mentality of hypocrites of all times,
and everywhere" (Manor X, 567). Consequently, we may assume that the reference, in this context,
to "God's Apostle" is not confined to the person of the Prophet Muhammad but implies, metonymically,
the Law of Islam as revealed through him - and, thus, to every government that holds authority by
virtue of that Law and rules in accordance with it.
83 See note 81 above.
84 I.e., the officials entrusted with the collection and administration of zakah funds.
85 These eight categories circumscribe all the purposes for which zakah funds may be expended. By
"those whose hearts are to be won over" are apparently meant such non-Muslims as are close to
understanding and, perhaps, accepting Islam, and for whose conversion every effort should be made,
either directly or indirectly (i.e., by means of the widest possible propagation of the teachings
of Islam). As regards the expression fi'r-riqab ("for the freeing of human beings from bondage"),
which relates both to the ransoming of prisoners of war and to the freeing of slaves, see surah 2,
note 146. The term al-gharimun describes people who are overburdened with debts contracted in good
faith. which - through no fault of their own - they are subsequently unable to redeem. The expression
"in God's cause" embraces every kind of struggle in righteous causes, both in war and in peace,
including expenditure for the propagation of Islam and for all charitable purposes. Regarding the
meaning of ibn as-sabil ("wayfarer"), see surah 2, note 145.
9:61
AND AMONG those [enemies of the truth] there are such as malign the Prophet by saying, "He is all ear."86
Say: "[Yes,] he is all ear, [listening] to what is good for you!87 He believes in God, and trusts the believers, and is [a manifestation of God's] grace towards such of you as have [truly] attained to faith. And as for those who malign God's Apostle - grievous suffering awaits them [in the life to come]!" (9:62) [The hypocrites] swear to you by God [that they are acting in good faith], with a view to pleasing you [O believers] - the while it is God and His Apostle whose pleasure they should seek above all else, if indeed they are believers!88
9:63
Do they not know that for him who sets himself against God and His Apostle there is in store the fire of hell, therein to abide - that most awesome disgrace?
86 I.e., "he believes everything that he hears". Most of the commentators assume that the hypocrites
were thus alluding to the Prophet's alleged propensity to believe everything - good or bad - that
he was told about other people (cf. Manar X, 600). Since, however, there is no historical evidence
of such a "propensity" on his part, it seems to me that what the hypocrites referred to was the
Prophet's readiness to listen to what they - in common with many other unbelievers regarded as
mere hallucinatory sounds, and to interpret them "mistakenly" as revelations. This would explain
the statement that "they malign the Prophet" - namely, by attributing to him self-deception - and
that this saying of theirs "amounts to a denial of the truth" (see verse 74 of this surah).- The
verb adha signifies primarily "he molested" or "annoyed [another]", i.e., in a manner not amounting
to actual harm (darar). Since in the above context this verb is used in the sense of making a
derogatory remark, yu'dhun is best rendered as "they malign".
87 I.e., to divine revelation.
88 Lit., "the while God and His Apostle are most entitled that they should seek His pleasure...",
etc. As has been pointed out by many of the commentators (and most succinctly by Rashid Rida' in
Manar X, 607 f.), there is no question of any juxtaposition of God and His Apostle in this phrase.
This is made clear by the use of the singular pronoun in an yurduhu ("that they should seek His
pleasure"), which is meant to bring out - in the inimitable elliptic form so characteristic of
the Qur'an - the idea that God's pleasure is the only worthwhile goal of all human endeavour, and
that a believer's duty to surrender to the Prophet's guidance is but an outcome of the fact that
he is the bearer of God's message to man. Cf. in this connection, "Whoever pays heed unto the
Apostle pays heed unto God thereby" (4:80), or, "Say [O Prophet]: 'If you love God, follow me,
[and] God will love you'" (3:31).
9:64
[Some of] the hypocrites dread lest a [new] surah be revealed [in evidence] against them, making them understand what is [really] in their hearts.89
Say: "Go on mocking! Behold, God will bring to light the very thing that you are dreading!"90
9:65
Yet, indeed, if thou wert to question them. they would surely answer, "We were only indulging in idle talk, and were playing [with words]."91
Say: "Were you, then mocking at God and His messages and His Apostle? (9:66) Do not offer [empty] excuses! You have indeed denied the truth after [having professed] your belief [in it]?"92
Though We may efface the sin of some of you, We shall chastise others - seeing that they were lost in sin.93 (9:67) The hypocrites, both men and women. are all of a kind: they enjoin the doing of what is wrong and forbid the doing of what is right 94 and withhold their hands [from doing good]. They are oblivious of God, and so He is oblivious of them. Verily, the hypocrites - it is they, they who are truly iniquitously!95
89 This refers to a particular type of hypocrite: namely, to the doubter who, not having any real
convictions on this score, leaves the question of God's existence and/or Muhammad's prophethood
open (Manor X, 610), but nevertheless, for the sake of worldly advantage, would like to be
regarded as a believer. (Since, obviously, not all hypocrites belong to this category, my
interpolation of the words "some of" at the beginning of this verse would seem to be justified.)
The ambivalent attitude of mind alluded to here implies hypocrisy not merely with regard to
one's social environment but also with regard to oneself: an unwillingness - or, rather, fear -
on the part of such people to admit to themselves "what is really going on in their hearts"
(cf. verses 56-57 and note 80 above), and the dim realization that this ambivalence is only a
cover for their desire to escape from all spiritual commitment (cf. 2:9- "they would deceive
God and those who have attained to faith - the while they deceive none but themselves").
90 Namely, self-knowledge. The accusation of "mocking" refers to their frivolous allusion to the
Prophet, "He is all ear" (see verse 61 and note 86 above).
91 Most of the classical commentators assume that this refers to the derisive remarks made by some of
the hypocrites about the alleged futility of the expedition to Tabuk. In view of the sequence,
however. I am of the opinion that this is a further reference to those who "malign the Prophet
by saying, 'He is all ear'" (verse 61)-i.e., accuse him of self-deception - and thus, by
implication, "mock at God and His messages" (see next sentence).
92 See note 89 above.
93 I.e., consciously persevered in hypocrisy (Zamakhshari). The above Qur'anic sentence expresses
the doctrine that in His final judgment God will take into account all that is in a sinner's
heart, and will not indiscriminately condemn everyone who has been sinning out of weakness or
out of an inner inability to resolve his doubts and not out of a conscious inclination to evil
(cf. 4:98 - "excepted shall be the [truly] helpless - be they men or women or children - who
cannot bring forth any strength and have not been shown [or "cannot find"] the right way").
94 I.e.. their behaviour is - in its effect, at least - the exact opposite of that expected of the
believers (cf. 3:104, 110 and 114; 9:71 and 112; and 22:41).
95 It is to be borne in mind that this and the following verses refer to the conscious hypocrites
spoken of in the last sentence of the preceding verse, and not to the waverers, whose hypocrisy
is an outcome of inner fears and uncertainties.
9:68
God has promised the hypocrites, both men and women - as well as the [outright] deniers of the truth - the fire of hell, therein to abide: this shall be their allotted portion. For, God has rejected them, and long-lasting suffering awaits them.
9:69
[Say unto them: "You are] like those [hypocrites] who lived before your time.96 Greater than you were they in power, and richer in wealth and in children; and they enjoyed their share [of happiness]. And you have been enjoying your share - just as those who preceded you enjoyed their share; and you have been indulging in scurrilous talk - just as they indulged in it. It is they whose works have come to nought in this world and in the life to come - and it is they, they who are the cost!"97
9:70
Have, then, the stories of those who preceded them never come within the ken of these [hypocrites and deniers of the truth]? - [the stories] of Noah's people, and of [the tribes of] 'Ad and Thamud, and of Abraham's people, and of the folk of Madyan, and of the cities that were overthrown?98 To [all of] them their apostles had come with all evidence of the truth. [but they rejected them:] and so it was not God who wronged them [by His punishment], but it was they who wronged themselves.
9:71
AND [as for] the believers, both men and women - they are close unto one another:99 they [all] enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto God and His Apostle. It is they upon whom God will bestow His grace: verily, God is almighty, wise! (9:72) God has promised the believers, both men and women, gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual bliss:100 but God's goodly acceptance is the greatest [bliss of all] - for this, this is the triumph supreme!
96 A reference to the statement, in verse 67, that conscious hypocrites are intrinsically "all of
a kind" (ba'duhum min ba'd).
97 Sc., "and the same will happen to you unless you repent".
98 I.e., Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities of Lot's people (see 7:80-84 and 11:69-83). References to
the chastisement meted out to Noah's people as well as to the 'Ad and Thamud and the folk of
Madyan (the Biblical Midian) are found in several places in the Qur'an; see, in particular, 7:59-79
and 85-93, and the corresponding notes. The reference to "Abraham's people" seems to point to the
Babylonians, who rejected the monotheism preached by him, and to the overthrow of their first
empire, at about 1100 B.c., by the Assyrians.
99 Or: "are the protectors [or "friends and protectors"] of one another". Since, however, the
believers are here contrasted with the hypocrites, spoken of in verse 67 as being "all of a kind",
it is preferable to render the term wali (of which awliya' is the plural) in its primary meaning
of being "near" or "close" to one another.
100 For an explanation of this rendering of 'adn (akin to the Hebrew 'eden, "delight" or "bliss"),
see note 45 on 38:50, where this expression occurs for the first time in the chronological order
of Qur'anic revelation.
9:73
O PROPHET! Strive hard against the deniers of the truth and the hypocrites, and be adamant with them.101 And [if they do not repent,] their goal shall be hell - and how vile a journey's end!
9:74
[The hypocrites] swear by God that they have said nothing [wrong]; yet most certainly have they uttered a saying which amounts to a denial of the truth,102 and have [thus] denied the truth after [having professed] their self-surrender to God: for they were aiming at something which was beyond their reach.103 And they could find no fault [with the Faith] save that God had enriched them and [caused] His Apostle [to enrich them] out of His bounty!104
Hence, if they repent, it will be for their own good. but if they turn away, God will cause them to suffer grievous suffering in this world and in the life to come, and they will find no helper on earth, and none to give [them] succour.
9:75
And among them are such as vow unto God, "If indeed He grant us [something] out of His bounty, we shall most certainly spend in charity, and shall most certainly be among the righteous!" (9:76) But as soon as He has given them [aught] out of His bounty, they cling to it niggardly, and turn away in their obstinacy [from all that they have vowed]: (9:77) whereupon He causes hypocrisy to take root in their hearts, [therein to remain] until the Day on which they shall meet Him105 - because they have failed to fulfil the vow which they had made unto God, and because they were wont to lie.106
101 I.e., "do not compromise with them in matters of principle". Regarding the meaning of the verb
jahada ("he strove hard", i.e., in a righteous cause), see surah 4, note 122. The imperative
jahid is obviously used here in its spiritual connotation, implying efforts at convincing both
the outspoken unbelievers and the waverers, including the various types of hypocrites spoken of
in the preceding passages. Although the imperative is addressed in the first instance to the Prophet,
it is considered to be morally binding on all believers.
102 See the first sentence of verse 61 above, and the corresponding note 86. The allegation that
the Prophet deceived himself in the matter of revelation is, naturally, equivalent to disbelief
in the outcome of his revelation, i.e., the Qur'an.
103 Lit., "which they were unable to attain to". The classical commentators take this as a reference
to an abortive plot, on the part of some of the hypocrites, to kill the Prophet during the expedition
to Tabuk. However, without contesting the validity of this historical interpretation, I believe
that the above allusion has a far deeper meaning - namely, the existential impossibility of one's
ever attaining to inner peace without a positive belief that man's life has meaning and purpose,
either of which can be glimpsed only through the revelations bestowed on those exceptionally gifted
and receptive personalities, the prophets. (An indirect reference to divine revelation as the only
source of this kind of cognition appears in 96:5, that is, in the earliest Qur'anic passage revealed
to the Prophet.) Thus, torn between their half-hearted desire to "surrender themselves to God"
and their unwillingness to accept the divine guidance offered them by the Prophet, the hypocrites
"were aiming at something which was beyond their reach".
104 I.e., by means of the spiritual guidance contained in the Qur'an and the material welfare resulting
from an adherence to its moral and social principles. The above phrase implies that the reluctance
of the hypocrites to pay heed to the Prophet was not due to their finding fault with the Faith as
such but, rather, to their lack of gratitude for the spiritual and material benefits which they
had derived from it. (Because of its historical associations, most of this verse is expressed in
the past tense, although its moral import is obviously timeless.)
105 Lit., "He has caused hypocrisy to become for them a consequence (a'qabahum) in their hearts
until the Day on which they shall meet Him" (i.e., until their resurrection). Thus, the Qur'an
states that it is excessive love of worldly possessions which gives rise, in a certain type of
man, to the attitude of mind described as "hypocrisy" - and not vice versa (see also 29:11 and
the corresponding note 7). Cf. in this connection the Prophet's saying, reported by Abu Hurayrah:
"The mark (ayah) of the hypocrite is threefold: when he speaks, he lies; and when he promises,
he breaks his promise; and when he is trusted, he betrays" (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i
is similar Traditions, on the authority of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr; are quoted by Bukhari, Muslim,
Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Ibn Hanbal).
106 I.e., to themselves, trying to find excuses for their breaking their vow.
9:78
Do they not know that God knows [all] their hidden thoughts and their secret confabulations, and that God knows fully all the things that are beyond the reach of human perception'? (9:79) [It is these hypocrites] who find fault with such of the believers as give for the sake of God 107 more than they are duty-bound to give, as well as with, such as find nothing [to give] beyond [the meagre fruits of] their toil, and who scoff at them [all].108
God will cause their scoffing to rebound on themselves.109 and grievous suffering awaits them. (9:80) [And] whether thou dost pray [unto God] that they be forgiven or dost not pray for them - [it will all be the same: for even] if thou wert to pray seventy times110 that they be forgiven, God will not forgive them, seeing that they are bent on denying God and His Apostle. And God does not bestow His guidance upon such iniquitous folk.111
107 Regarding my rendering of sadaqat as "that which is given for the sake of God", see note 81 above.
108 There are many authentic Traditions to the effect that the hypocrites at Medina used to deride
the offerings which the believers brought to the Prophet (as head of the community and the state)
in response to the Qur'anic ordinance that they should "give for the sake of God". For instance,
the Companion Abu Mas'ud reports: "[When] a man brought an ample offering, they [i.e., the hypocrites]
would say, 'He [only] wants to be seen and praised by men'; and when a man brought an offering of
a small measure [of dates or grain], they would say, 'God does not stand in need of such an offering"'
(Bukhari and Muslim. and many similar versions in other hadlth compilations). The above verse, however,
does not allude merely to these historical incidents but serves to illustrate the mentality of the
hypocrite whose own insincerity colours his view of all other people.
109 Lit., "God will scoff at them": a turn of phrase often occurring in the Qur'an (e.g., in 2:15),
indicating God's requital.
110 I.e.. many times. In Arabic usage, the number "seventy" often stands for "many". just as "seven"
is a synonym for "several" (see Lisan al-'Arah and Taj al-'Arus). It is evident from many
authentic Traditions (recorded, among others, by Bukhari and Muslim) that the Prophet often
prayed to God that He pardon his enemies.
111 I.e., "those who are so deeply rooted in their iniquity and in their insolent persistence in
evildoing (tamarrud) ... [that] they have lost all disposition for repentance and belief"
(Manar X, 657).
9:81
THOSE [hypocrites] who were left behind rejoiced in their staying away [from war]112 after [the departure of] God's Apostle, for they hated the thought of striving with their possessions and their lives in God's cause; and they had [even] said [to the others], "Do not go forth to war in this heat!"
Say: "The fire of hell is hotter by far!"
Had they but grasped this truth! (9:82) Let them, then, laugh a little - for they will weep a lot113 in return for what they have earned. (9:83) Hence, [O Prophet,] if God brings thee again face to face with some of them,114 and then they ask thy leave to go forth [to war with thee], say: "Never shall you go forth with me, nor shall you fight an enemy together with me! Behold, you were well-pleased to stay at home on that first occasion: stay at home, then, with, those who [are obliged to] remain behind!115
9:84
And never shalt thou pray over any of them that has died, and never shalt thou stand by his grave:116 for, behold, they were bent on denying God and His Apostle, and they died in this their iniquity.117 (9:85) And let not their worldly goods and [the happiness which they may derive from] their children excite thy admiration: God but wants to chastise them by these means in [the life of] this world, and [to cause] their souls to depart while they are [still] denying the truth.118
112 Lit., "rejoiced in their sitting [at home]" - a reference to those who, under one pretext or
another, excused themselves from participating in the expedition to Tabuk (see notes 59 and 66 above).
As is evident from the sequence - and clearly stated in many authentic Traditions - one of the
excuses advanced was the extreme heat of the season.
113 Lit., "and let them weep a lot".
114 Lit., "if God brings thee back [from the campaign] to group of them" - i.e., to those a hypocrites
who remained at home under false pretences.
115 I.e., with the old men, the women, the children and the sick, who are not able or not expected
to go to war (Manar X, 662).
116 I.e., unless he has repented before his death. It is reported that when the life-long opponent
of the Prophet and leader of the hypocrites of Medina. 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy was dying, he sent
his son to the Prophet with the request that the latter give him his (the Prophet's) shirt, so
that he might be buried in it, and that the Prophet should pray over him after his death. The
Prophet took this request as a sign of Ibn Ubayy's repentance, and gave him his shirt and later
led the funeral prayers over his body. When 'Umar ibn al-Khattab vehemently protested against this
clemency towards the man whom all the believers had regarded as "God's enemy", the Prophet answered,
"God has granted me a choice in this matter [a reference to verse 80 of this surah. "whether thou
dost pray that they be forgiven or dost not pray...", etc.], and so I shall pray [for him] more
than seventy times." Several variants of this Tradition are to be found in Bukhari, Tirmidhi,
Nasa'i, Ibn Hanbal, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas; Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Ibn
'Umar; Muslim, on the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah; and in various other hadith compilations.
Since 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy died some time after the Prophet's return from Tabuk, while verse 84 -
like most of this surah - was revealed during the campaign, it is clear that the prohibition
expressed in this verse relates only (as the sequence shows) to those who "were bent on denying
God and His Apostle, and [who] died in this their iniquity" - that is, to unrepentant sinners.
9:86
[They are indeed denying it:] for, when they were called upon through revelation,119 "Believe in God, and strive hard [in His cause] together with His Apostle," [even] such of them as were well able [to go to war] asked thee for exemption, saying, "Allow us to stay behind with those who remain at home!"120 (87) They were well-pleased to remain with those who were left behind - wherefor their hearts have been sealed,121 so that they cannot grasp the truth.
9:88
The Apostle, however, and all who share his faith strive hard [in God's cause] with, their possessions and their lives: and it is they whom the most excellent things await [in the life to come], and it is they, they who shall attain to a happy state! (9:89) God has readied for them gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide: and this is the triumph supreme!
9:90
AND THERE came [unto the Apostle] such of the bedouin as had some excuse to offer, [with the request] that they be granted exemption,122 whereas those who were bent on giving the lie to God and His Apostle [simply] remained at home.123 [And] grievous suffering is bound to befall such of them as are bent on denying the truth!
117 Lit., "while they were iniquitous".
118 Cf. 3 : 178 and 8:28, as well as the corresponding notes. This (almost literal) repetition
of verse 55 above is meant to stress the psychological importance of this problem (Zamakhshari) -
namely, the insignificance of worldly happiness as compared with spiritual righteousness or the
absence of it.
119 Lit., "when a surah was bestowed from on high": the word surah being here synonymous with
"revealed message" (see note 25 on 47:20).
120 I.e., with those who were either not expected to go to war-like women and children - or were
handicapped by old age or illness.
121 Cf. 2:7 and the corresponding note, as well as 7:100-101.
122 I.e., from participating in the expedition to Tabuk. The term al-mu'adhdhiran connotes both
"those having a valid excuse ('udhr)" and "those offering false excuses"; it is, therefore, best
rendered as "such as had some excuse to offer". The specific mention of the a'rab ("bedouin") in
this and the following passages probably arises from the fact that their attitude - positive or
negative - towards Islam was of the greatest importance within the context of early Muslim history,
inasmuch as the message of Muhammad could not obtain a real, lasting foothold in Arabia without
first securing the allegiance of those warlike nomads and half-nomads, who constituted the great
majority of the Peninsula's population. At the time when the Prophet was preparing to set out towards
Tabuk, many of the already converted tribesmen were willing to go to war under his leadership
(and, in fact, did so), while others were afraid lest in their absence their encampments, denuded
of man-power, be raided by hostile, as yet unconverted tribes (Razi); others, again, were simply
averse to exposing themselves to the hardships of a campaign in distant lands, which did not seem
to them to have any bearing on their own, immediate interests.
123 I.e., without even caring to come to Medina and to excuse themselves.
9:91
[But] no blame shall attach to the weak,124 nor to the sick, nor to those who have no means. [to equip themselves],125 provided that they are sincere towards God and His Apostle: there is no cause to reproach the doers of good, for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. (9:92) Nor [shall blame attach] to those who, when they came unto thee [O Prophet, with the request] that thou provide them with mounts, were told by thee, "I cannot find anything whereon to mount you" - [whereupon] they turned away, their eyes overflowing with tears out of sorrow that they had no means to spend [on their equipment].
9:93
Only they may rightly be reproached who asked thee for exemption even though they were fully able [to go to war].126 They were well-pleased to remain with those who were left behind - wherefore God has sealed their hearts, so that they do not know [what they are doing]. (9:94) [And] they will [still] be offering excuses to you when you return to them, [from the campaign]!
Say: "Do not offer [empty] excuses, [for] we shall not believe you: God has already enlightened us about you. And God will behold your [future] deeds, and [so will] His Apostle; and in the end you will be brought before Him127 who knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being's perception as well as all that can be witnessed by a creature's senses or mind,128 and then He will make you truly understand what you were doing [in life]."
124 I.e., the old and the infirm.
125 Lit., "who do not find anything to spend", i.e., on their equipment. At the time in question
a public treasury did not yet exist, and every participant in a military expedition was expected
to provide his own weapons and mounts.
126 Lit., "who ask thee for exemption while they are rich". The term ghani denotes "one who is rich"
or "free from want" or "self-sufficient"; in this context it obviously refers to physical competence
in addition to financial means: that is, to people who were able-bodied as well as financially
in a position to equip themselves (cf. verses 86-87 above).
127 Lit., "and thereafter you will be brought back unto Him".
128 See surah 6, note 65.
9:95
When you will have returned to them, (O believers,] they will swear to you by God, [repeating their excuses,] with a view to your letting them be.129 Let them be, then: behold, they are loathsome, and hell is their goal in recompense for what they were wont to do. (9:96) They will swear to you with a view to making you pleased with them: but [even] should you be pleased with them, verily, God shall never be pleased with iniquitous folk.
9:97
[The hypocrites among] the bedouin130 are more tenacious in [their] refusal to acknowledge the truth and in [their] hypocrisy [than are settled people], and more liable to ignore the ordinances which God has bestowed from on high upon His Apostle - but God is all-knowing, wise.131 (9:98) And among the bedouin there are such as regard all that they might spend [in God's cause] as a loss, and wait for misfortune to encompass you, [O believers: but] it is they whom evil fortune shall encompass - for God is all-hearing, all-knowing.
9:99
However, among the bedouin there are [also] such as believe in God and the Last Day, and regard all that they spend (in God's cause] as a means of drawing them nearer to God and of [their being remembered in] the Apostle's prayers. Oh, verily, it shall [indeed] be a means of [God's] nearness to them, [for] God will admit them unto His grace: verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!
9:100
And as for the first and foremost of those who have forsaken the domain of evil and of those who have sheltered and succoured the Faith,131 as well as those who follow them in [the way of] righteousness - God is well-pleased with them, and well-pleased are they with Him. And for them has He readied gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide beyond the count of time: this is the triumph supreme!
129 Sc., "and not punishing them". As a matter of fact, their fears were unfounded, since, on his
return from Tabuk, the Prophet took no punitive action against any of those who had failed to
follow him on his campaign.
130 The words interpolated by me between brackets at the beginning of this sentence are based on the
interpretation given by Razi (see also Manar XI, 8), obviously in view of verse 99, which speaks
of believers among the bedouin.
131 Owing to their nomadic way of life and its inherent hardship and crudity, the bedouin find it
more difficult than do settled people to be guided by ethical imperatives unconnected with their
immediate tribal interests - a difficulty which is still further enhanced by their physical distance
from the centres of higher culture and, consequently, their comparative ignorance of most religious
demands. It was for this reason that the Prophet often stressed the superiority of a settled mode
of life to a nomadic one: cf. his saying, "He who dwells in the desert (al-badiyah) becomes rough
in disposition", recorded by Tirmidhi, Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i and Ibn Hanbal on the authority of Ibn
'Abbas, and a similar Tradition, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, by Abu Da'ud and Bayhaqi.
132 In the above context, the term muhajirun - lit., "emigrants", rendered by me as "those who have
forsaken the domain of evil" (see surah 2, note 203, and surah 4, note 124) - applies primarily to
the Meccan followers of the Prophet who migrated (hajaru) from Mecca to Medina -which until then
was called Yathrib - at a time when Mecca was still in the possession of the enemies of Islam; the
"first and foremost" among them were the earliest emigrants, i.e., those who left Mecca in or before
the year 622 of the Christian era (which marks the beginning of the Islamic hijri era) and in the
course of the next few years, when the Muslim community at Medina was still in danger of being
overrun by the powerful Quraysh of Mecca. Similarly, the term ansar (lit., "helpers") applies here
to the early converts from among the people of Medina who sheltered and succoured (nasaru) their
brethren in faith - the "first and foremost" among them being those who embraced Islam before and
shortly after the Prophet's and his Companions' exodus (hijrah) from Mecca, and particularly those
who did so on the occasion of the two meetings, at Al-'Aqabah near Mecca, between the Prophet and
deputations of the Yathrib tribes of Al-Aws and Khazraj (a little over a year and a few months,
respectively, before the Prophet's hijrah). Apart, however, from their purely historical connotations,
both the terms muhajirun and ansar bear in the Qur'an a spiritual meaning as well, and are often
used to describe those who morally "forsake the domain of evil" and those who "shelter and succour
the Faith" (see surah 8, note 78).
9:101
But among the bedouin who dwell around you there are hypocrites; and among the people of the [Prophet's] City133 [too] there are such as have grown insolent in [their] hypocrisy. Thou dost not [always] know them, [O Muhammad - but] We know them. We shall cause them to suffer doubly [in this world];134 and then they will be given over to awesome suffering [in the life to come].
9:102
And [there are] others 135 - [people who] have become conscious of their sinning after having done righteous deeds side by side with evil ones;136 [and] it may well be that God will accept their repentance: for, verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. (9:103) [Hence, O Prophet,] accept that [part] of their possessions which is offered for the sake of God, 137 so that thou mayest cleanse them thereby and cause them to grow in purity, and pray for them: behold, thy prayer will be [a source of] comfort to them - for God is all-hearing, all-knowing.
133 I.e., Medina. Originally, the city bore the name Yathrib; but after the exodus of the Prophet
from Mecca it came to be known as Madinat an-Nabi ("the City of the Prophet") and, eventually,
as Al-Madinah ("The City" par excellence).
134 I.e., first through failure in their worldly concerns, accompanied by pangs of conscience and
the resulting spiritual distress, and then through a full realization, at the moment of dying,
of the unforgivable nature of their sin (Manar XI, 19).
135 I.e., neither believers in the full sense of the word nor hypocrites, but half-hearted, confused
waverers between right and wrong, or between truth and falsehood.
136 Lit., "who have acknowledged their sins [after] having mingled a righteous deed with another
that was evil". Although it relates primarily to the vacillating Muslims who refused to participate
in the expedition to Tabuk, this verse alludes, in its wider meaning, to all sinners who -
without external prompting - become conscious of their wrongdoing and repent of it.
137 Lit., "take out of their possessions an offering for the sake of God (sadagah)". For the meaning
of this term, see note 81 above. In this context, it primarily denotes the tax called zakah
("the purifying dues") incumbent on every Muslim enjoying a certain minimum of property and/or
income. Since an acceptance of zakah by the head of state (or of the community) amounts to a
recognition of the giver as a "Muslim" in the Qur'anic sense of this term, the Prophet refused to
accept it from all whose behaviour had made it obvious that they were hypocrites; the above verse,
however, authorizes him (and, by implication, the authorities of an Islamic state at all times) to
accept the payment of zakah from those who express their repentance by deeds as well as by words.
9:104
Do they not know that it is God alone who can accept the repentance of His servants138 and is the [true] recipient of whatever is offered for His sake - and that God alone is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace? (9:105) And say [unto them, O Prophet]: "Act!139 And God will behold your deeds, and [so will] His Apostle, and the believers: and [in the end] you will be brought before Him who knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being's perception as well as all that can be witnessed by a creature's senses or mind140 - and then He will make you understand what you have been doing."
9:106
And [there are yet] others - [people whose cases are] deferred until God wills to judge them: 141 He will either chastise them or turn again unto them in His mercy - for God is all-knowing, wise.
9:107
AND [there are hypocrites] who have established a [separate] house of worship in order to create mischief, and to promote apostasy and disunity among the believers, and to provide an outpost for all who from the outset have been warring against God and His Apostle.142 And they will surely swear [to you, O believers], "We had but the best of intentions!" - the while God [Himself] bears witness thaat they are lying.143
138 Lit., "who accepts repentance from His servants": thus pointing out that no human being, not
even the Prophet, has the power to absolve a sinner of his guilt (Manar XI, 32). A prophet can do
no more than pray to God that He forgive the sinners.
139 This connects with the injunction in verse 103 above, "accept that [part] of their possessions
which is offered for the sake of God,... and pray for them". The stress on action as an integral
part of faith is of fundamental importance in the ethics of the Qur'an: cf. the frequent
juxtaposition of the concepts of "believing" and "doing good works", and the condemnation of
all "who, while believing, wrought no good works" (see 6:158 and the corresponding note 160).
140 See Sarah 6, note 65.
141 Lit., "deferred unto God's decree (amr)"- i.e., kept in abeyance in anticipation of their
future repentance. As in the preceding four verses, the people referred to here are, in the
first instance, the waverers who stayed away from the campaign of Tabuk, and, by implication,
all half-hearted believers who confusedly hover between right and wrong: with the difference,
however, that whereas the repentant sinners spoken of in verses 102-105 are said to have realized
their sinfulness spontaneously, the kind of people referred to in verse 106 have not yet reached
the stage of moral self-examination and repentance, with the result that their cases are
"deferred" until such a time as their impulses sway them entirely one way or another. From a
psychological point of view, it is possible to discern a subtle connection between this verse
and 7:46-47.
142 Lit., "who have been warring against God and His Apostle aforetime" - i.e., before the expedition
to Tabuk. The historical occasion to which this verse refers may be thus summarized: Ever since his
exodus from Mecca to Medina the Prophet was violently opposed by one Abu 'Amir ("The Monk"), a
prominent member of the Khazraj tribe, who had embraced Christianity many years earlier and
enjoyed a considerable reputation among his compatriots and among the Christians of Syria. From
the very outset he allied himself with the Prophet's enemies, the Meccan Quraysh, and took part
on their side in the battle of Uhud (3 H.). Shortly thereafter he migrated to Syria and did all
that he could to induce the Emperor of Byzantium, Heraclius, to invade Medina and crush the Muslim
community once and for all. In Medina itself, Abu 'Amir had some secret followers among the members
of his tribe, with whom he remained in constant correspondence. In the year 9 H. he informed them
that Heraclius had agreed to send out an army against Medina, and that large-scale preparations
were being made to this effect (which was apparently the reason for the Prophet's preventive
expedition to Tabuk). In order that his followers should have a rallying-place in the event of the
expected invasion of Medina, Abu 'Amir suggested to his friends that they build a mosque of their
own in the village of Quba', in the immediate vicinity of Medina (which they did), and thus obviate
the necessity of congregating in the mosque which the Prophet himself had built in the same village
at the time of his arrival at Medina (see note 145 below). It is this "rival" mosque to which the
above verse refers. It was demolished at the Prophet's orders immediately after his return from
the Tabuk expedition. Abu 'Amir himself died in Syria shortly afterwards. (For all the relevant
Traditions, see Tabari's and Ibn Kathir's commentaries on this verse.)
143 Although the whole of this verse relates primarily to the historical occasion explained in the
preceding note, it has a definite bearing on all attempts at creating sectarian divisions among
Muslims, and is thus a clear amplification of an earlier injunction to this effect (see 6:159
and the corresponding note 161).
9:108
Never set foot in such a place!144 Only a house of worship founded, from the very first day, upon God-consciousness is worthy of thy setting foot therein 145 - [a house of worship] wherein there are men desirous of growing in purity: for God loves all who purify themselves. (9:109) Which then, is the better: he who has founded his building on God-consciousness and [a desire for] His goodly acceptance - or he who has founded his building on the edge of a water-worn, crumbling river-bank, so that it [is bound to] tumble down with him into the fire of hell?
For, God does not grace with His guidance people who [deliberately] do wrong: (9:110) the building which they have built will never cease to be a source of deep disquiet in their hearts until their hearts crumble to pieces.146 And God is all-knowing, wise.
144 Lit., "in it" - sc., "to pray therein".
145 Lit., "Indeed, a house of worship founded ... upon God-consciousness (taqwa) is most deserving...",
etc. Some of the commentators believe that this is a reference to the mosque founded by the Prophet
at Quba', a village close to Medina, on his arrival there in the month of Rabi' al-Awwal in the
year 1 H., since it was the first mosque ever built by him or his followers. There are, however,
authentic Traditions to the effect that the Prophet applied the designation of "a house of worship
founded on God-consciousness" to his (later-built) mosque at Medina as well (Muslim, Tirmidhi,
Nasa'i, Ibn Hanbal). It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that it applies to every mosque
sincerely dedicated by its founders, to the worship of God: a view which is supported by the
next verse.
146 Lit., "unless their hearts are cut into many pieces" - i.e., until they die. In verses 109-110,
the reference to "the building which they have built" is, obviously, widened beyond the preceding
allusion to houses of worship, and allegorically circumscribes here all the "works" and
the behaviour of men.
9:111
BEHOLD, God has bought of the believers their lives and their possessions, promising them paradise in return,[and so] they fight in God's cause, and slay, and are slain: a promise which in truth He has willed upon Himself in [the words of] the Torah, and the Gospel, and the Qur'an. And who could be more faithful to his covenant than God?
Rejoice, then, in the bargain which you have made with Him: for this, this is the triumph supreme! (9:112) [It is a triumph of] those who turn [unto God] in repentance [whenever they have sinned], and who worship and praise [Him], and go on and on [seeking His goodly acceptance],147 and bow down [before Him] and prostrate themselves in adoration, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and keep to the bounds set by God. And give thou [O Prophet] the glad tiding [of God's promise] to all believers.
9:113
IT DOES NOT behove the Prophet and those who have attained to faith to pray that they who ascribed divinity to aught beside God be forgiven [by Him] even though they happened to be [their] near of kin148 - after it has been made clear unto them that those [dead sinners] are destined for the blazing fire. (9:114) And Abraham's prayer that his father be forgiven was but due to a promise which he had given the latter [in his lifetime];149 but when it was made clear unto him that he had been God's enemy, [Abraham] disavowed him - [although;] behold, Abraham was most tender-hearted most clement.
147 Most of the commentators attribute to the expression as-sa'ihun (lit., "those who wander") the
meaning of as-sa'imun, i.e., "those who fast", since he who fasts deprives himself, temporarily,
of worldly enjoyments similar to one who wanders about the earth (Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah. as quoted
by Razi); and they justify this metaphorical equation of siyahah ("wandering") with siyam
("fasting") by the fact that several Companions and some of their successors have thus interpreted
the term as-sa'ihun in the above context (see Tabari). Other authorities, however, (e.g., Abu
Muslim, as quoted by Razi) prefer the original significance of this term and explain it as more
or less synonymous with al-muhajiran ("those who forsake the domain of evil"). To my mind, the
expression as-sa'ihun is best rendered as "those who go on and on [seeking God's goodly acceptance]",
thus combining the literal and metonymical connotations of the term siyahah.
148 As is obvious from the sequence, this prohibition relates to the dead among such sinners - i.e.,
those who have died without repentance (Zamakhshari, Razi)- and not to those who are still living:
for "a prayer for forgiveness in respect of a living [sinner]... amounts to asking God that He
grace him with His guidance... and this is permissible" (Manar XI, 60).
149 Abraham's promise to his father is mentioned in 19:47-48 and 60:4; for the actual prayer,
see 26:86-87.
9:115
And God would never - after having invited them to His guidance - condemn people for going astray150 ere He has made [entirely] clear unto them of what they should beware. Verily, God has full knowledge of everything.151 (9:116) Verily, God's alone is the dominion over the heavens and the earth; He [alone] grants life and deals death; and there is none besides God who could protect you or bring you succour.
9:117
INDEED, God has turned in His mercy unto the Prophet, as well as unto those who have forsaken the domain of evil and those who have sheltered and succoured the Faiths152 - [all] those who followed him in the hour of distress, when the hearts of some of the other believers had well-nigh swerved from faith.153
And once again:154 He has turned unto them in His mercy - for, behold, He is compassionate towards them, a dispenser of grace. (9:118) And [He turned in His mercy, too,] towards the three [groups of believers] who had fallen prey to corruption, 155 until in the end-after the earth, despite all its vastness, had become [too] narrow for them and their souls had become [utterly] constricted - they came to know with certainty that there is no refuge from God other than [a return] unto Him; and thereupon He turned again unto them in His mercy, so that they might repent: for, verily, God alone is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace.156
150 Lit., "it is not for God - i.e., it is not compatible with God's omniscience and majesty" that
He should cause people to go astray after He has guided them". My rendering of the phrase "that
He should cause people to go astray" as "condemn people for going astray" is based on the interpretation
given to it by some of the greatest classical commentators (e.g., Tabari, Razi). As regards the
phrase, "after He has guided them", Razi interprets it as meaning "after He has invited them to
the way of rectitude (ar-rushd)".
151 Most of the commentators assume that the people referred to are the believers who, before the
revelation of verse 113, used to pray to God that He grant His forgiveness to their relatives and
friends who had died in the state of shirk ("ascribing divinity to aught beside God"): in other
words, the believers need not fear to be taken to task for something which they did before the
prohibition laid down in verse 113 was revealed (i.e., "ere He has made clear unto them of what
they should beware"). However, Razi advances also an alternative interpretation of verse 115,
suggesting that it is meant to explain the severity with which the whole of this surah condemns
the deniers of the truth and the hypocrites who are going astray after God "has made clear unto
them of what they should beware". (See in this connection 6:131-132 and the corresponding notes.)
This interpretation is, to my mind, the more plausible of the two, and particularly so in view of
the sequence (verse 116).
152 See note 132 above.
153 Lit., "after the hearts of a group of them had well-nigh swerved [from faith]": a reference to
the believers who - without valid excuse - failed to respond to the Prophet's call when he was
setting out on the expedition to Tabuk, and who afterwards repented.
154 See saran 6, note 31. According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the particle thumma has here the meaning
given in my rendering, and serves to emphasize the statement that "God has turned in His mercy
unto the Prophet... and all those who followed him in the hour of distress".
155 Or: "had been left behind", i.e., at the time of the expedition to Tabuk. My rendering of alladhina
khullifu as "those who had fallen prey to corruption" is based on the tropical meaning of the verb
khalufa or khullifa, "he was [or "became"] altered [for the worse]", or "he became corrupt" in the
moral sense (see Asas, Nihayah, Lisan al-Arab, Qamas, Taj al-'Arus). This interpretation of
alladhina khullifu - applying, in the above context, to those who remained behind under false pretences -
has the support of some of the most outstanding Arab philologists, e.g., 'Abd al-Malik al-Asma'i
(as quoted by Razi in his commentary on verse 83 of this surah ). - As regards "the three who had
fallen prey to corruption", the clasical commentators assume that it is a reference to three persons -
namely, Ka'b ibn Malik, Mararah ibn ar-Rabi' and Hilal ibn Umayyah (all of them from among the
ansar) - who abstained from the campaign and were thereafter ostracized by the Prophet and his
Companions until the revelation of the above verse. But while it is historically established that
these three Companions were indeed among the believers who thus failed in their duty (the relevant
Traditions will be found in extenso in Tabari's and Ibn Kathir's commentaries on this verse), it
seems to me that the context does not warrant such a restriction of its meaning to three particular
persons, and that by "the three" are meant three groups of erring believers; (1) those who had
advanced equivocal excuses and were thereupon permitted by the Prophet to remain at home (as has
been alluded to in verses 43-46 as well as in the first sentence of verse 90); (2) those who
absented themselves without permission, but afterwards spontaneously repented their sin (verses
102-105); and (3) those whose cases were at first "deferred" (verse 106), and who repented shortly
after the Prophet's return from Tabuk (at which time verse 118 was revealed).
156 In its wider implication - as contrasted with a purely historical allusion - the above verse
relates to all believers who temporarily deviate from the right path and then, after having
realized - either spontaneously or in consequence of outside reprobation - that they had "fallen
prey to corruption", sincerely repent their sin.
9:119
O YOU who have attained to faith! Remain conscious of God, and be among those who are true to their word!
9:120
It does not behove the people of the [Prophet's] City and the bedouin [who live] around them to hold back from following God's Apostle, or to care for their own selves more than for him157 - for, whenever they suffer from thirst or weariness or hunger in God's cause, and whenever they take any step which confounds158 those who deny the truth, and whenever there comes to them from the enemy whatever may be destined for them 159 - [whenever anything thereof comes to pass,] a good deed is recorded in their favour.160 Verily, God does not fail to requite the doers of good!
157 Although this and the following verses relate, on the face of it, to "the people of the Prophet's
City" (see note 133 above) and to "the bedouin who live around them", their purport is obviously
general, and applies to all believers at all times. The specific reference to "the Prophets City"
is due to the fact that it was the place where the revelation of the Qur'an was completed and
Islam came to its full fruition under the Prophet's guidance.
158 Lit., "causes wrath to".
159 Lit., "[whenever] they get from the enemy whatever they get" -i.e., victory or death or injurv.
160 In its original construction, this sentence reads thus: "and neither thirst afflicts them...,
nor do they take any step..., nor do they get from the enemy..., without that a good deed is
recorded in their behalf". The same construction is applied to the next verse.
9:121
And whenever they spend anything [for the sake of God], be it little or much, and whenever they move on earth161 [in God's cause] - it is recorded in their favour, and God will grant them the best reward for all that they have been doing.
9:122
With all this, it is not desirable that all of the believers take the field [in time of war]. From within every group in their midst, some shall refrain from going forth to war, and shall devote themselves [instead] to acquiring a deeper knowledge of the Faith. and [thus be able to] teach their home-coming brethren, so that these [too] might guard themselves against evil.162 (9:123) O you who have attained to faith! Fight against those deniers of the truth who are near you, and let them find you adamant;163 and know that God is with those who are conscious of Him.
161 Lit., "cross a valley". As Zamakhshari rightly points out in his commentary on this verse, the
term wadi ("valley" or "river-bed") is often used in classical Arabic to denote "the earth" -
a usage which even in our days is familiar to the bedouin of the Arabian Peninsula, especially
when combined with the verb qata'a (lit., "he cut") in its connotation of "cutting across" or
"traversing [a distance]" or "advancing [on a journey]". Thus, the above Qur'anic phrase may
be suitably rendered as "whenever they move on earth". (As regards the construction of this
sentence, see preceding note.)
162 Lit., "admonish their people when they come back to them, so that they might be on their guard".
Although the above injunction mentions specifically religious knowledge, it has a positive bearing
on every kind of knowledge - and this in view of the fact that the Qur'an does not draw any
dividing-line between the spiritual and the worldly concerns of life but, rather, regards them
as different aspects of one and the same reality. In many of its verses, the Qur'an calls upon the
believer to observe all nature and to discern God's creative activity in its manifold phenomena
and "laws", as well as to mediate upon the lessons of history with a view to gaining a deeper
insight into man's motivations and the innermost springs of his behaviour: and, thus, the Qur'an
itself is characterized as addressed to "those who think". In short, intellectual activity as
such is postulated as a valid way to a better understanding of God's will and - if pursued with
moral consciousness - as a valid method of worshipping God. This Qur'anic principle has been
emphasized in many well-authenticated sayings of the Prophet, for instance, "Striving after knowledge
is a sacred duty (faridah) for every man and woman who has surrendered himself or herself to God
(muslim wa-muslimah)" (Ibn Majah); or, "The superiority (fadl) of a learned man over a [mere] worshipper
[i.e., one who merely prays, fasts, etc.] is like the superiority of the full moon over all the
stars" (Tirmidhi, Abu Da'ud, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hanbal, Darimi). Consequently, the obligation of the
believers to "devote themselves to acquiring a deeper knowledge of the Faith" (li-yatafaqqahu
fi'd-din) and to impart its results to their fellow-believers relates to every branch of knowledge
as well as to its practical application.
163 I.e., uncompromising with regard to ethical principles. For the general circumstances in which war
is permitted, see 2:190-194, 22:39, 60:8-9, and the corresponding notes, as well as notes 7 and 9 on
verse 5 of this surah. The reference to "those deniers of the truth who are near you" may arise from
the fact that only "those who are near" can be dangerous in a physical sense or, alternatively, that -
having come from afar - they have already approached the Muslim country with an aggressive intent.
9:124
YET WHENEVER a surah [of this divine writ] is bestowed from on high, some of the deniers of the truth are prone to ask,164 "Which of you has this [message] strengthened in his faith?"
Now as for those who have attained to faith, it does strengthen them in their faith, and they rejoice in the glad tiding [which God has given them].165 (9:125) But as for those in whose hearts is disease, each new message but adds another [element of] disbelief to the disbelief which they already harbour,166 and they die while [still] refusing to acknowledge the truth.
9:126
Are they, then, not aware that they are being tested year-in, year-out?167 And yet, they do not repent and do not bethink themselves [of God]; (9:127) and whenever a surah is bestowed from on high, they look at one another [and say, as it were], "Is there anyone who can see what is in your hearts?"168- and then they turn away.
God has turned their hearts away [from the truth] - for they are people who will not grasp it.169
9:128
INDEED, there has come unto you [O mankind] an Apostle from among yourselves: 170 heavily weighs - upon him [the thought] that you might suffer [in the life to come]; full of concern for you [is he, and] full of compassion and mercy towards the believers.
9:129
But if those [who are bent on denying the truth] turn away, say: "God is enough for me! There is no deity save Him. In Him have I placed my trust, for He is the Sustainer, in awesome almightiness enthroned.171
164 Lit., "there are among them such as say". The "saying" that follows is perhaps an oblique,
sarcastic reference to 8:2, which speaks of the believers "whose faith is strengthened whenever
His messages are conveyed unto them".
165 A reference to the promise of paradise expressed in verse 111 above.
166 Lit., "it but adds [another] loathsome evil to their loathsome evil" - i.e., makes them more
stubborn in their denying the truth of God's messages because they are a priori determined to deny
everything that is incompatible with their refusal to admit the existence of anything that is
beyond the reach of human perception (al-ghayb - see surah 2, note 3).
167 Lit., "every year once or twice" - a figure of speech denoting continuity (Manor XI, 83 f.). The
"test" consists in the fact that man has been endowed with reason and, therefore, with the ability
to choose between right and wrong.
168 Lit., "who sees you" - thus implying that God does not exist.
169 Cf. 8:55.
170 I.e., "a human being like yourselves, not endowed with any supernatural powers, but only chosen
by God to convey His message to you". (See note 2 on 50:2.)
171 Lit., "the Sustainer (rabb) of the awesome throne of almightiness". For my rendering of al-'arsh
as "the throne of almightiness", see note 43 on 7:54.
THIS SURAH, which derives its title from the solitary mention of "the people of Jonah" in verse 98, was almost certainly revealed in its entirety at Mecca, and probably not earlier than in the year preceding the Prophet's exodus to Medina. Some authorities are of the opinion that verses 40 and 94-95 belong to the Medina period, but there is no convincing evidence to this effect. On the other hand, there does not seem to be any doubt that, chronologically, this surah must be placed between surah 17 (Al-Isra') and surah 11 (Hud).
The central theme of Yunus is revelation - in particular, the revelation of the Qur'an to Muhammad, and the impossibility of its having been "composed" by the latter and fraudulently attributed by him to God, as the deniers of the truth assert (verses 15-17, 37-38 and 94). Woven around this theme are references to earlier prophets - all of whom were given the lie by the majority of their people - as well as a many-sided exposition of the fundamental tenets of Islam: the oneness, uniqueness and omnipotence of God, the continuity of His revelation to man, the certainty, of resurrection and of God's final judgment - culminating in the reminder (in verse 108) that "whoever chooses to follow the right path, follows it but for his own good: and whoever chooses to go astray, goes but astray to his own hurt".
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
10:1
Alif Lam Ra.1
THESE ARE MESSAGES of the divine writ, full of wisdom.2 (10:2) Do people deem it strange that We should have inspired a man from their own midst [with this Our message]:3 "Warn all mankind, and give unto those who have attained to faith the glad tiding that in their Sustainer's sight they surpass all others in that they are completely sincere -4 [Only] they who deny the truth say, "Behold, he is clearly but a spellbinder!"5
I See Appendix II.
2 The term hakim - which, when qualifying an animated being, may be translated as "wise" has here
the connotation of a means of imparting wisdom. Some of the classical commentators (e.g., Tabari)
are of the opinion that the "divine writ" (kitab) mentioned here is the Qur'an as a whole, while
others (e.g., Zamakhshari) see in it a reference to this particular surah. In view of the sequence,
it seems to me that the former interpretation is preferable.
3 This connects with the end of the preceding Sarah, and particularly with the sentence, "There has
come unto you [O mankind] an Apostle from among yourselves" (9:128; see also note 2 on 50:2).
4 Lit., "they have precedence (qadam) of truthfulness (sidq)": the latter term denoting a concord
between what a person actually conceives in his mind or feels and what he expresses by word,
deed or attitude - in other words, complete sincerity.
5 Lit., "He is indeed an obvious enchanter (sahir)" - thus implying that the "man from among yourselves"
(i.e., Muhammad) did not really receive any revelation from God, but merely deluded his followers by
means of his spellbinding eloquence (which is the meaning of sihr in this context): an accusation
levelled by unbelievers of all times not merely against Muhammad but - as the Qur'an frequently
states - against most of the earlier prophets as well. The term "those who deny the truth" refers,
in this context, specifically to people who a priori reject the notion of divine revelation and,
thus, of prophethood.
10:3
VERILY, your Sustainer is God, who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons, and is established on the throne of His almightiness,6 governing all that exists. There is none that could intercede with Him unless He grants leave therefor.7
Thus is God, your Sustainer: worship, therefore, Him [alone]: will you not, then, keep this in mind? (10:4) Unto Him you all must return: this is, in truth, God's promise - for, behold, He creates [man] in the first instance, and then brings him forth anew8 to the end that He may reward with equity all who attain to faith and do righteous deeds; whereas for those who are bent on denying the truth there is in store a draught of burning despair and grievous suffering because of their persistent refusal to acknowledge the truth.9
10:5
He it is who has made the sun a [source of] radiant light and the moon a light [reflected],10 and has determined for it phases so that you might know how to compute the years and to measure [time]. None of this has God created without [an inner] truth.11
Clearly does He spell out these messages unto people of [innate] knowledge: (10:6) for, verily, in the alternating of night and day, and in all that God has created in the heavens and on earth there are messages indeed for people who are conscious of Him!
6 See surah 7, note 43. Since belief in divine revelation naturally presupposes a belief in the
existence of God as the self-subsistent fount of all being, the reference to the revelation of
the Qur'an with which this surah opens is followed by a consideration of God's creative almightiness.
7 Lit., "there is no intercessor whatever, save after His leave [has been granted]". Cf. 2:255 -
"Who is there that could intercede with Him, unless it be by His leave?" Thus, the Qur'an rejects
the popular belief in unqualified "intercession" by living or dead saints or prophets. As is
shown elsewhere in the Qur'an (e.g., in 20:109, 21:28 or 34:23), God will grant to His prophets
on Judgment Day the permission to "intercede", symbolically, for such of the sinners as will have
already achieved His redemptive acceptance (rida') by virtue of their repentance or basic goodness
(see 19:87 and the corresponding note 74): in other words, the right of "intercession" thus granted
to the prophets will be but an expression of God's approval of the latter. Furthermore, the above
denial of the possibility of unqualified intercession stresses, indirectly, not only God's omniscience -
which requires no "mediator" - but also the immutability of His will: and thus it connects with
the preceding mention of His almightiness. (See also note 27 below.)
8 I.e., He will resurrect him by a new act of creation. That the verb yu'iduhu ("He brings him forth
anew") refers here to the individual resurrection of human beings becomes obvious from the sequence.
The noun khalq primarily denotes "creation" (i.e., the bringing into being of something that did
not exist before); subsequently, it denotes the result or object of creation, i.e., a "created
being" (or "beings"); finally, it is used in the sense of "man" in the generic connotation of
this word, i.e., "mankind".
9 See surah 6, note 62 (for my rendering of hamim as "burning despair").
10 The nouns diya' and nur are often interchangeable, inasmuch as both denote "light"; but many
philologists are of the opinion that the term diya' (or daw') has a more intensive connotation, and
is used to describe "a light which subsists by itself, as that of the sun and fire" - that is,
a source of light - while nur signifies "a light that subsists by some other thing" (Lane V, 1809,
on the authority of Taj al-'Arus ): in other words, light due to an extraneous source or - as in
the case of the moon - reflected light.
11 Lit., "God has not created this otherwise than in accordance with truth" - i.e., to fulfil a
definite purpose in consonance with His planning wisdom (Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi): implying
that everything in the universe - whether existent or potential, concrete or abstract - is
meaningful, and nothing is "accidental". Cf. 3:191 - "O our Sustainer! Thou has not created
[aught of] this without meaning and purpose (batilan)"; and 38:27 - "We have not created heaven
and earth and all that is between them without meaning and purpose, as is the surmise (zann) of
those who are bent on denying the truth".
10:7
Verily, as for those who do not believe that they are destined to meet Us,12 but content themselves with the life of this world and do not look beyond it,13 and are heedless of Our messages - (10:8) their goal is the fire in return for all [the evil] that they were wont to do.
10:9
[But,] verily, as for those who have attained to faith and do righteous deeds - their Sustainer guides them aright by means of their faith. [In the life to come,] running waters will flow at their feet14 in gardens of bliss; (10:10) [and] in that [state of happiness] they will call out,15 "Limitless art Thou in Thy glory, O God!" - and will be answered with the greeting, "Peace !"16 And their call will close with [the words], "All praise is due to God, the Sustainer of all the worlds!"
10:11
NOW IF GOD were to hasten for human beings the ill [which they deserve by their sinning] in the same manner as they [themselves] would hasten [the coming to them of what they consider to be] good, their end would indeed come forthwith!17 But We leave them alone [for a while] - all those who do not believe that they are destined to meet Us:18 [We leave them alone] in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.
12 Lit., "who do not hope for (i.e., expect) a meeting with Us": implying that they do not believe
in a life after death or in God's ultimate judgment.
13 Lit., "are at rest with it" - i.e., regard the life in this world as the only reality, dismissing
the idea of resurrection as mere wishful thinking.
14 Lit., "beneath them".
15 Lit., "their invocation (da'wa) therein [will be]...", etc.
16 Lit., "their greeting therein [will be], 'Peace"'. For an explanation of the term salam and
its fundamental connotation of inner peace, fulfilment, and security from all that is evil,
see Sarah 5, note 29.
17 Lit., "[the end of] their term would indeed have been decreed for them": the implication being,
firstly, that man is weak (cf. 4:28) and therefore prone to sinning; secondly, that God "has
willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy" (see 6:12 and the corresponding note) and,
consequently, does not punish sinners without taking their circumstances into consideration and
giving them time to repent and to mend their ways.
18 See verse 7, with which this verse connects.
10:12
For [thus it is:] when affliction befalls man, he cries out unto Us, whether he be lying on his side or sitting or standing;19 but as soon as We have freed him of his affliction, he goes on as though he had never invoked Us to save him from the affliction20 that befell him! Thus do their own doings seem goodly unto those who waste their own selves.21
10:13
And, indeed, We destroyed before your time [whole] generations when they [persistently] did evil although the apostles sent unto them brought them all evidence of the truth; for they refused to believe [them]. Thus do We requite people who are lost in sin.22 (10:14) And thereupon We made you their successors on earth, so that We might behold how you act.
10:15
AND [thus it is:] whenever Our messages are conveyed unto them in all their clarity, those who do not believe that they are destined to meet Us [are wont to] say, "Bring us a discourse other than this, or alter this one.23
Say [O Prophet]: "It is not conceivable that I should alter it of my own volition; I only follow what is revealed to me. Behold, I would dread, were I [thus] to rebel against my Sustainer, the suffering [which would befall me] on that awesome Day [of Judgment]!"
19 These three metaphorical expressions are often used in the Qur'an to describe the various
situations in which man may find himself. The "calling unto God" under the stress of misfortune
describes the instinctive reaction of many people who consider themselves "agnostics" and in
their conscious thinking refuse to believe in God. See also verses 22-23 below, as well
as 6:40-41.
20 Lit., "called out unto Us against (ild) an affliction".
21 The expression musrif, which often (e.g., in 5:32 or 7:81) denotes "one who is given to excesses"
or "commits excesses" or (as in 6:141) "one who is wasteful", has in the above context the meaning
of "one who wastes his own self" (Razi) - namely, destroys his spiritual potential by following
only his base impulses and failing to submit to any moral imperative. (Cf. the very similar
expression alladhina khasiru anfusahum occurring in many places and rendered by me as "those who
have squandered their own selves".) In the sense in which it is used here, the term israf (lit.,
"wastefulness" or "lack of moderation in one's doings") is almost synonymous with the term
tughyan ("overweening arrogance") occurring in the preceding verse (Manor XI, 314), and relates to
the same type of man. The phrase "goodly seem [to them] their own doings" describes the unthinking
complacency with which "those who waste their own selves" go through life.
22 Cf. 6:131-132. The phrase rendered by me as "the apostles sent unto them" reads, literally,
"their apostles". The sinners' refusal to believe is expressed in the text by means of the
construction wa-md kdnu li-yu'minu.
23 Sc., "to suit our own views as to what is right and what is wrong". This is an oblique reference
to the highly subjective criticism of Qur'anic ethics and eschatology by many agnostics (both
among the contemporaries of the Prophet and in later times), and particularly to their view that
the Qur'an was "composed" by Muhammad himself and therefore expresses no more than his personal
convictions. - Regarding the phrase, "those who do not believe that they are destined to meet Us",
see note 12 above.
10:16
Say: "Had God willed it [otherwise], I would not have conveyed this [divine writ] unto you, nor would He have brought it to your knowledge. Indeed. a whole lifetime have I dwelt among you ere this [revelation came unto me]: will you not, then, use your reason?"24
10:17
And who could be more wicked than they who attribute their own lying inventions to God or give the lie to His messages? Verily, those who are lost in sin will never attain to a happy state 25 - (10:18) and [neither will] they [who] worship, side by side with God, things or beings that can neither harm nor benefit them, saying [to themselves], "These are our intercessors with God!"26
Say: "Do you [think that you could] inform God of anything in the heavens or on earth that He does not know?27 Limitless is He in His glory, and sublimely exalted above anything to which men may ascribe a share in His divinity!"
10:19
AND [know that] all mankind were once but one single community, and only later did they begin to hold divergent views.28 And had it not been for a decree - that had already gone forth from thy Sustainer, all their differences would indeed have been settled [from the outset].29
10:20
NOW THEY [who deny the truth] are wont to ask, "Why has no miraculous sign ever been bestowed upon him from on high by his Sustainer?"30
Say, then: "God's alone is the knowledge of that which is beyond the reach of human perception." Wait, then, [until His will becomes manifest:] verily, I shall wait with you!"
24 This argument - placed in the mouth of the Prophet - has a twofold implication. Ever since his
early youth, Muhammad had been renowned for his truthfulness and integrity, so much so that
his Meccan compatriots applied to him the epithet Al-Amin ("The Trustworthy"). In addition to
this, he had never composed a single line of poetry (and this in contrast with a tendency which
was widespread among the Arabs of his time), nor had he been distinguished by particular eloquence.
"How, then," goes the argument, "can you reconcile your erstwhile conviction - based on the
experience of a lifetime - that Muhammad was incapable of uttering a lie, with your present
contention that he himself has composed the Qur'an and now falsely attributes it to divine
revelation? And how could he who, up to the age of forty, has never displayed any poetic or
philosophic gifts and is known to be entirely unlettered (ummi), have composed a work as perfect
in its language, as penetrating in its psychological insight and 'as compelling in its inner
logic as the Qur'an?"
25 I.e., in the life to come. In this context, the "attributing of one's own lying inventions to
God" would seem to apply specifically to the wanton accusation that Muhammad himself composed
the Qur'an and then attributed it to God; and the "giving the lie to God's messages" refers to
the attitude of those who make such an accusation and, consequently, reject the Qur'an (Razi)
26 Thus the discourse returns to the problem of "intercession" touched upon in verse 3 of this surah.
Literally, the beginning of the sentence reads thus: "And they worship that which neither harms
them nor benefits them" - an expression alluding to both concrete representations and conceptual
images. It should be noted that the "they" elliptically referred to here are not identical with
the people spoken of earlier as "those who do not believe that they are destined to meet Us" (in
other words, those who deny the reality of resurrection and of the Day of Judgment): for the people
of whom the above verse speaks obviously do believe - albeit in a confused manner - in life after
death and man's responsibility before God, as is evident from the statement that they worship
imaginary "intercessors with God".
27 Thus, belief in the efficacy of anyone's unqualified intercession with God, or mediation between
man and Him, is here equated with a denial of God's omniscience, which takes all the circumstances
of the sinner and his sinning a priori into consideration. (As regards God's symbolic grant of
permission to His prophets to "intercede" for their followers on the Day of Judgment, see note 7 above.)
28 Lit., ("and then they disagreed [among themselves]". For an explanation of the term "one single
community" (ummah wahidah), see Sarah 2, note 197. In the present context, this expression alludes
not merely to mankind's one-time homogeneity, but also - by implication - to the fact, repeatedly
stressed in the Qur'an (e.g., in 7:172), that the ability to realize God's existence, oneness and
omnipotence is innate in man, and that all deviation from this basic perception is a consequence
of the confusion brought about by man's progressive estrangement from his inborn instincts.
29 Lit., "it would indeed have been decided between them regarding all that they were differing in":
i.e., had it not been for God's decree - which is the meaning, in this context, of the term kalimah
(lit., "word") - that men should differ in their intellectual approach to the problems touched
upon by divine revelation, "they would not have contended with one another after having received
all evidence of the truth", but would all have held from the very outset, and would continue to
hold, the same views (cf. 2:253 and the corresponding note 245). Since, however, such a uniformity
would have precluded men's intellectual, moral and social development, God has left it to their
reason, aided by prophetic guidance, gradually to find their way to the truth. (See also surah 2,
note 198.) The above parenthetic passage must be read in conjunction with 2:213.
30 I.e., on Muhammad, in order to "prove" that he is truly a bearer of God's message (a sceptical
objection which resumes the theme enunciated in verses 1-2 and 15-17 above); see also 6:37 and
109 and the corresponding notes, especially note 94. The pronoun "they" refers to both categories
of deniers of the truth spoken of in the preceding passages: the atheists or agnostics "who do
not believe that they are destined to meet God", as well as those who, while believing in God,
"ascribe a share in His divinity" to all manner of imaginary intercessors or mediators (see
verse 18 above).
10:21
And [thus it is:] whenever We let [such] people 32 taste [some of Our] grace after hardship has visited them-lo! they forthwith turn to devising false arguments against Our messages.33
Say: "God is swifter [than you] in His deep devising!" Behold, Our [heavenly] messengers are recording all that you may devise!
31 This answer relates not merely to the question as to why God has not bestowed on Muhammad a
"miraculous sign" of his prophethood, but also to the "why" of his having been chosen for his
prophetic mission. See in this connection 2:105 ("God singles out for His grace whom He wills")
and 3:73-74 ("God is infinite, all-knowing, singling out for His grace whom He wills")
32 I.e., the two categories of people referred to in verses 7, 11, 12, 15, 18 and 20.
33 Lit., "they have forthwith a scheme against Our messages". (The particle idha preceding this clause
is meant to bring out the element of immediacy, and is best rendered as "lo! they forthwith...",
etc.) Since God's messages are purely conceptual, the "scheming against them" obviously connotes
the devising of fallacious arguments meant to cast doubt on the divine origin of these messages
or to "disprove" the statements made in them. The above discourse on the psychology of agnosticism
and half-belief is continued in the parable of the seafarers set forth in the next two verses.
10:22
He it is who enables you to travel on land and sea. And [behold what happens] when you go to sea in ships:34 [they go to sea in ships,] and they sail on in them in a favourable wind, and they rejoice thereat until there comes upon them a tempest, and waves surge towards them from all sides, so that they believe themselves to be encompassed [by death; and then] they call unto God, [at that moment] sincere in their faith in Him alone, "If Thou wilt but save us from this, we shall most certainly be among the grateful!" (10:23) Yet as soon as He has saved them from this [danger], lo! they behave outrageously on earth, offending against all right!35
O men! All your outrageous deeds are bound to fall back upon your own selves!36 [You care only for] the enjoyment of life in this world: [but remember that] in the end unto Us you must return, whereupon We shall make you truly understand all that you were doing [in life].
10:24
The parable of the life of this world is but that of rain which We send down from the sky, and which is absorbed by the plants of the earth 37 whereof men and animals draw nourishment, until - when the earth has assumed its artful adornment and has been embellished, and they who dwell on it believe that they have gained mastery over it38 - there comes down upon it Our judgment, by night or by day, and We cause it to become [like] a field mown down, as if there had been no yesterday.39
Thus clearly do We spell out these messages unto people who think!
34 Lit., "until, when you are in the ships...", etc. As has been pointed out by Zamakhshari, the
particle "until" (hatta) which precedes this clause refers to the sudden rise of the storm described
in the sequence, and not to the "going to sea in ships". It is to be noted that at this point the
discourse changes abruptly from the direct address "you" to the third person plural ("they"):
a construction which is evidently meant to bring out the allegorical character of the subsequent
narrative and to turn it into a lesson of general validity.
35 See verse 12 (of which the above passage is a parabolic illustration) and the corresponding notes.
36 Lit., "your outrageousness (baghy) is only against your own selves". Cf. the oft-recurring Qur'anic
expression, "they have sinned against themselves" (zalamu anfusahum, lit., "they have wronged
themselves"), indicating the inevitability with which every evil deed damages its perpetrator
spiritually.
37 Lit., "with which the plants of the earth mingle".
38 I.e., they come to believe that they have gained "mastery over nature", with no conceivable limits
to what they may yet achieve. It is to be borne in mind that the term zukhruf bears almost invariably
a connotation of artificiality - a connotation which in this case is communicated to the subsequent
verb izzayyanat. Thus, the whole of the above parabolic sentence may be understood as alluding to
the artificial, illusory "adornment" brought about by man's technological efforts, not in
collaboration with nature but, rather, in hostile "confrontation" with it.
39 Lit., "as if it had not been in existence yesterday": a phrase used in classical Arabic to describe
something that has entirely disappeared or perished (Taj al-'Arus).
10:25
AND [know that] God invites [man] unto the abode of peace, and guides him that wills [to be guided] onto a straight way.40 (10:26) For those who persevere in doing good there is the ultimate good in store, and more [than that].41 No darkness and no ignominy will overshadow their faces [on Resurrection Day]: it is they who are destined for paradise, therein to abide.
10:27
But us for those who have done evil deeds - the recompense of an evil, deed shall be the like thereof: 42- and - since they will have none to defend them against God - ignominy will overshadow them as though their faces were veiled by the night's own darkness:43 it is they who are destined for the fire, therein to abide.
10:28
For, one Day We shall gather them all together, and then We shall say unto those who [in their lifetime] ascribed divinity to aught but God, "Stand where you are, you and those [beings and powers] to whom you were wont to ascribe a share in God's divinity!"44- for by then We shall have [visibly] separated them from one another.45 And the beings to whom they had ascribed a share in God's divinity will say [to those who had worshipped them], "It was not us that you were wont to worship;46 (10:29) and none can bear witness between us and you as God does: we were, for certain, unaware of your worshipping [us]."47
40 Or: "guides whom He wills onto a straight way". As regards the expression salam, rendered here and
in many other places as "peace" and elsewhere as "salvation", see surah 5, note 29. It is obvious that
the term dar as-salam ("abode of peace") denotes not only the condition of ultimate happiness in the
hereafter - alluded to in the allegory of paradise - but also the spiritual condition of a true believer
in this world: namely, a state of inner security, of peace with God, with one's natural environment,
and within oneself.
41 I.e., more than their actual merits may warrant (cf. 6:160- "Whoever shall come [before God] with
a good deed will gain ten times the like thereof"). See also note 79 on 27:89.
42 In contrast with the multiple "rewards" for good deeds, the recompense of evil will be only
commensurate with the deed itself. (See also note 46 on the last sentence of 41:50.)
43 Lit., "by a piece of the night, densely dark".
44 Lit., "you and those [God-] partners of yours": cf. surah 6. note 15. The expression makanakum
(lit., "your place", i.e., "keep to your place") bears a connotation of contempt and an implied
threat.
45 I.e., separated those who ascribed divinity to beings other than God from the objects of their
one-time adoration (Tabari, Baghawi): a metonymical phrase denoting a realization on the part of
the former that there has never been any existential link between them and those false objects
of worship (cf. 6:24, 10:30, 11:21, 16:87 and 28:75 - "and all their false imagery has [or
"will have"] forsaken them"). See also the next two notes.
46 I.e., "it was only your own fancies and desires that you worshipped, clothing them in the garb
of extraneous beings": in other words, the worship of idols, forces of nature, saints, prophets,
angels, etc., is shown here to be nothing but a projection of the worshipper's own subconscious
desires. (Cf. also 34:41 and the corresponding note 52.)
47 Thus the Qur'an makes it clear that the saints and prophets who, after their death, have been
unwarrantably deified by their followers shall not be held accountable for the blasphemous worship
accorded to them (cf. 5:116-117); furthermore, even the inanimate objects of false worship will
symbolically deny any connection between themselves and their worshippers.
10:30
There and then will every human being clearly apprehend what he has done in the past; and all will be brought back unto God,48 their true Lord Supreme, and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.
10:31
SAY: "Who is it that provides you with sustenance 49 out of heaven and earth, or who is it that has full power over [your] hearing and sight? And who is it that brings forth the living out of that which is dead, and brings forth the dead out of that which is alive? And who is it that governs all that exists?"
And they will [surely] answer: "[It is] God.50 Say, then: "Will you not, then, become [fully] conscious of Him - (10:32) seeing that He is God, your Sustainer, the Ultimate Truth?51 For, after the truth [has been forsaken], what is there [left] but error? How, then, can you lose sight of the truth?"52
48 I.e., will be brought back to the realization of God's oneness, uniqueness and almightiness -
that instinctive cognition which has been implanted in human nature as such (see 7:172).
49 The term rizq ("provision of sustenance") is used here in both the physical and spiritual connotations
of this word, which explains the reference to "heaven and earth" and, subsequently, "[man's] hearing
and sight".
50 The people referred to here are those who believe, firstly, that there are beings endowed with
certain divine or semi-divine qualities, thus having, as it were, a "share" in God's divinity; and,
secondly, that by worshipping such beings men can come closer to God. This idea obviously presupposes
belief in God's existence, as is brought out in the "answer" of the people thus addressed (cf. 7:172
and the corresponding note 139); but inasmuch as it offends against the concept of God's oneness and
uniqueness, it deprives those people's belief in God of its true meaning and spiritual value.
51 Lit., "this [or "such"], then, being God, your Sustainer, the Ultimate Truth" - i.e., "seeing that,
on your own admission, He is the One who creates and governs all things and is the Ultimate Reality
behind all that exists" (see surah 20, note 99): which implies a categorical denial of the possibility
that any other being could have a share, however small, in His divinity.
52 Lit., "How, then, are you turned away?"-i.e., from the truth.
10:33
Thus is thy Sustainer's word proved true with regard to such as are bent on sinful doings: they will not believe.53 (10:34) Say: "Can any of those beings to whom you ascribe a share in God's divinity create [life] in the first instance, and then bring it forth anew?"54
Say: "It is God [alone] who creates [all life] in the first instance, and then brings it forth anew. How perverted, then, are your minds!"55 (10:35) Say: "Does any of those beings to whom you ascribe a share in God's divinity guide unto the truth?"
Say: "It is God [alone] who guides unto the truth. Which, then, is more worthy to be followed - He who guides unto the truth, or he who cannot find the right way unless he is guided?56 What, then, is amiss with you and your judgment?"57
10:36
For, most of them follow nothing but conjecture: [and,] behold, conjecture can never be a substitute for truth.58 Verily, God has full knowledge of all that they do.
53 See surah 2, note 7, as well as 8:55 and the corresponding note 58. In this particular context,
"the Sustainer's word" seems to be synonymous with "the way of God" (sunnat Allah) concerning
deliberate sinners and deniers of the truth (Manor XI, 359). The particle anna in annahum (lit.,
"that they") is, thus, indicative of the purport of the divine "word" referred to, and is best
expressed by a colon.
54 This rhetorical question is connected with the false belief that those idolatrously worshipped beings
are no more than "intercessors" between their followers and God (see verse 18 above): and so, even their
misguided votaries cannot possibly attribute to them the power to create and to resurrect. See also
note 8 on verse 4 of this surah. In its wider sense, this question (and the subsequent answer) relates
to the God-willed, cyclic process of birth, death and regeneration evident in all organic nature.
55 See surah 5, note 90.
56 Since the concept of "finding the right way" cannot apply to lifeless idols and idolatrous images,
the above passage obviously relates to animate beings - whether dead or alive - to whom "a share in
God's divinity" is falsely attributed: that is, to saintly personalities, prophets or angels whom
popular fancy blasphemously endows with some or all of God's qualities, sometimes even to the extent
that they are regarded as a manifestation or incarnation of God on earth. As for the act of God's
guidance, it is displayed, primarily, in the power of conscious reasoning as well as of instinctive
insight with which He has graced man, thus enabling him to follow the divine laws of right conduct
(Zamakhshari).
57 Lit., "[and] how do you judge?"
58 Lit., "conjecture can in no wise make [anyone] independent (la yughni) of the truth", i.e., of
positive insight obtained through authentic revelation (to which the sequence relates). The people
referred to here (and apparently also in the first sentence of verse 53 of this surah) are the
agnostics who waver between truth and falsehood. - Some of the great exponents of Islamic Law -
foremost among them Ibn Hazm - base on this verse their rejection of qiyas ("deduction by analogy")
as a means of eliciting religious laws which are supposedly "implied" in the wording of the Qur'an
or of the Prophet's teachings, but not clearly laid down in terms of law. In his commentary on
this verse. Razi thus sums up the above view: "They say that every deduction by analogy is a
conjectural process and is, therefore, of necessity, inadmissible [in matters pertaining to religion] -
for 'conjecture can never be a substitute for truth'." (See also 5:101-102, and the corresponding
notes 120-123.)
10:37
Now this Qur'an could not possibly have been devised by anyone save God: nay indeed,59 it confirms the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations] and clearly spells out the revelation [which comes] - let there be no doubt about it - from the Sustainer of all the worlds. 60 (10:38) And yet,61 they [who are bent on denying the truth] assert, "[Muhammad] has invented it!"
Say [unto them]: "Produce, then, a surah of similar merit; and [to this end] call to your aid whomever you can, other than God, if what you say is true!62
10:39
Nay, but they are bent on giving the lie to everything the wisdom whereof they do not comprehend, and ere its inner meaning has become clear to them 63 Even thus did those who lived before their time give the lie to the truth: and behold what happened in the end to those evildoers!
10:40
And there are among them such as will in time come to believe in this [divine writ], just as there are among them such as will never believe in it;64 and thy Sustainer is fully aware as to who are the spreaders of corruption. (10:41) And [so, O Prophet,] if they give thee the lie, say: "To me [shall be accounted] my doings, and to you, your doings: you are not accountable for what I am doing, and I am not accountable for whatever you do."
59 Lit., "but" (wa-lakin)- a stress on the impossibility of any assertion to the contrary.
60 The above passage has a twofold significance: firstly, the wisdom inherent in the Qur'an precludes
any possibility of its having been composed by a human being; and, secondly, the Qur'anic message
is meant to confirm, and give a final formulation to, the eternal truths which have been conveyed
to man through a long succession of prophets: truths which have subsequently been obscured through
wrong interpretation, deliberate omissions or interpolations, or a partial or even total loss of the
original texts. For an explanation of the phrase ma bayna yadayhi, rendered by me in this context
as "whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations]", see surah 3, note 3.
61 According to the great philologist Abu 'Ubaydah Ma'mar ibn al-Muthanni (as quoted by Baghawi),
the particle am which introduces this sentence has no interrogative connotation, but is - as in
several other places in the Qur'an - synonymous with the conjunction wa ("and"), which in this
case can be suitably rendered as above.
62 Cf. 2:23 and the corresponding note 15.
63 Lit., "the knowledge whereof they do not encompass, while its inner meaning has not yet come to
them". Most of the classical commentators explain this sentence in the way rendered by me; some
of them, however (e.g., Tabari and Baghawi), interpret the term ta'wil ("final [or "inner"]
meaning") in the sense in which it is used in 7:53 (see my translation of that passage and the
corresponding note 41).
64 The verb yu'minun, which occurs twice in this verse, can be understood as connoting either
the present tense - "[such as] believe", resp. "[such as] do not believe" - or the future tense.
The future tense (adopted by me) is the meaning unequivocally attributed to it by Tabari and
Ibn Kathir; some of the other authorities, like Zamakhshari and Razi, prefer the present tense,
but nevertheless regard the other interpretation as legitimate. (See also Manar XI, 380.)
10:42
And there are among them such as (pretend to] listen to thee: but canst thou cause the deaf to hearken even though they will not use their reason? (10:43) And there are among them such as [pretend to] look towards thee: but canst thou show the right way to the blind even though they cannot see? (10:44) Verily, God does not do the least wrong unto men, but it is men who wrong themselves.
10:45
And on the Day when He shall gather them [unto Himself, it will seem to them] as if they had not tarried [on earth] longer than an hour of a day, knowing one another;65 [and] lost indeed will be they who [in their lifetime] considered it a lie that they were destined to meet God, and [thus] failed to find the right way.
(46) And whether We show thee [in this world] something of what We hold in store for those [deniers of the truth],66 or whether We cause thee to die [before that retribution takes place - know that, in the end], it is unto Us that they must return; and God is witness to all that they do.67
10:47
NOW every community has had an apostle; and only after their apostle has appeared [and delivered his message] is judgment passed on them, in all equity;68 and never are they wronged.
65 I.e., their past sojourn in this world, during which they were bound to one another by various
ties of human relationship, will appear to them like a short moment as compared with the timeless
duration of the life that awaits them after resurrection (see note 19 on 79:46), with all their
past relationships cut asunder. See also 6:94, which describes the condition of the deniers of the
truth on the Day of Resurrection: "And now, indeed, you have come unto Us in a lonely state, even
as We created you in the first instance"; and later on, in that same verse: "Indeed, all the bonds
between you [and your earthly life] are now severed...."
66 Lit., "of what We promise them" or "of what We threaten them with" - i.e., the inevitable retribution,
sometimes even in this world, which a deliberate denial of the truth brings in its wake.
67 The above verse is addressed, in the first instance, to the Prophet, and relates to those of
his contemporaries who refused to acknowledge the truth of the Qur'anic revelation. In its wider
sense, however, it is addressed to every believer who might find it incomprehensible that life-long
suffering is often the lot of the righteous, while many wrongdoers and deniers of the truth
apparently remain unscathed and are allowed to enjoy the good things of life. The Qur'an solves
this apparent paradox by making it clear that, in comparison with the life to come, the life in
this world is but a brief moment, and that it is only in the hereafter that man's destiny reveals
itself in all its true aspects. Cf. 3:185 - "only on the Day of Resurrection will you be requited
in full [for whatever you have done] ... for the life of this world is nothing but an enjoyment
of self-delusion".
68 Lit., "and when their apostle has come, a decision is made between them in all equity". This verse
stresses (a) the continuity of religious revelation in mankind's history and the fact that in the
long run no community, period or civilization (which latter is one of the meanings attributable
to the term ummah) has been left without prophetic guidance, and (b) the doctrine that God does not
punish "a community for its wrongdoing so long as its people are still unaware [of the meaning of
right and wrong]: for all shall be judged according to their [conscious] deeds" (6:131-132).
10:48
And yet, they [who deny the truth] are wont to ask, "When is that promise [of resurrection and judgment] to be fulfilled? [Answer this, O you who believe in it,] if you are men of truth!"
10:49
Say [O Prophet]: "It is not within my power to avert harm from, or bring benefit to, myself, except as God may please.69 For all people a term has been set: when the end of their term approaches, they can neither delay it by a single moment, nor hasten it."70
10:50
Say: "Have you ever considered [how you would feel] if His chastisement were to befall you by night or by day? What could there be in that prospect that people lost in sin should wish to hasten?" (10:51) Will you, then, believe in it [only] after it has come to pass - [on the Day when you will be asked, 'Do you believe in it] now,72 after having [contemptuously] called for its speedy advent?' (10:52) - whereupon those who [in their lifetime] were bent on evildoing will be told, 'Taste suffering abiding! Is this requital anything but the just due for what you were wont to do?"73
10:53
And some people 74 ask thee, "Is all this true?" Say: "Yea, by my Sustainer! It is most certainly true, and you cannot elude [the final reckoning]!" (10:54) And all human beings that have been doing evil75 would surely, if they possessed all that is on earth, offer it as ransom [on Judgment Day];76 and when they see the suffering [that awaits them], they will be unable to express their remorse.77 But judgment will be passed on them in all equity; and they will not be wronged.
69 Sc., "and since I do not possess any supernatural powers, I cannot predict that which is beyond
the reach of human perception (al-ghayb)".
70 See 7:34 and the corresponding notes 25 and 26. In the above context, the "end of the term" refers,
in particular, to the coming of the Last Hour and the Day of Judgment.
71 Lit., "What [part] thereof might the people lost in sin (al-mujrimun) wish to hasten" -
meaning, according to Zamakhshari, that "all of [God's] chastisement is awful and bitter, and
should inspire one with the desire to flee therefrom;... and there is nothing in it that ought
to make one wish to hasten it". This is an allusion to the incredulous inquiry of the deniers
of the truth about the coming of the Last Hour (verse 48 above), as well as to their sarcastic
demand that they should be immediately chastised by God in proof of Muhammad's prophetic mission
(cf. 6:57-58 and 8:32, as well as the corresponding notes).- The expression "by night or by day"
occurring in the preceding sentence denotes the suddenness and unexpectedness with which doom
is bound to encompass the evildoers on the Day of Judgment.
72 I.e., "when it is too late" (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Razi; my interpolation at the beginning of
this sentence is based on these authorities).
73 Lit., "Are you being requited for anything but for what you were wont to earn?"
74 Lit., "they" - i.e., those of the unbelievers who are wavering in their agnosticism and -
as mentioned in verse 36 above - "follow nothing but conjecture" (Manar XI, 394).
75 In this instance, by deliberately giving the lie to the Prophet and rejecting the message
of the Qur'an.
76 Cf. 3 : 91 and the corresponding note 71.
77 The primary meaning of the verb asarrahu is "he concealed it" or "he kept it secret"; thus,
the phrase asarru 'n-nadamah (expressed in the past tense but in the above context obviously
denoting a future event) could be rendered as "they will conceal their remorse". In view, however,
of the many statements in the Qur'an that on the Day of Judgment the sinners will not only not
conceal but will, rather, stress their remorse, some of the commentators (e.g., Baghawi, on the
authority of Abu 'Ubaydah) are of the opinion that in this particular verse the verb asarra denotes
the opposite of its primary meaning and, accordingly, interpret the phrase as "they will manifest
their remorse". But the linguistic validity of this rather forced interpretation has been
emphatically contested by many philologists, and particularly by Abu Mansur al-Azhari (cf. Lane
IV, 1337); and since there is no convincing reason to disregard the original significance of the
verb asarra with its implication of "concealment", the above Qur'anic phrase must be understood
(as Zamakhshari understands it), in the metonymical sense of an involuntary "concealment", that
is, the sinners' inability to express the full depth of their remorse.
10:55
Oh, verily, unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth! Oh, verily, God's promise always comes true - but most of them know it not! (10:56) He alone grants life and deals death; and unto Him you all must return.78
10:57
O MANKIND! There has now come unto you an admonition from your Sustainer, and a cure for all [the ill] that may be in men's hearts,79 and guidance and grace unto all who believe [in Him]. (10:58) Say: "In [this] bounty of God and in His grace - in this, then, let them rejoice: it is better than all [the worldly wealth] that they may amass!"
10:59
Say: "Have you ever considered all the means of sustenance which God has bestowed upon you from on high80 - and which you thereupon divide into 'things forbidden' and 'things lawful?"81 Say: "Has God given you leave [to do this] - or do you, perchance, attribute your own guesswork to God?"
78 Lit., "you shall be brought back" - for, "all that exists goes back to Him [as its source]"
(11:123).
79 I.e., a remedy for all that is contrary to truth and moral good.
80 This connects with the statement, in verse 57, that the Qur'an offers to man a complete guidance
towards the good life and spiritual fulfilment in this world, and happiness in the life to come.
As already mentioned in surah 2, note 4, the term rizq connotes all that may be good and useful
to man, be it of a physical nature (in the conventional sense of "means of sustenance") or belonging
to the realm of the mind (like reason, knowledge, etc.) or of the spirit (like faith, kindness,
patience, etc.). Thus, it applies exclusively to positive, beneficial means of sustenance, and
never to things or phenomena which are morally reprehensible and/or physically or socially injurious.
81 Lit., "and thereupon you have made some of it forbidden (haram) and [some of it] lawful (halal)".
The fact that it is God who "has bestowed upon you from on high" (anzala 'alaykum) i.e., has willed
that man should make use of - all that can be qualified as rizq, automatically makes all its
manifestations lawful (Zamakhshari). In accordance with the doctrine that everything which has
not been expressly forbidden by the Qur'an or the explicit teachings of the Prophet is eo ipso
lawful, this verse takes a clear-cut stand against all arbitrary prohibitions invented by man or
artificially "deduced" from the Qur'an or the Prophet's sunnah (Manar XI, 409 f.; see also note 58
on verse 36 of this surah, as well as 5:101-102 and the corresponding notes). In its wider sense,
the above verse relates to people who refuse to be guided by revelation and prefer to "follow
nothing but conjecture" (verse 36).
10:60
But what do they think - they who attribute their own lying inventions to God - [what do they think will happen to them] on the Day of Resurrection?
Behold, God is indeed limitless in His bounty unto men - but most of them are ungrateful.
10:61
AND IN whatever condition thou mayest find thyself, [O Prophet,] and whatever discourse of this [divine writ]82 thou mayest be reciting, and whatever work you [all, O men,] may do - [remember that] We are your witness83 [from the moment] when you enter upon it: for, not even an atom's weight [of whatever there is] on earth or in heaven escapes thy Sustainer's knowledge; and neither is there anything smaller than that, or larger, but is recorded in [His] clear decree.
10:62
Oh, verily, they who are close to God84 - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve: (10:63) they who have attained to faith and have always been conscious of Him. (10:64) For them there is the glad tiding [of happiness] in the life of this world85 and in the life to come; [and since] nothing could ever alter [the outcome of] God's promises, this, this is the triumph supreme!
10:65
And be not grieved by the sayings of those [who deny the truth]. Behold, all might and glory 86 belong to God alone: He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing.
82 Or: "Whatever discourse (qur'an) from Him".
83 Lit., "witnesses", corresponding to the majestic plural "We". The specific reference to the Prophet
and his recitation of the Qur'an (implied in the singular form of address in the first part of this
sentence) is meant to stress the supreme importance of divine revelation in the context of human life.
84 The verb waliya (from which the noun wali, pl. awliya', is derived) signifies, primarily, the
nearness or closeness of one thing to another: thus, God is spoken of in the Qur'an (e.g., in
2:257 and 3:68) as being "near unto (wali) those who believe". Although the term wali, when
applied to God, as well as to the relationship between one created being and another, is often used
in the Qur'an in the sense of "helper", "friend", "protector", "guardian", etc., none of these
secondary meanings can properly - i.e., without offending against the reverence due to God -
describe man's attitude to, or relationship with, Him. Consequently, the above reference to the
believers as awliyd' of God is best rendered as "they who are close to God", in the sense of their
being always conscious of Him. This rendering has the support of almost all the classical commentators.
85 I.e., the happiness born of the feeling of closeness to God and, hence, of spiritual fulfilment.
86 The noun 'izzah comprises the concepts of superior might as well as of honour and glory. Its
rendering into another language depends on the context, and sometimes - as in this case - necessitates
a combination of two terms.
10:66
OH, VERILY, unto God belongs whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on earth: hence, what is it that they follow - those who invoke, beside God. beings to whom they ascribe a share in His divinity?87 They follow but the conjectures [of others], and themselves do nothing but guess - (10:67) [whereas] it is He who has made the night for you, so that you might have rest therein, and the day, to make [you] see88 in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who [are willing to] listen.
10:68
[And yet] they assert, "God has taken unto Himself a son!" Limitless is He in His glory!89 Self-sufficient is He: unto Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth! No evidence whatever have you for this [assertion]! Would you ascribe unto God something which you cannot know?
10:69
Say: "Verily, they who attribute their own lying inventions to God will never attain to a happy state!" (10:70) [A brief] enjoyment in this world - and thereafter unto Us they must return: and then We shall let them taste suffering severe as an outcome of their persistent denial of the truth.
(71) AND CONVEY unto them the story of Noah - when he said unto his people: "O my people! If my presence [among you] and my announcement of God's messages are repugnant to you90 - well, in God have I placed my trust. Decide, then, upon what you are going to do [against me],91 and [call to your aid] those beings to whom you ascribe a share in God's divinity;92 and once you have chosen your course of action, let no hesitation deflect you from it;93 and then carry out against me [whatever you may have decided], and give me no respite! (10:72) But if you turn away [from the message which I bear, remember that] I have asked no reward whatever of you: my reward rests with none but God, for I have been bidden to be among those who have surrendered themselves unto Him."
87 Lit., "partners", i.e., of God (see surah 6, note 15). The substantive pronoun man ("whoever")
occurring twice in the first part of this verse contains an allusion to rational beings (as distinct
from inanimate objects) whom "those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God" consider to be
endowed with qualities or powers which, in fact, belong to Him alone. The Qur'an argues against
this idolatrous concept by pointing out that all rational beings, whether men or angels, "belong
to God" (i.e., are - like everything else in the universe - wholly dependent on Him for their
existence), possessing no divine qualities and, therefore, no reality as objects of worship.
88 See 14:32-33 and the corresponding note 46; for the specific significance, in this context, of
the reference to "day" and "night", see note 77 on 27:86, which belongs to a somewhat earlier
revelation than the present surah.
89 See surah 2, note 96.
90 Sc., "because they run counter to the idolatrous beliefs which you have inherited from your
ancestors". The story of Noah, briefly mentioned in verses 71-73, is told at greater length in
11:36-48 (see also 7:59-64). Here it connects with verse 47 above, and thus with the main theme
of this surah: the truth of God's revelation of His will through His prophets, and the suffering
which in the life to come is bound to befall those who give the lie to His messages.
91 Lit., "upon your course of action" (which is the meaning of the term amr in this context).
92 Lit., "your [God-]partners". For an explanation of this term, see Sarah 6, note 15.
93 This is a free rendering of the elliptic phrase, "and let not your course of action (amrukum)
be an uncertainty to you".
10:73
And yet they gave him the lie! And so We saved him and all who stood by him, in the ark, and made them inherit [the earth],94 the while We caused those who gave the lie to Our messages to drown:95 behold, then, what happened in the end to those people who had been warned [in vain]!
10:74
AND THEN, after him, We sent forth [other] apostles - each one unto his own people96 - and they brought them all evidence of the truth; but they would not believe in anything to which they had once given the lie:97 thus it is that We seal the hearts of such as [are wont to] transgress the bounds of what is right.98
10:75
And after those [earlier prophets] We sent Moses and Aaron with Our messages unto Pharaoh and his great ones: but they gloried in their arrogance, for they were people lost in sin. (10:76) And so, when the truth came to them from Us, they said, "Behold, this is clearly nothing but sorcery!"99
10:77
Said Moses: "Do you speak thus of the truth after it has been brought to you? Can this be sorcery? But sorcerers can never come to a happy end!"100
94 I.e., "made them outlive [the others]" (Zamakhshari). As regards the allegorical rendering of
khala'if (sing. khalif or khalifah) adopted by me, see Sarah 2, note 22.
95 See surah 7, note 47.
96 Lit., "We sent apostles to their [own] people"- an allusion to the fact that each of the apostles
before Muhammad was sent to one particular people or community, and that the Arabian Prophet was
the first and the last to bring a universal message addressed to all mankind.
97 Cf. 7:101 and the corresponding note 82.
98 See Sarah 2, note 7.
99 Lit., "this is indeed obvious sorcery": an accusation which apparently refers to the spellbinding
force of the messages conveyed to them by Moses, similar to the objections raised against the Last
Prophet, Muhammad. (See verse 2 of this surah and the corresponding note 5).
100 The implication is that what is termed "sorcery" cannot achieve more than ephemeral phenomena
lacking any spiritual content, and can never prevail against the laws of nature which, in their
totality, are described in the Qur'an as "the way of God". The story of Moses and the sorcerers
and the latters' subsequent conversion is told in greater detail in Al-A'raf and Ta Ha, both of
which were revealed before the present surah.
10:78
[The great ones] replied: "Hast thou come to turn us away from what we found our forefathers believing in and doing, so that the two of you might become supreme in this land? However, we do not believe in you two!"101 (10:79) And Pharaoh commanded: "Bring before me every sorcerer of great knowledge!"
10:80
And when the sorcerers came, Moses said unto them: "Throw whatever you may [wish to] throw!" (10:81) And when they threw down [their staffs and cast a spell upon the people's eyes102], Moses said unto them: "What you have contrived is [but] sorcery which, verily, God will bring to nought! Verily, God does not further the works of spreaders of corruption - (10:82) whereas by His words God proves the truth to be true,103 however hateful this may be to those who are lost in sin!"
10:83
But none save a few of his people declared their faith in Moses,104 [while others held back] for fear of Pharaoh and their great ones, lest they persecute them:105 for, verily, Pharaoh was mighty on earth and was, verily, of those who are given to excesses.
10:84
And Moses said: "O my people! If you believe in God, place your trust in Him - if you have [truly] surrendered yourselves unto Him!" (10:85) Whereupon they answered: "In God have we placed our trust! O our Sustainer, make us not a plaything106 for evildoing folk, (10:86) and save us, by Thy grace, from people who deny the truth!"
101 The dual address "you two" relates to Moses and his brother Aaron.
102 The above interpolation is based on 7:116; see also the second paragraph of 20:66.
103 By "God's words" is meant here His creative will, manifested in the laws of nature instituted
by Him as well as in the revelations granted by Him to His prophets (Manor XI, 468). A similar
phrase occurs also in 8:7 and 42:24.
104 Lit., "believed in Moses"; however, since the sequence shows that not belief as such but its
open profession is referred to here, I have rendered the above phrase accordingly. As for the
term dhurriyyah (lit., "offspring"), we have several authoritative statements to the effect that
it often denotes "a small group [or "a few"] of one's people" (Ibn 'Abbas, as quoted by Tabari,
Baghawi, Razi and Ibn Kathir, as well as Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah, as quoted by Tabari and Ibn Kathir);
hence my rendering. Since the Qur'an mentions (e.g., in 7:120-126) that some Egyptians, too,
came to believe in Moses' message and openly proclaimed their belief, it is reasonable to assume
that by "his people" are meant not merely the Israelites but, more generally, the people among
whom Moses was living: that is, both Israelites and Egyptians. This assumption is strengthened by
the reference, in the next clause of this sentence, to "their great ones" - an expression obviously
relating to the Egyptian "great ones":
105 If the expression 'ala khawf is taken to mean "despite [their] fear" (referring to those who did
declare their faith openly), the above sentence would read thus: "... a few of his people declared
their faith in Moses despite their fear that Pharaoh and their great ones would persecute them" -
implying, as does the rendering adopted by me, that, because of their fear, the majority did not
declare their faith openly.
106 Lit., "temptation to evil" (fitnah).
10:87
And [thus] did We inspire Moses and his brother: "Set aside for your people some houses in the city, and [tell them], 'Turn your houses into places of worship,107 and be constant in prayer!' And give thou [O Moses] the glad tiding [of God's succour] to all believers."
10:88
And Moses prayed: "O our Sustainer! Verily, splendour and riches hast Thou vouchsafed, in the life of this world, unto Pharaoh and his great ones with the result, O our Sustainer, that they are leading [others] astray from Thy path!108 O our Sustainer! Wipe out their riches, and harden their hearts, so that they may not attain to faith ere they see the grievous suffering [that awaits them]!"
10:89
[God] answered: "Accepted is this your prayer!109 Continue, then, both of you, steadfastly on the right way, and follow not the path of those who have no knowledge [of right and wrong]." (10:90) And We brought the children of Israel across the sea; and thereupon Pharaoh and his hosts pursued them with vehement insolence and tyranny, until [they were overwhelmed by the waters of the sea. And] when he was about to drown, [Pharaoh] exclaimed:110 "I have come to believe that there is no deity save Him in whom the children of Israel believe, and I am of those who surrender themselves unto Him!"
10:91
[But God said:] "Now?"111- when ever before this thou hast been rebelling [against Us], and hast been among those who spread corruption? (10:92) [Nay,] but today We shall save only thy body,112 so that thou mayest be a [warning] sign unto those who will come after thee: for, behold, a good many people are heedless of Our messages!"
107 Lit., "a direction of prayer" (qiblah) - a metaphor meant to impress upon the children of Israel
that their only salvation lay in God-consciousness and unceasing devotion to Him. The primary meaning
of misr - usually rendered as "Egypt" - is "city" or "metropolis".
108 According to most of the classical commentators, the particle li prefixed to the verb yudillu
("they are leading astray") represents in this context the so-called lam al-'aqibah ("the [letter]
lam denoting a consequence") and does not, as in many other instances, express a purpose or an
intent ("in order that" or "to the end that"). My rendering of this li as "with the result that"
is meant to bring out Moses' moral indignation at the perversity of Pharaoh and his great ones who,
instead of being grateful to God for His bounty, are using their power to corrupt their own people.
109 Lit., "the prayer of you two", i.e., Moses and Aaron, both of whom are addressed in the next
sentence as well.
110 Lit., "until, when drowning overtook him, he said". For the full story of Moses and Pharaoh,
the latter's tyrannical oppression of the Israelites and their ultimate deliverance, see Exodus
i-xiv, and especially (with reference to the above Qur'an-verse), ch. xiv, which narrates in
great detail the miraculous escape of the Israelites and the doom of Pharaoh and his forces. It
should always be remembered that all Qur'anic references to historical or legendary events
whether described in the Bible or in the oral tradition of pre-Islamic Arabia - are invariably
meant to elucidate a particular lesson in ethics and not to narrate a story as such: and this
explains the fragmentary character of these references and allusions.
111 I.e., "Dost thou repent now, when it is too late?" Cf. 4:18 - "repentance shall not be accepted
from those who do evil deeds until their dying hour, and then say, 'Behold, I now repent'."
112 Lit., "We shall save thee in thy body": probably an allusion to the ancient Egyptian custom of
embalming the bodies of their kings and nobles and thus preserving them for posterity. Some
Egyptologists assume that the "evil Pharaoh" of the Qur'an and the Bible was Ramses II (about
1324-1258 B.C.), while others identify him with his unlucky predecessor, Tut-ankh-amen, or even
with Thotmes (or Thutmosis) III, who lived in the 15th century B.C. However, all these
"identifications" are purely speculative and have no definitive historical value. In this connection
it should be remembered that the designation "Pharaoh" (fir'awn in Arabic) is not a proper name
but a title borne by all the kings of ancient Egypt.
10:93
And [thereafter], indeed, We assigned unto the children of Israel a most goodly abode,113 and provided for them sustenance out of the good things of life. And it was not until knowledge [of God's revelation] was vouchsafed to them that they began to hold divergent views: [but,] verily, thy Sustainer will judge between them on Resurrection Day regarding all on which they were wont to differ.114
10:94
AND SO, [O man,] if thou art in doubt about [the truth of] what We have [now] bestowed upon thee from on high,115 ask those who read the divine writ [revealed] before thy time:116 [and thou wilt find that,] surely, the truth has now come unto thee from thy Sustainer. Be not, then, among the doubters - (10:95) and neither be among those who are bent on giving the lie to God's messages, lest thou find thyself among the lost.
113 Lit., "We settled the children of Israel in an abode of excellence" - which latter term,
according to almost all commentators, conveys the meaning of sidq in this context.
114 Commenting on this verse, Razi says: "The people of Moses remained of one religious persuasion
('ala millah wahidah) and of one opinion, without any disagreement, until they began to study the
Torah: whereupon they became aware of the [various] problems and obligations involved, and
disagreements [regarding their interpretation] arose among them. And so God makes it clear [in
the above Qur'an-verse] that this kind of disagreement is inevitable (la-budd) and will always
occur in the life of this world." Razi's penetrating psychological comment is in tune with the
oft-repeated Qur'anic statement that proneness to intellectual dissension is a permanent
characteristic of human nature (see the last sentences of 2:213 and 253, respectively, as well
as the corresponding notes; also 23:53 and note 30).
115 Some of the commentators assume that verses 94 and 95 are addressed to the Prophet Muhammad -
an assumption which is highly implausible in view of the admonition (in verse 95), "Be not among
those who are bent on giving the lie to God's messages": for it is obvious that God's chosen
Prophet was never in danger of falling into such a sin. Consequently, Razi interprets these two
verses as being addressed to man in general, and explains the reference to "what We have bestowed
upon thee from on high" in the sense given in my rendering. This interpretation makes it clear,
moreover, that the above passage is closely connected with verses 57-58, which speak of the
guidance vouchsafed to mankind through the ultimate divine writ, the Qur'an.
116 I.e., the Jews and the Christians. The "reading" is here a metonym for belief, namely, in the
Bible, which - notwithstanding the fact that its text has been corrupted in the course of time -
still contains clear references to the advent of the Prophet Muhammad and thus, by implication,
to the truth of the divine message revealed through him. In its wider sense, the above verse
alludes to the unbroken continuity of man's religious experience and to the fact, frequently
stressed in the Qur'an, that every one of God's apostles preached one and the same basic truth.
(See in this connection the second paragraph of 5:48 and the corresponding notes 66 and 67.)
10:96
Verily, they against whom thy Sustainer's word [of judgment] has come true117 will not attain to faith - (10:97) even though every sign [of the truth] should come within their ken - until they behold the grievous suffering [that awaits them in the life to come].118
10:98
For, alas,119 there has never yet been any community that attained to faith [in its entirety,] and thereupon benefited by its faith, except the people of Jonah.120 When they came to believe, We removed from them the suffering of disgrace [which otherwise would have befallen them even] in the life of this world, and allowed them to enjoy their life during the time allotted to them.121
117 See verse 33 and note 53 above; also note 4 on 14:4.
118 Sc., "when belief will be of no avail to them": an allusion to verses 90-91, which speak of
Pharaoh's "conversion" at the point of death. Cf. also 4:17-18.
119 The particle law-la ("were it not that" or "were it not for") is sometimes synonymous with
hal-la, and could therefore be translated as "why not" ("why was there not...?", etc.). However,
neither the interrogative nor the above-mentioned literal rendering would bring out the purport
of this passage. Its meaning becomes obvious only if we remember that law-la is - apart from its
primary significance - one of the so-called huruf at-tahdid ("particles denoting insistence").
Whenever it is followed by a verb in the future tense, it expresses an urgent exhortation to do
a thing; if followed by a verb in the past tense, as in the above case, it implies reproof for
one's not having done something that should have been done. There is no idiomatic equivalent in
modern English to convey this meaning. The nearest approach to it would be, I believe, the archaic
exclamation "alack", expressive of deep sorrow or reproach; but the use of this expression (probably
a compound of "ah! lack!"- i.e., loss or misfortune) is ruled out by its obsoleteness. Consequently,
I am constrained to employ the more current interjection "alas", despite the fact that it does
not possess the intensity of the ancient "alack". At any rate, the reader must bear in mind that
the passage under consideration, although seemingly phrased in a conditional or an interrogatory
form, implies a positive statement: namely - as has been stressed by several classical
commentators, and most explicitly by Tabari - the statement that "there has never yet been...", etc.
120 The Qur'an points out in many places that no prophet has ever been immediately accepted as such
and followed by all of his people, and that many a community perished in result of the stubborn
refusal, by the majority of its members, to listen to the divine message. The only exception in this
respect is said to have been the people of Nineveh, who - after having at first rejected their
prophet Jonah, so that "he went off in wrath" (cf. 21 : 87) - later responded to his call in unison,
and were saved. For the story of Jonah, see 21:87-88 and 37:139-148, as well as the corresponding
notes; a fuller narrative, which does not conflict with the Qur'anic references, is forthcoming
from the Bible (The Book of Jonah). In the context of the passage which we are now considering,
the mention of Jonah's people - who alone among the communities of the past heeded their prophet
before it was too late - is meant to warn the hearers and readers of the Qur'an that a deliberate
rejection of its message by "those against whom God's word [of judgment] has come true" (see verse
96) is bound to result in their spiritual doom and, consequently, in grievous suffering in the
life to come.
121 Lit., "for a time", i.e., their natural life-span (Manor XI, 483).
10:99
And [thus it is:] had thy Sustainer so willed, all those who live on earth would surely have attained to faith, all of them:122 dost thou, then, think that thou couldst compel people to believe, (10:100) notwithstanding that no human being can ever attain to faith otherwise than by God's leave,123 and [that] it is He who lays the loathsome evil [of disbelief] upon those who will not use their reason?"
10:101
Say: "Consider whatever there is in the heavens and on earth!"
But of what avail could all the messages and all the warnings be to people who will not believe? (10:102) Can such, then, expect anything else [to befall them] but the like of the days of [calamity which befell] those [deniers of the truth] who passed away before them?
Say: "Wait, then, [for what will happen) verily, I shall wait with you!"
10:103
[For thus it always happens: We seal the doom of all who deny the truth and give the lie to Our messages;] and thereupon We save Our apostles and those who have attained to faith.125 Thus have We willed it upon Ourselves: We save all who believe [in Us].126
122 The Qur'an stresses repeatedly the fact that, "had He so willed, He would have guided you all
aright" (6:149) - the obvious implication being that He has willed it otherwise: namely, that He has
given man the freedom to choose between right and wrong, thus raising him to the status of a moral being
(in distinction from other animals, which can only follow their instincts). See, in this context,
surah 6, note 143, as well as - in connection with the allegory of the Fall - surah 7, note 16.
123 I.e., by virtue of God's guidance and within the compass of what He has decreed to be man's nature,
comprising the ability to discriminate between right and wrong. Since man's freedom of moral choice
expresses itself in his willingness or unwillingness to conform to his true, God-willed nature, it
can be said to depend, in the last resort, on God's grace. (Cf. in this respect surah 2, note 19,
as well as surah 14, note 4.)
124 Cf. 8:22 and 55, as well as the corresponding note 58. As in those verses, unbelief is here shown
to be the result of a person's a-priori unwillingness to use his reason with a view to understanding
God's messages, be they directly expressed in the revelations granted to His prophets, or - as the
Qur'an once again stresses in the next verse - open to man's perception in the observable phenomena
of His creation.
125 My long interpolation at the beginning of this verse is based, in the main, on Zamakhshari's
interpretation of it. It is necessitated by the fact that the adverbial conjunction thumma
("thereupon" or "thereafter") does not relate here to the immediately preceding passage but to
a theme repeatedly occurring in the Qur'an and only indirectly alluded to in verse 102 above: namely,
the experiences of the earlier prophets with their recalcitrant communities, the doom of those who
gave the lie to their messages and, in every case, a divine deliverance of the prophet concerned
and of those who followed him. Rashid Rida' describes this passage, rightly, as "one of the most
outstanding examples of the elliptic mode of expression (ijaz) to be found in the Qur'an"
(Manor XI, 487).
126 Razi explains the phrase haqqan 'alayna (lit., "as is incumbent upon Us") as denoting no more
than a logical necessity, i.e., the unavoidable fulfilment of God's "willing it upon Himself",
and not a "duty" on His part: for, neither is anything "incumbent" upon Him who has the power
to will anything, nor - as Razi points out-has man any "right" with regard to his Creator.
10:104
SAY [O Prophet]: "O mankind! If you are in doubt as to what my faith is, then [know that] I do not worship those beings whom you worship beside God,127 but [that] I worship God alone, who shall cause you [all] to die:128 for I have been bidden to be among those who believe [in Him alone]."
10:105
Hence, [O man,] set thy face steadfastly towards the [true] faith, turning away from all that is false,129 and be not among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God. (10:106) Thus, do not invoke, side by side with God, anything that can neither benefit thee nor harm thee: for, behold, if thou do it, thou wilt surely be among the evildoers!
10:107
And [know that] if God should touch thee with misfortune, there is none who could remove it save Him; and if He intends good for thee, there is none who could turn away His bounty: He causes it to alight upon whomsoever He wills of His servants. And He alone is truly forgiving, truly a dispenser of grace.
10:108
SAY [O Prophet]: "O mankind! The truth from your Sustainer has now come unto you. Whoever, therefore, chooses to follow the right path, follows it but for his own good; and whoever chooses to go astray, goes but astray to his own hurt. And I am not responsible for your conduct."
(109) And [as for thyself, O Muhammad,] follow but what is being revealed unto thee, and be patient in adversity, until God shall give His judgment: for He is the best of all judges.
127 Sc., "and call you to account on Judgment Day". The use of the pronoun alladhina in the phrase
"those whom you worship" shows that it relates here to rational beings - like saints, etc. -
and not to inanimate representations. As regards the term din (rendered here as "faith", see the
first half of note 249 on 2:256.
128 The specific reference, in this context, to God as the One who causes all living beings to die
is meant to impress upon "those who deny the truth" the fact that after their death they will be
placed before Him for judgment.
129 In classical Arabic usage, and particularly in the Qur'an, the word "face" is often employed as
a metonym for one's whole being because it is the face, more than any other part of the human body,
that expresses man's personality (cf. surah 2, note 91).- For an explanation of the term hanif,
see surah 2, note 110.
REVEALED very shortly after the tenth surah (Yunus) - that is, during the last year of the Prophet's sojourn in Mecca - Hud bears a great resemblance to the former, both in method and subject-matter. As in Yunus, the main theme is the revelation of God's will through His prophets and the manifestation of prophethood as such. Some of the stories of earlier prophets mentioned in Yunus are developed in the present surah in greater detail, and are illuminated from various angles, with a particular stress on just dealings between man and man. Paramount in this connection is verse 117, which states that "never would thy Sustainer destroy a community for wrong [beliefs alone] so long as its people behave righteously [towards one another]". (See in this connection note 149.)
Some of the authorities are of the opinion that verses 12, 17 and 114 were revealed at a later date, in Medina; Rashid Rida', however, rejects this view as unconvincing and holds that the surah in its entirety was revealed at Mecca (Manor XII, 2).
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
11:1
Alif. Lam. Ra.1
A DIVINE WRIT [is this], with messages that have been made clear in and by themselves, and have been distinctly spelled out as well2- [bestowed upon you] out of the grace of One who is wise, all-aware, (11:2) so that you may worship none but God.
[Say, O Prophet:] "Behold, I come unto you from Him [as] a warner and a bearer of glad tidings:3 (11:3) Ask your Sustainer to forgive you your sins, and then turn towards Him in repentance - [whereupon] He will grant you a goodly enjoyment of life [in this world] until a term set [by Him is fulfilled];4 and [in the life to come] He will bestow upon everyone possessed of merit [a full reward for] his merit.5 But if you turn away, then, verily, I dread for you the suffering [which is bound to befall you] on that awesome Day!6 (11:4) Unto God you all must return: and He has the power to will anything."
1 See Appendix II. In the somewhat strange opinion of Sibawayh (cf. Manar XII, 3) and of Razi in
his commentary on this verse, the letters Alif-Lam-Ra represent the title of this surah, and ought
therefore to be read in conjunction with the following sentence, thus: "Alif-Lam-Ra is a divine writ...",
etc. However, this opinion conflicts sharply with that of several earlier authorities of great
standing, e.g., Az-Zajjaj (quoted by Razi), and is, moreover, unacceptable in view of the fact
that a number of other surahs are preceded by such letter-symbols without any syntactic possibility
of their being regarded as "titles".
2 According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the conjunction thumma at the beginning of the clause thumma
fussilat (lit., "and then have been distinctly spelled out") does not denote a sequence in time
but, rather, a co-ordination of qualities or conditions; therefore my rendering. As regards my
translation of the phrase uhkimat ayatuhu as "messages that have been made clear in and by
themselves", see the first sentence of 3:7 as well as the corresponding note 5, which explains
the expression ayat muhkamat. Rashid Rida' interprets this phrase in the same sense (see Manar
XII, 3 f.).
3 The conjunction an ("that") preceding the next sentence ("that you shall...", etc.) is in this
rendering expressed by means of a colon. The interpolation. between brackets, of the words "Say,
O Prophet" is necessitated by the first-person construction of this sentence. The subsequent passage -
up to the end of verse 4 - outlines both the "warning" and the "glad tidings" referred to above,
and thus circumscribes elliptically the whole of the message entrusted to the Prophet.
4 I.e., "till the end of your lives" (for an explanation of the term ajal musamma, see note 2 on
6:2). Since God, in His unfathomable wisdom, does not always grant worldly happiness and material
benefits to everyone who believes in Him and lives righteously, it is only reasonable to assume -
as Rashid Rida' does in Manar XII, 7 ff. - that the "goodly enjoyment of life" (i.e., in this world)
promised in the above sentence relates to the community of the believers as a whole, and not
necessarily to individuals. (Cf. 3:139 - "you are bound to rise high if you are [truly] believers".)
5 The noun fadl, when used with reference to God, invariably denotes "bounty" or "favour"; in its
reference to man, it usually signifies "merit" or, occasionally, "eminence". The above verse makes
it clear that, in contrast to the partial and often only moral rewards and punishments in the life
of this world, God will, in the life to come, bestow the full measure of His favours upon everyone
who has acquired merit by virtue of his faith and his actions. (Cf. 3:185 - "only on the Day of
Resurrection will you be requited in full for whatever you have done".)
6 Lit., "the suffering of a great Day". See in this connection 9:128.
11:5
Oh, verily, they [who are bent on denying the truth of this divine writ] are enshrouding their hearts in order to hide from Him.7 Oh, verily, [even] when they cover themselves with their garments [in order not to see or hear],8 He knows all that they keep secret as well as all that they bring into the open - for, behold, He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].
11:6
(6) And there is no living creature on earth but depends for its sustenance on God; and He knows its time-limit [on earth] and its resting-place [after death]:9 all [this] is laid down in [His] clear decree. (11:7) And He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons; and [ever since He has willed to create life,] the throne of His almightiness has rested upon water.10
[God reminds you of your dependence on Him] in order to test you [and thus to make manifest] which of you is best in conduct. For thus it is: if11 thou sayest [unto men], "Behold, you shall be raised again after death!" - they who are bent on denying the truth are sure to answer, "This is clearly nothing but an enchanting delusion.12
7 Since the people referred to in this verse obviously do not believe in the divine origin of Muhammad's
message, their "hiding from God" can have, in this context, only one meaning namely, that of a
metaphor for their unwillingness to listen to the truth which emanates from Him: and this also
explains the statement that they are "enshrouding their hearts" (lit., "bosoms", as at the end of
this verse), i.e., are allowing their hearts and minds to remain wrapped-up in prejudices, thus
making them impervious to spiritual perception. See in this connection 8:55 and the corresponding
note 58.
8 The above interpolation corresponds to the meaning given to the preceding phrase by most of the
lexicographers (cf. Lane VI, 2262).
9 For this rendering of mustaqarr and mustawda', see note 83 on 6:98. The above reference to
God's all-embracing knowledge connects with the end of the preceding verse ("He has full knowledge
of all that is in the hearts of men").
10 As regards my rendering of ayyam (lit., "days") as "aeons" and 'arsh as the "throne of [God's]
almightiness", see Sarah 7, note 43. The symbolic reference to "the throne of His almightiness
resting upon water" would seem to point to the God-willed evolution of all life out of water - a
fact clearly brought out by the Qur'an (see 21:30 and the corresponding note 39) and in modern
times confirmed by biological research. This tentative interpretation is strengthened by the mention,
in the preceding verse, of "living creatures". My interpolation, between brackets, of the phrase
"ever since He has willed to create life" is in accordance with the views advanced by Rashid Rida'
in his lengthy commentary on this verse (Manor XII, 16 ff.).
11 The expression la'in (lit., "indeed, if ...") appearing here as well as in each of the next three
verses is meant to stress the typical - i.e., recurrent character of the situation to which it refers.
In my opinion, it is best rendered as "thus it is: if...", etc.
12 The term sihr, which is often used in the sense of "sorcery" or "magic", denotes, primarily, "the
turning of something from its proper [i.e., natural] condition of being into another condition"
(Taj al-'Arus); hence, it signifies any act which causes something that is false or unreal to assume
the appearance of reality. Since, however, the Qur'anic statement that "you shall be raised again
after death" is not - as has been pointed out by Razi - an "act" in the proper connotation of this
word, it would be illogical to assume that this statement could be characterized as "sorcery" even
by those who do not believe in it. On the other hand, it is obvious that they dismiss it contemptuously
as a mere "enchanting delusion" intended to prevent those who are able to do so from enjoying their
worldly life to the full (Razi) or, alternatively, to induce the poor and unfortunate to remain
passively satisfied with their miserable lot on earth: and this is the meaning of sihr in the above
context. (Cf. 10:2, where the epithet sahir - in the sense of "spellbinder"- is applied by unbelievers
to the Prophet Muhammad.)
11:8
And thus it is: if We defer their suffering until a time-limit set [by Us],13 they are sure to say, "What is preventing it [from coming now]?"14
Oh, verily, on the Day when it befalls them there will be nothing to avert it from them; and they shall be overwhelmed by the very thing which they were wont to deride.15
11:9
And thus it is: if We let man taste some of Our grace, 16 and then take it away from him - behold, he abandons all hope,17 forgetting all gratitude [for Our past favours]. (11:10) And thus it is: if We let him taste ease and plenty18 after hardship has visited him, he is sure to say, "Gone is all affliction from me!"- for, behold, he is given to vain exultation, and glories only in himself.19
13 Lit., "a time computed [by Us]", i.e., the Day of Judgment: a reference to the last sentence of
verse 3 above, where the Prophet is made to say, "I dread for you the suffering [which is bound to
befall you] on that awesome Day!" Among the several meanings which the noun ummah comprises, that
of "time" or "a period of time" is the most appropriate here (Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir and other
classical commentators).
14 For an explanation of this allusion to the attitude of the unbelievers, see 8:32 and 10:50, as
well as the corresponding notes; cf. also 6:57-58. The repeated Qur'anic references to the above
derisive query are evidently meant to show that the attitude of mind responsible for it is not
restricted to an isolated historic incident (see Sarah 8, note 32) but is symptomatic of most,
if not all, people "who are bent on denying the truth".
15 Lit., "that which they were wont to deride enfolded them (haqa bihim)". According to almost all
the commentators, the use of the past tense in the verb haqa, despite the fact that it refers to
the future, has the syntactic value of a stress, implying the inevitability of the happening to
which it relates. (See also note 9 on 6:10.)
16 The sequence makes it clear that the generic term "man" referred to in this and the next verse
applies, primarily, to the agnostics who are either unconvinced of the existence of God or are
"bent upon denying the truth"; in its wider implication, however, it applies also to those who,
while believing in God, are weak in faith and therefore easily swayed by external circumstances,
and particularly by whatever happens to themselves.
17 Lit., "he is [or "becomes"] utterly hopeless" or "despairing" (ya'us); inasmuch as he attributes
his past happy state to a merely accidental chain of causes and effects - in short, to what is
commonly regarded as "luck" - and not to God's grace. Hence, the term ya'us, in its Qur'anic
usage, is indicative of spiritual nihilism.
18 This combination of two words is necessary to bring out the full meaning of the noun na'ma' which
occurs in this form in the Qur'an only once. For my rendering of la'in as "thus it is: if ...",
etc., see note 11 above.
19 Lit., "he is exultant beyond all measure, excessively self-glorifying" - i.e., he usually attributes
the turn of fortune to his own good qualities and his supposed "good luck".
11:11
(11) [And thus it is with most men-] save those who are patient in adversity and do righteous deeds: it is they whom forgiveness of sins awaits, and a great reward.
11:12
IS IT, then, conceivable [O Prophet] that thou couldst omit any part of what is being revealed unto thee [because the deniers of the truth dislike it,- and] because thy heart is distressed at their saying,20 "Why has not a treasure been bestowed upon him from on high?" - or, "[Why has not] an angel come [visibly] with him?"21
[They fail to understand that] thou art only a warner, whereas God has everything in His care;22 (11:13) and so they assert, "[Muhammad himself] has in vented this [Qur'an)!"23
Say [unto them]: "Produce, then, ten surahs of similar merit, invented [by yourselves], and [to this end] call to your aid whomever you can, other than, God, if what you say is true!24 (11:14) And if they [whom you have called to your aid] are not able to help you,25 then know that [this Qur'an] has been bestowed from on high out of God's wisdom alone,26 and that there is no deity save Him. Will you, then, surrender yourselves unto Him?"
20 Lit., "because thy bosom is constricted [for fear] lest they say". According to all available
authorities, the expression la'alla (lit., "it may well be that") at the beginning of the above
sentence denotes a wrong expectation on the part of the opponents of Muhammad's message; it is,
therefore, best rendered in the form of a query which implies its own denial - thus: "Is it
conceivable that...", etc. As regards the expectation that the Prophet might omit a part of what
was being revealed to him, it has been reported by 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas and other Companions (
see Razi's commentary on this verse) that the pagan Quraysh demanded of the Prophet, "Bring us
a revelation (kitab) which does not contain a defamation of our deities, so that we could follow
thee and believe in thee."
21 Explaining this verse, Ibn 'Abbas mentions that some of the pagan chieftains of Mecca said,
"O Muhammad, cause the mountains of Mecca to be turned into gold, if thou art truly an apostle
of God", while others exclaimed derisively, "Bring before us angels who would bear witness to
thy being a prophet!" - whereupon the above verse was revealed (Razi). Cf. 6:8 and 17:90-93.
22 Sc., "and so it is He who will cause the truth to prevail". Regarding the Prophet's denial of
any ability on his part to perform miracles, see 6:50 and the corresponding note 38.
23 For my rendering of the particle am at the beginning of this sentence as "and", see surah 10, note 61.
24 I.e., that a divine writ like the Qur'an could have been "invented" by a human being. Cf. 2:23,
10:37-38 and 17:88, as well as the corresponding notes.
25 Lit., "if they [i.e., your poets and wise men] do not respond to your call". Cf. 2:24, where
a similar challenge is followed by the words, "And if you cannot do it - and most certainly you
cannot do it - then ...", etc.
26 Lit., "only by God's knowledge".
11:15
AS FOR THOSE who care for [no more than] the life of this world and its bounties - We shall repay them in full for all that they did in this [life], and they, shall not be deprived of their just due therein: (11:16) [yet] it is they who, in the life to come, shall have nothing but the fire - for in vain shall be all that they wrought in this [world], and worthless all that they ever did!27
11:17
Can, then, [he who cares for no more than the life of this world be compared with28] one who takes his stand on a clear evidence from his Sustamer, conveyed through [this] testimony from Him,29 as was the revelation vouchsafed to Moses aforetime - [a divine writ ordained by Him] to be a guidance and grace [unto man]?
They [who understand this message - it is they alone who truly] believe in it;30 whereas for any of those who, leagued together [in common hostility],31 deny its truth - the fire shall be their appointed state [in the life to come].
And so,32 be not in doubt about this [revelation]: behold, it is the truth from thy Sustainer, even though 33 most people will not believe in it.
27 I.e., although their good deeds will be taken fully into account on Judgment Day, they will
be outweighed by their refusal to believe in resurrection and the life to come.
28 This interpolation is based on the interpretation given by Baghawi, Zamakhshari and Razi.
29 Lit., "which a witness from Him recites", or "announces". According to Zamakhshari, Razi and
other classical commentators, this phrase refers to the Qur'an; hence my rendering of shahid
as "testimony". If, as some commentators believe, this term refers to the Prophet or,
alternatively, to the Angel Gabriel who transmitted the revelation to him. shahid should be
translated as "witness". Whichever interpretation one adopts, the meaning remains the same, for -
as Ibn Kathir points out in his commentary on this verse - "the Qur'an was revealed through
Gabriel to Muhammad, and was conveyed by the latter to the world".
30 Sc., "and shall, therefore, attain to happiness in the hereafter". The ijaz (elliptic mode
of expression) employed in this passage is comparable in its subtlety to that in 10:103.
31 I.e., in hostile, a-priori opposition to the message of the Qur'an, without really understanding
its purport. The "historical" identification, by some of the commentators, of the ahzab with the
pagan Arabs who leagued together in their hostility to the Prophet is definitely too narrow in
this context.
32 Razi suggests that the conjunction fa ("And so") preceding this sentence (which is obviously
addressed to man in general) connects with verses 12-14 above: a suggestion which is most
convincing in view of the sequence.
33 Lit., "but" or "nevertheless".
11:18
And who could be more wicked than they who attribute their own lying inventions to God?34 [On the Day of Judgment, such as] these shall be arraigned before their Sustainer, and those who are called upon to bear witness [against them]35 shall say, "It is they who uttered lies about their Sustainer!"36
Oh, verily, God's rejection is the due of all evildoers 37 (11:19) who turn others away from the path of God and try to make it appear crooked - since it is they, they who refuse to acknowledge the truth of the life to come!38 (11:20) Never can they elude [their final reckoning, even if they remain unscathed] on earth:39 never will they find anyone who could protect them from God. [In the life to come] double suffering will be imposed on them40 for having lost the ability to hear [the truth] and having failed to see [it].41
34 This is a refutation of the contention of the unbelievers that the Qur'an was composed by Muhammad
himself (cf. verse 13 above as well as 10:17) and thereupon blasphemously attributed to God.
35 Lit., "the witnesses". Most of the earliest authorities take this to mean the recording angels,
while others (e.g., Ibn 'Abbas, as quoted by Baghawi) relate it to the prophets, who, on the
Day of Judgment, will be called upon to testify for or against the people to whom they were sent.
The latter interpretation is supported by Ad-Dahhak (quoted by Tabari and Baghawi) on the basis
of 16:84, where witnesses "out of every community" are mentioned - an expression which can
obviously refer only to human beings.
36 Or: "against their Sustainer".
37 The term la'nah - which is usually, but inexactly, translated as "curse" - is in its primary meaning
synonymous with ib'ad ("alienation", "estrangement" or "banishment") in the moral sense; hence it
denotes "rejection from all that is good" (Lisan al-'Arab) and, with reference to God, the sinner's
"exclusion from His grace" (Manar II, 50).
38 Cf. 7:44-45, with which the above passage is almost identical, with only one difference: whereas in
7:45 the pronoun "they" occurs only once (and the phrase is, consequently, rendered as "and who
refuse...", etc.), in the present verse this pronoun is repeated, to express both stress and causality
("since it is they, they who refuse...", etc.)- thus implying that their refusal to believe in a
life after death is the ultimate cause of their wrongdoing. In other words, belief in resurrection,
God's judgment and life in the hereafter is here postulated as the only valid and lasting source
of human morality.
39 The above interpolation is, I believe, necessary in view of the highly elliptic character of this
phrase. According to Tabari, Zamakhshari and Ibn Kathir, the meaning is that whereas God's punishment
may befall the sinners referred to during their life on earth, it will certainly befall them in the
hereafter. Cf. also 3:185 - "only on the Day of Resurrection will you be requited in full for whatever
you have done."
40 For an explanation of the "double suffering", see surah 7, note 29.
41 Lit., "they were unable to hear and they did not see": cf. 2:7 and the corresponding note 7, as
well as 7:179.
11:21
It is they who have squandered their own selves - for [on the Day of Resurrection] all their false imagery42 will have forsaken them: (11:22) truly it is they, they who in the life to come shall be the losers! (11:23) Behold, [only] those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds and humble themselves before their Sustainer - [only] they are destined for paradise, and there shall they abide.
11:24
These two kinds of man 43 may be likened to the blind and deaf and the seeing and hearing. Can these two be deemed alike in [their] nature?44 Will you not, then, keep this in mind? 11:25
AND INDEED, [it was with the same message that] We sent forth Noah unto his people:45 "Behold, I come unto you with the plain warning (11:26) that you may worship none but God - for, verily, I fear lest suffering befall you on a grievous Day!"46
11:27
But the great ones among his people, who refused to acknowledge the truth, answered: "We do not see in thee anything but a mortal man like ourselves; and we do not see that any follow thee save those who are quite obviously the most abject among us;47 and we do not see that you could be in any way superior to us:48 on the contrary, we think that you are liars!"
42 Lit., "all that they were wont to invent": a phrase which implies not merely false imaginings
regarding the existence of any real "power" apart from God (i.e., the existence of supposedly
divine or semi-divine beings) but also deceptive ideas and "glittering half-truths meant to delude
the mind" (see 6:112 and the corresponding note) - such as "luck", wealth, personal power,
nationalism, deterministic materialism, etc. - all of which cause men to lose sight of spiritual
values and thus to "squander their own selves".
43 Lit., "two groups" - i.e., the believers and those who reject the divine writ.
44 For my rendering, in this context, of mathal (lit., "likeness") as "nature", see the first part
of note 47 on 3:59.
45 The conjunction "and" at the beginning of this sentence apparently connects with the opening verses
of this surah, and stresses the fact that the fundamental message of the Qur'an is the same as
that conveyed to man by the earlier prophets (Manor X11, 59 f.); hence my interpolation. See also
surah 7, note 45.
46 As in 7 :59, this may refer either to the imminent deluge or the Day of Judgment.
47 As is evidenced by the histories of all the prophets - and particularly that of Jesus and, after
him, of Muhammad - most of their early followers belonged to the lowest classes of society - the
slaves, the poor and the oppressed - to whom the divine message gave the promise of an equitable
social order on earth and the hope of happiness in the hereafter: and it is precisely this
revolutionary character of every prophet's mission that has always made it so distasteful to the
upholders of the established order and the privileged classes of the society concerned.
48 Lit., "We do not see in you any superiority [or "merit"] over us."
11:28
Said [Noah]: "O my people! What do you think? If [it be true that I am taking my stand on a clear evidence from my Sustainer, who has vouchsafed unto me grace from Himself - [a revelation] to which you have remained blind -: [if this be true,] can we force it on you even though it be hateful to you?49
11:29
"And, O my people, no benefit do I ask of you for this [message]: my reward rests with none but God. And I shall not repulse [any of] those who have attained to faith." Verily, they [know that they] are destined to meet their Sustainer, whereas in you I see people without any awareness [of right and wrong]! (11:30) And, O my people, who would shield me from God were I to repulse them? Will you not, then, keep this in mind?
11:31
"And I do not say unto you, 'God's treasures are with me'; nor [do I say], 'I know the reality which is beyond the reach of human perception'; nor do I say, 'Behold, I am an angel';51 nor do I say of those whom your eyes hold in contempt,52 'Never will God grant them any good'- for God is fully aware of what is in their hearts.53 [Were I to speak thus,] verily, I would indeed be among the evildoers."
11:32
[But the great ones] said: "O Noah! Thou hast contended with us in argument, and hast [needlessly] prolonged our controversy:54 bring upon us, therefore, that with which thou dost threaten us,55 if thou art a man of truth!"
49 A reference to the cardinal Qur'anic doctrine that "there shall be no coercion in, matters of
faith" (2:256), as well as to the oft-repeated statement that a prophet is no more than "a warner
and a bearer of glad tidings", implying that his duty consists only in delivering the message
entrusted to him. The plural "we" in this sentence relates to Noah and his followers.
50 This is an allusion to the contemptuous statement of the unbelievers (in verse 27 above) that the
followers of Noah were to be found only among the lowest classes of their society - thus indirectly
implying that they might perhaps lend ear to Noah if he would but rid himself of those people
(cf. 26:111). The Prophet Muhammad had, during the early years of his mission, a similar experience
with the leaders of the pagan Quraysh; several Traditions to this effect are quoted by Ibn Kathir
in his commentary on 6:52.
51 See 6 :50 and 7 : 188.
52 I.e., the poor and "abject" followers of Noah spoken of in verse 27 (see also note 47 above).
53 Lit., "all that is within themselves".
54 Sc., "without convincing us" (as is brought out fully in 71:5-6). The mounting annoyance with Noah
on the part of his unbelieving compatriots has already been alluded to in his saying, "If my
presence [among you] and my announcement of God's messages are repugnant to you...", etc. (see 10:71).
55 See the end of verse 26 above.
11:33
He answered: "Only God can bring it upon you, if He so wills, and you shall not elude it: (11:34) for, my advice will not benefit you much as I desire to give you good advice - if it be God's will that you shall remain lost in grievous error.56 He is your Sustainer, and unto Him you must return."
11:35
DO SOME, perchance, assert, "[Muhammad] has invented this [story]"?57
Say [O Prophet]: "If I have invented it, upon me be this sin; but far be it from me to commit the sin of which you are guilty."58
11:36
AND THIS was revealed unto Noah: "Never will any of thy people believe except those who have already attained to faith. Be not, then, distressed by anything that they may do, (11:37) but build, under Our eyes59 and according to Our inspiration, the ark [that shall save thee and those who follow thee];60 and do not appeal to Me in behalf of those who are bent on evildoing - for, behold, they are destined to be drowned!"
11:38
And [so Noah] set himself to building the ark; and every time the great ones of his people passed by him, they scoffed at him. [Thereupon] he said: "If you are scoffing at us - behold, we are scoffing at you [and your ignorance], just as you are scoffing at us.61 (11:39) But in time you will come to know who it is that [in this world] shall be visited by suffering which will cover him with ignominy, and upon whom longlasting suffering shall alight [in the life to come]!"
56 According to some commentators, the expression an yughwiyakum - which literally means "that He
shall cause you to err" - is to be understood as "that He shall punish you for your sins" (Al-Hasan
al-Basri, as quoted by Razi), or "that He shall destroy you" (Tabari), or "that He shall deprive
you of all good" (Al-Jubba'i, as quoted by Razi); this last interpretation is similar to the one
adopted in my rendering of aghwaytani ("Thou hast thwarted me") in 7:16 and explained in the
corresponding note 11. However, in the present context I prefer the rendering "if it be God's will
that you shall remain lost in grievous error", inasmuch as it is in conformity with the Qur'anic
doctrine of "God's way" with regard to those who persistently refuse to acknowledge the truth (see
surah 2, note 7). This interpretation is, moreover, supported by Zamakhshari in his commentary on
the above verse: "When God, knowing the persistence [in sinning] on the part of one who denies the
truth (al-kafir), leaves him in this condition and does not compel him [to repent], this [act of God]
is described [in the Qur'an] as 'causing [one] to err' (ighwa') and 'causing [one] to go astray'
(idlal); similarly, when He, knowing that a person will repent, protects him and is kind to him,
this [act of God] is described as 'showing the right direction' (irshad) or '[offering] guidance'
(hidayah)." (See also surah 14, note 4.)
57 Some of the classical commentators assume that this verse forms part of the story of Noah and his
people. This, however, is improbable in view of the sudden change from the past tense employed in
the preceding and subsequent verses ("he said", "they said") to the present tense ("do they say").
The only plausible explanation is that given by Tabari and Ibn Kathir (and mentioned also by Baghawi
on the authority of Muqatil): namely, that the whole of verse 35 is a parenthetic passage addressed
to the Prophet Muhammad, relating in the first instance to the story of Noah as narrated in the
Qur'an and, by implication, to the Qur'an as such - in other words, a reiteration of the argument
mentioned in verse 13 of this surah and in other places as well. This eminently convincing
interpretation has also been adopted by Rashid Rida' (Manor XII, 71).
58 Or: "I have nothing to do with the sin of which you are guilty" - i.e., the sin of giving the lie
to God's messages (cf. 10: 41) or of inventing lies about God.
59 I.e., "under Our protection".
60 This interpolation is necessitated by the definite article preceding the noun fulk (lit., "ship",
but rendered by me as "ark" owing to its familiar connotation in European languages).
61 Since it is obviously impossible to attribute to a prophet the levity of scoffing (Baghawi), the
meaning of the above phrase seems to be this: "If you consider us ignorant because of what we believe
and are doing, we consider you ignorant because of your refusal to acknowledge the truth and your
readiness to expose yourselves to God's punishment" (Zamakhshari and, in a shorter form, Baghawi).
Hence my interpolation of the words "and your ignorance".
11:40
[And so it went on] till, when Our judgment came to pass, and waters gushed forth in torrents over the face of the earth,62 We said [unto Noah]: "Place on board of this [ark] one pair of each [kind of animal] of either sex,63 as well as thy family - except those on whom [Our] sentence has already been passed64 - and all [others] who have attained to faith!65- for, only a few [of Noah's people] shared his faith.
11:41
So he said [unto his followers]: "Embark in this [ship]! In the name of God be its run and its riding at anchor! Behold, my Sustainer is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!" (11:42) And it moved on with them into waves that were like mountains.
At that [moment] Noah cried out to a son of his, who had kept himself aloof [from the others]: "O my dear son!65 Embark with us, and remain not with those who deny the truth!"
62 Lit., "the face of the earth boiled over" (fara 't-tannur). This phrase has been subject to several
conflicting interpretations, some of which are based on no more than Talmudic legends (Manar XII,
75 f.). The most convincing explanation is that given - among others - by Tabari, Baghawi and Ibn
Kathir on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas and 'Ikrimah: "At-tannur [lit., "oven"] denotes the face of
the earth." Razi, too, mentions that "the Arabs call the face of the earth tannur", while the Qamas
gives as one of the meanings of tannur "any place from which water gushes forth". The verb fara -
which literally means "it boiled over" - describes the raging torrents of water which "turned the
earth into springs" (Ibn Kathir; see also 54:12). This "gushing forth of water over the face of the
earth" seems to point to the inundation of the huge valley now covered by the Mediterranean Sea
(see surah 7, note 47) - an inundation which, augmented by continuous, torrential rains (cf. 54:l1),
rapidly spread over the land-mass of present-day Syria and northern 'Iraq and grew into the immense
deluge described in the Bible and in the Qur'an, and also referred to in the myths of ancient
Greece (e.g., in the story of Deukalion and Pyrrhea), as well as in Sumerian and Babylonian legends.
63 The term zawj signifies, primarily, each of the two parts of a pair, and is also used in the sense
of "a pair".'In the present context it obviously has the former meaning; consequently, the
expression min kullin zawjayn ithnayn is best rendered as above. - As regards the animals which
Noah was commanded to take with him in the ark, it is reasonable to assume that this referred to
the domesticated animals already in his possession, and not to all animals, as the Biblical narrative
would have it.
64 I.e., those who stand condemned in the sight of God because of their persistent refusal to
acknowledge the truth. See also verses 42-43 and 45-47.
65 The diminutive in ya bunayya (lit., "O my little son") is an expression of endearment irrespective
of a son's age: for instance, Noah's son appears in the above story as a grown man, while Joseph,
similarly addressed by his father in 12:5, was a child orb at the most, an adolescent.
11:43
[But the son] answered: "I shall betake myself to a mountain that will protect me from the waters." Said [Noah]: "Today there is no protection [for anyone] from God's judgment, save [for] those who have earned [His] mercy!"
And a wave rose up between them, and [the son] was among those who were drowned.
11:44
And the word was spoken: "O earth, swallow up thy waters! And, O sky, cease [thy rain]!" And the waters sank into the earth, and the will [of God] was done, and the ark came to rest on Mount Judi.66
And the word was spoken: "Away with these evildoing folk!"
11:45
And Noah called out to his Sustainer, and said: "O my Sustainer! Verily, my son was of my family; 67 and, verily, Thy promise always comes true, and Thou art the most just of all judges!" (11:46) [God] answered: "O Noah, behold, he was not of thy family, for, verily, he was unrighteous in his conduct. And thou shalt not ask of Me anything whereof thou canst not have any knowledge:69 thus, behold, do I admonish thee lest thou become one of those who are unaware [of what is right]."70
66 This mountain, known in ancient Syriac as Qardu, is situated n the region of Lake Van, almost
twenty-five miles north-east of the town Jazirat Ibn 'Umar, capital of the modern Syrian district
of Al-Jazirah. It "owes its fame to the Mesopotamian tradition which identifies it, and not Mount
Ararat, with the mountain on which Noah's ark rested.... This localization of the ark's resting-place...
is certainly based on Babylonian tradition" (Encyclopaedia of Islam I, 1059). We should, however,
remember that the designation Ararat (the Assyrian Prartu) at one time included the whole area
to the south of Lake Van, in which Jabal Rid! is situated: this might explain the Biblical statement
that "the ark rested... upon the mountains of Ararat" (Genesis viii, 4).
67 A reference to the divine command, mentioned in verse 40 - "Place on board this [ark] ...
thy family" - which Noah apparently understood as meaning that the whole of his family would
be saved, thus overlooking the qualifying clause, "except those on whom sentence has already
been passed". - Some of the commentators suppose that verses 45-47 connect with verse 43, and
thus precede, in point of time, the events narrated in verse 44 - a supposition which has caused
the modern translators of the Qur'an to render Noah's prayer, erroneously, in the present tense
(i.e., in the form of a prayer for his son's rescue from drowning). It is, however, much more
plausible to assume - as is done by Tabari and Ibn Kathir - that Noah's words were spoken after
the ark had come to rest on Mount Judi (i.e., long after his son's death) and that they represented
"an endeavour on the part of Noah to find out what would be the condition of his drowned son
[in the hereafter]" (Ibn Kathir). Consequently, the sentence relating to this son, both in Noah's
prayer and in God's answer, must be rendered in the past tense.
68 According to some commentators (e.g., Tabari and Razi), the phrase innahu 'amal ghayr salih relates
to Noah's prayer for his son, and constitutes a divine reproach - in which case it should be rendered
as "verily, this [prayer] is unrighteous conduct [on thy part]". Others, however (e.g., Zamakhshari),
reject this interpretation and relate the above phrase to the son, in the manner rendered by me.
This, I believe, is more in tune with the statement, "he was not of thy family" - i.e., spiritually,
inasmuch as he was of, or preferred to remain with, "those who deny the truth".
69 I.e., knowledge of the innermost reasons of God's decrees and of the ultimate destiny of any
human being in the hereafter: for, the answers to this "why" and this "how" lie in the realm of
things which are beyond the reach of human perception (al-ghayb).
70 I.e., "lest thou prove to be one of those ignorant who ask God that He change His decrees in
response to their own desires" (Manor XII, 85 f.).
11:47
Said [Noah]: "O my Sustainer! Verily, I seek refuge with Thee from [ever again] asking of Thee anything whereof I cannot have any knowledge! For unless Thou grant me forgiveness and bestow Thy mercy upon me, I shall be among the lost!"
11:48
[Thereupon] the word was spoken: "O Noah! Disembark in peace from Us,71 and with [Our] blessings upon thee as well as upon the people [who are with thee, and the righteous ones that will spring from thee and] from those who are with thee.72 But [as for the unrighteous] folk [that will spring from you] - We shall allow them to enjoy life [for a little while], and then there will befall them grievous suffering from Us."
11:49
THESE ACCOUNTS of something that was beyond the reach of thy perception We [now] reveal unto thee, [O Muhammad: for] neither thou nor thy people knew them [fully] ere this.73 Be, then, [like Noah,] patient in adversity - for, behold, the future belongs to the God-conscious!
71 The term salam - here translated as "peace" - comprises the notions of both external and internal
security from all that is evil. For a fuller explanation of the term, see surah 5, note 29.
72 The above interpolation is based on the consensus of most of the classical commentators. The phrase
"the people [or "generations"] from those who are with thee" points to generations as yet unborn;
but since God's blessing extends to all believers, it eo ipso comprises the believers of Noah's
generation as well; and since "those who deny the truth" (al-kafirun) are excluded from God's
blessing, only the righteous from among the offspring of these early believers are promised a share
in His grace (cf. a similar allusion, relating to Abraham's descendants, in 2:124): hence my
interpolation of the words "as for the unrighteous that will spring from you" in the next sentence.
73 See verse 35 above. Although the story of Noah had been vaguely known to the Arabs even before
the advent of the Prophet Muhammad, they - and the Prophet with them - were entirrely unaware of
the details as narrated in the preceding Qur'anic account (Razi). The use of the plural at the
beginning of this parenthetic passage ("These accounts") - in contrast with the singular form
employed in a similar phrase occurring in 3:44, 11:100 and 12:102 ("This account") - seems, in my
opinion, to indicate that it refers not only to the preceding story of Noah but also to the subsequent
stories of other prophets. In this connection it should be remembered - and it cannot be stressed
too often - that "narrative" as such is never the purpose of the Qur'an. Whenever it relates the
stories of earlier prophets, or alludes to ancient legends or to historical events that took
place before the advent of Islam or during the lifetime of the Prophet, the aim is, invariably,
a moral lesson; and since one and the same event, or even legend, has usually many facets revealing
as many moral implications, the Qur'an reverts again and again to the same stories, but every
time with a slight variation of stress on this or that aspect of the fundamental truths underlying
the Qur'anic revelation as a whole.
11:50
AND UNTO [the tribe of] 'Ad [We sent] their brother Hud.74 He said: "O my people! Worship God [alone]: you have no deity other than Him. [As it is,] you are but inventors of falsehood!75 (11:51) "O my people! No reward do I ask of you for this [message]: my reward rests with none but Him who brought me into being. Will you not, then, use your reason?
11:52
"Hence, O my people, ask your Sustainer to forgive you your sins, and then turn towards Him in repentance - [whereupon] He will shower upon you heavenly blessings abundant,76 and will add strength to your strength: only do not turn away [from me] as people lost in sin!"
11:53
Said they: "O Hud! Thou hast brought us no clear evidence [that thou art a prophet]; and we are not going to forsake our gods on thy mere word, the more so as we do not believe thee. (11:54) We can say no more than that one of our gods may have smitten thee with something evil!"77
Answered [Hud]: "Behold, I call God to witness - and you, too, be [my] witnesses - that, verily, it is not in me to ascribe divinity, as you do,78 to aught (11:55) beside Him! Contrive, then, [anything that you may wish] against me, all of you, and give me no respite!79 (11:56) Behold, I have placed my trust in God, [who is] my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer: for there is no living creature which He does not hold by its forelock.80 Verily, straight is my Sustainer's way!81
74 For particulars relating to the name Hud as well as the tribe of 'Ad, see surah 7, note 48.
75 I.e., inventors of alleged deities that have no reality in themselves (cf. 7:71, which also relates
to the story of Hud). Regarding the term muftarun, see surah 7, note 119.
76 Lit., "He will let loose the sky over you with abundance". The term sama'- lit., "sky" - is
often used in classical Arabic as a metonym for "rain", and scarcity of rains is a characteristic
of the desert country called Al-Ahqaf ("The Sand-Dunes"), the one-time habitat of the - since
vanished - tribe of 'Ad. As would appear from 46:24, the time to which the above passage alludes
was a period of severe drought, and so it is possible that the "abundant blessings" here denote
rains.
77 I.e., with madness.
78 Or: "that, verily, I am guiltless of your ascribing a share in [God's] divinity (mimmd tushrikan)....
etc. - thus rejecting the sardonic suggestion of his compatriots that one of their imaginary
deities might have stricken him with madness.
79 Cf. a very similar challenge in the last sentence of 7:195.
80 I.e., there is no living being over which He has not complete control and which is not entirely
dependent on Him (cf. verse 6 of this surah). When describing a person's humility and subjection
to another person, the ancient Arabs used to say, "The forelock of so-and-so is in the hand of
so-and-so". See in this connection 96:15-16, where this idiomatic expression occurs for the
first time in the chronological order of Qur'anic revelation.
81 Lit., "my Sustainer is on a straight way" - implying that He governs all that exists in accordance
with a system of truth and justice in the ultimate, absolute sense of these terms, never allowing
the conscious evildoer to escape the consequence of his deeds, and never letting righteousness go
unrewarded, either in this world or in the hereafter (since it is only in the combination of these
two phases that human life can be considered in its entirety).
11:57
"But if you choose to turn away, then [know that] I have delivered to you the message with which I was sent unto you, and [that] my Sustainer may cause another people to take your place,82 whereas you will in no wise harm Him. Verily, my Sustainer watches over all things!"
11:58
And so, when Our judgment came to pass,83 by Our grace We saved Hud and those who shared his faith; and We saved them [too] from suffering severe [in the life to come].84 (11:59) And that was [the end of the tribe of] 'Ad, [who] had rejected their Sustainer's messages, and rebelled against His apostles, and followed the bidding of every arrogant enemy of the truth.85 (11:60) And they were pursued in this world by [God's] rejection, and [shall finally be overtaken by it] on the Day of Resurrection.86
Oh, verily, [the tribe of] 'Ad denied their Sustainer! Oh, away with the 'Ad, the people of Hud!
11:61
AND UNTO [the tribe of] Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih.87 He said: "O my people! Worship God [alone]: you have no deity other than Him. He brought you into being out of the earth," and made you thrive thereon.88 Ask Him, therefore, to forgive you your sins, and then turn towards Him in repentance - for, verily, my Sustainer is ever-near, responding [to the call of whoever calls unto Him]!"90
82 Lit., "to succeed you".
83 For the story of the destruction of the tribe of 'Ad through violent storm-winds, see 54:19 and,
more particularly, 69:6-8.
84 I.e., the suffering which was yet to befall the rest of the tribe of 'Ad. My addition, between
brackets, of the words "in the life to come" is based on the interpretation advanced by Tabari,
Zamakhshari and Razi, according to whom the first mention of the saving of Hud and his followers
refers to the destruction of the people of 'Ad in this world, and the second, to the latters'
chastisement in the hereafter.
85 An allusion to "the great ones among them, who refused to acknowledge the truth" (7:66). Regarding
the above interpretation of the term jabbar, see note 58 on 26:130.
86 For my rendering of the term la'nah as "[God's] rejection", see note 37 above.
87 A short account of the tribe of Thamud (the "Second 'Ad" of pre-Islamic poetry) is found in
surah 7, note 56. Salih is believed to have been the second prophet, after Hud, sent to the Arabs.
88 I.e., out of organic substances which derive their nourishment - and hence their capability
of development, proliferation and evolution - either directly or indirectly from the earth (Razi).
This is evidently also the meaning of the Qur'anic references to man as "created out of dust"
(cf. 3:59, 18:37, 22:5 and 30:20).
89 See 7:74 and the corresponding notes.
90 See 2:186.
11:62
They answered: "O Salih! Great hopes did we place in thee ere this!91 Wouldst thou forbid us to worship what our forefathers were wont to worship? Because [of this], behold, we are in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, about [the meaning of] thy call to us!"92
11:63
He retorted: "O my people! What do you think? If [it be true that] I am taking my stand on a clear evidence from my Sustainer, who has vouchsafed unto me grace from Himself - [if this be true,] who would shield me from God were I to rebel against Him?"93 Hence, what you are offering me is no more than perdition!"94
91 Lit., "Thou wert among us one in whom hope was placed ere this": an allusion to Hud's outstanding
intellect and strength of character, which had probably caused his tribe to see in him their future
leader - until he startled them by his passionate demand that they should abandon their traditional
beliefs and devote themselves to the worship of the One God.
92 Lit., "we are indeed in disquieting doubt as to that to which thou invitest us". It is to be borne
in mind that the pre-Islamic Arabs regarded their gods, as well as the angels (whom they believed
to be "God's daughters"), as legitimate mediators between man and God, whose existence as such they
did not deny; consequently, they were greatly disturbed by their prophet's demand that they should
abandon the worship of those allegedly divine or semi-divine beings. The above answer of the Thamud
seems to imply that they might consider Salih's claim to be a prophet more favourably if he would
but refrain from insisting that "you have no deity other than Him": a suggestion that fully explains
Salih's retort in the next verse.
93 I.e., "if I were to suppress - in spite of all the evidence obtained through divine revelation -
the fundamental truth that there is no deity save God, and that the ascribing of divinity or divine
powers to anyone or anything beside Him is an unforgivable sin" (cf. 4:48 and the corresponding note 65).
94 Lit., "you do not add [anything] to me but perdition". Although this dialogue is related in the
context of the story of Salih and the leaders of the Thamud, its implications have - as is always
the case with Qur'anic stories and parables - a universal, timeless import. The stress here is on
the intrinsic impossibility of reconciling belief in the One God, whose omniscience and omnipotence,
embraces all that exists, with an attribution of divine or semi-divine qualities and functions to
anyone or anything else. The subtly-veiled suggestion of the Thamud (see note 92) and its rejection
by Salih has a bearing on all religious attitudes based on a desire to "bring God closer to man"
through the interposition of alleged "mediators" between Him and man. In primitive religions, this
interposition led to the deification of various forces of nature and, subsequently, to the invention
of imaginary deities which were thought to act against the background of an undefined, dimly-perceived
Supreme Power (for instance, the Moira of the ancient Greeks). In higher religious concepts, this
need for mediation assumes the form of personified manifestations of God through subordinate deities
(as is the case, in Hinduism, with the personifications of the Absolute Brahma of the Upanishads
and the Vedanta in the forms of Vishnu or Shiva), or in His supposed incarnation in human form
(as represented in the Christian idea of Jesus as "God's son" and the Second Person of the Trinity).
And, lastly, God is supposedly "brought closer to man" by the interposition of a hierarchy of saints,
living or dead, whose intercession is sought even by people who consider themselves to be
"monotheists" - and this includes many misguided Muslimms who do not realize that their belief in
saints as "mediators" between men and God conflicts with the very essence of Islam. The ever-recurring
Qur'anic stress on the oneness and uniqueness of God, and the categorical denial of the idea that
anyone or anything - whether it be a concrete being or an abstract force - could have the least
share in God's qualities or the least influence on the manner in which He governs the universe aims
at freeing man from the self-imposed servitude to an imaginary hierarchy of "mediating powers",
and at making him realize that "wherever you turn, there is God's countenance" (2:115), and that
God is "[always] near, responding [to the call of whoever calls unto Him]" (2:186; also, in a
condensed form. in verse 61 of this surah ).
11:64
And [then he said]: "O my people! This she camel belonging to God shall be a token for you: so leave her alone to pasture on God's earth, and do her no harm, lest speedy chastisement befall you!"95 (11:65) But they cruelly slaughtered her.96 And thereupon [Salih] said: "[Only] for three days [more] shall you enjoy life in your homes: this is a judgment97 which will not be belied!"
11:66
And so, when Our judgment came to pass, by Our grace We saved Salih and those who shared his faith; and [We saved them, too,] from the ignominy of [Our rejection on] that Day [of Resurrection].
Verily, thy Sustainer alone is powerful, almighty! (11:67) And the blast [of God's punishment] overtook those who had been bent on evildoing: and then they lay lifeless, in their very homes, on the ground,98 (11:68) as though they had never lived there.
Oh, verily, [the tribe of] Thamud denied their Sustainer! Oh, away with the Thamud!
11:69
AND, INDEED, there came unto Abraham Our [heavenly] messengers, bearing a glad tiding. They bade him peace; [and] he answered, "[And upon you be] peace!"- and made haste to place before them'100 a roasted calf. (11:70) But when he saw that their hands did not reach out towards it, he deemed their conduct strange and became apprehensive of them."101 [But] they said: "Fear not! Behold, we are sent to the people of Lot."102
95 For an explanation of this passage, see surah 7, note 57. 96 See surah 7, note 61.
97 Lit., "promise".
98 Lit., "they became, in their homes, prostrate on the ground". Ibn 'Abbas - as quoted by Razi -
explains the term sayhah (lit., "vehement cry" or "sound") occurring in this verse as a synonym
of sa'iqah, a "thunderbolt" or the "sound of thunder". Since the same event is described in 7:78
as "violent trembling" (rajfah), which in that context apparently denotes an earthquake, it is
possible that the "vehement sound" mentioned here and in several other places describes the subterranean
rumbling which often precedes and accompanies an earthquake and/or the thunderlike noise of a
volcanic eruption (see surah 7, note 62). However, in view of the repeated use of this expression
in varying contexts, we may assume that it has the more general meaning of "blast of punishment"
or - as in 50:42, where it indicates the Last Hour - of "final blast".
99 The Qur'an does not state in so many words that these guests of Abraham were angels; but since
the term rusuluna ("Our messengers") is often used in the sense of heavenly messengers, all the
classical commentators interpret it thus in the above context. For the contents of the "glad tiding"
referred to here, see verse 71 below.- The reason for prefacing the story of Lot with an episode
from Abraham's life lies in the latter's subsequent pleading in behalf of the sinful people of
Sodom (verses 74-76) and also, possibly, in God's earlier promise to him, "Behold, I shall make
thee a leader of men" (see 2:124), which must have imbued him with an enhanced sense of moral
responsibility not only for his own family but also for the people with whom he was indirectly
connected through his nephew Lot (Lut in Arabic).
100 Lit., "and did not delay in bringing". Regarding the deeper implications of the word "peace"
(salam) as used in this passage, see surah 5, note 29.
101 Lit., "he did not know [what to make of] them and conceived fear of them". Since they were angels,
they did not eat (contrary to the Biblical statement in Genesis xviii, 8); and since, in the
Arabian tradition of hospitality, a stranger's refusal to partake of the food offered him is
an indication of unfriendly intent, Abraham - who until then had not realized that his guests
were angels - became apprehensive of possible hostility on their part.
102 According to the Biblical account (not contradicted by the Qur'an), Lot, a son of Abraham's
brother, lived to the east of the Jordan, in the vicinity of what is today the Dead Sea (called
in Arabic Bahr Lut, "Lot's Sea"). The "people of Lot" were not actually the latter's community, for
he - like Abraham - was a native of Ur in southern Babylonia, and had migrated thence with his uncle:
hence, throughout the Qur'an, the expression "Lot's people" designates the inhabitants of the town
(or country) of Sodom, among whom he had chosen to live, and with regard to whom he was entrusted
with a prophetic mission.
11:71
And his wife, standing [nearby], laughed [with happiness]103; whereupon We gave her the glad tiding of [the birth of] Isaac and, after Isaac, of [his son] Jacob. (11:72) Said she: "Oh, woe is me!104 Shall I bear a child, now that I am an old woman and this husband of mine is an old man? Verily, that would be a strange thing indeed!"
11:73
Answered [the messengers]: "Dost thou deem it strange that God should decree what He wills?105 The grace of God and His blessings be upon you, O people of this house! Verily, ever to be praised, sublime is He!" (11:74) And when the fear had left Abraham, and the glad tiding had been conveyed to him, he began to plead with Us for Lot's people:106 (11:75) for, behold, Abraham was most clement, most tender-hearted, intent upon turning to God again and again.
11:76
[But God's messengers replied:] "O Abraham! Desist from this [pleading]! Behold, thy Sustainer's judgment has already gone forth: and, verily, there shall fall upon them a chastisement which none can avert!"
103 I.e., on realizing that the strangers were God's messengers, and that she and Abraham had nothing
to fear from them (Zamakhshari): hence the interpolation of the words "with happiness". This differs
from the Biblical statement (Genesis xviii, 12-15), according to which Sarah "laughed within
herself" at the announcement that she, an old woman, would give birth to a son: for in the above
Qur'anic passage this announcement comes after the statement that she laughed, and is introduced
by the conjunctive particle fa, which in this context denotes "and thereupon" or "whereupon".
104 This expression of grief obviously relates to her past barrenness as well as to her fear
that this astonishing announcement might prove illusory.
105 Lit., "Art thou astonished at God's decree"" - or: "dost thou find God's decree sstrange?"
However, the real meaning of this rhetorical question can only be brought out by paraphrasing
it in the manner attempted by me: namely, as an echo of the statement, repeated several times in
the Qur'an: "When God wills a thing to be, He but says unto it, 'Be'- and it is."
106 According to all commentators, this means "he pleaded [lit., "argued"] with Our messengers"
(who, as is evident from 29:31, had announced to him the impending doom of Sodom and Gomorrah),
and not with God Himself.
11:77
AND WHEN Our messengers came unto Lot, he was sorely grieved on their account, seeing that it was beyond his power to shield them;107 and he exclaimed: "This is a woeful day!" (11:78) And his people came running to him, impelled towards his house [by their desire]:108 for they had ever been wont to commit [such], abominations.
Said [Lot]: "O my people! [Take instead] these daughters of mine: they are purer for you [than men]!109 Be, then, conscious of God, and disgrace me not by [assaulting] my guests. Is there not among you even one right-minded man?"
11:79
They answered: "Thou hast always known that we have no use whatever for thy daughters;110 and, verily, well dost thou know what we want!" (11:80) Exclaimed [Lot]: "Would that I had the strength to defeat you, or that I could lean upon some mightier support!"111
11:81
[Whereupon the angels] said: "O Lot! Behold, we are messengers from thy Sustainer! Never shall [thy enemies] attain to thee! Depart, then, with thy household while it is yet night, and let none of you look back;112 [and take with thee all thy family] with the exception of thy wife: for, behold, that which is to befall these [people of Sodom] shall befall her [as well].113 Verily, their appointed time is the morning [and] is not the morning nigh?"
107 Lit., "he was straitened as regards the reach of his arm in their behalf" - an idiomatic
phrase often used in classical Arabic, denoting here Lot's utter inability to afford his guests
protection from the people of Sodom, whose homosexual propensities have ever since been commemorated
in the term "sodomy". Since Lot thought that the strangers were no more than handsome young men,
he felt certain that they would be sexually assaulted by his sinful countrymen.
108 Lit., "towards him" - but since their desire was obviously directed at Lot's guests, and not
at himself, my rendering would seem appropriate. It is to be noted that in its passive form, as
used here, the verb yuhra'un does not merely mean "they came running" but, rather, "running as if
driven onward by some force" (Zamakhshari)- in this case, the force of their perverse desire.
109 Most of the commentators are of the opinion that the phrase "these daughters of mine" signifies
here "the daughters of my community" (since a prophet is the spiritual father of his people). But
whether this is the case, or whether - as is more probable - Lot's words refer to his actual
daughters, there is no doubt that in their wider implication they point to the natural relationship
between man and woman as contrasted with the perverse desires of the men of Sodom.
110 Lit., "no claim whatever to thy daughters".
111 Lit., "or that I could betake myself to some mighty support". Although some of the commentators
are of the opinion that this expression denotes "tribal support" (which was, however, unavailable to
Lot inasmuch as he was a stranger in Sodom), we have a number of authentic Traditions (extensively
quoted by Tabari) to the effect that what Lot meant was God's support: for the Prophet Muhammad,
referring to this Qur'anic passage, is reported to have said, "God bestowed His grace upon Lot, for
he betook himself indeed unto a mighty support!"
112 I.e., in an abstract sense, "to what you are leaving behind" (Razi)- evidently meaning the severing
of all associations with the sinful city, and not a physical looking-back.
113 Cf. 7:83 and the corresponding note, as well as 66:10, where it is mentioned that Lot's wife,
who was apparently a native of Sodom, had acted faithlessly towards her husband, i.e., had refused
to believe in his prophetic mission; and her story was thereupon "propounded as a parable of those
who are bent on denying the truth".
11:82
And so, when Our judgment came to pass, We turned those [sinful towns] upside down, and rained down upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement pre-ordained.114 one upon another, (11:83) marked out in thy Sustainer's sight [for the punishment of such as are lost in sin].
And these [blows of God-willed doom] are never far from evildoers!115
11:84
AND UNTO [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb.116 He said: "O my people! Worship God [alone]: you have no deity other than Him; and do not give short measure and weight [in any of your dealings with men].117 Behold, I see you [now] in a happy state; but, verily, I dread lest suffering befall you on a Day that will encompass [you with doom]! (11:85) Hence, O my people, [always] give full measure and weight, with equity, and do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs,118 and do not act wickedly on earth by spreading corruption. (11:86) That which rests with God119 is best for you, if you but believe [in Him]! However, I am not your keeper."
114 Lit., "stones of sijjil", which latter noun is regarded by some philologists as the Arabicized
form of the Persian sang-i-gil ("clay-stone" or "petrified clay"): cf. Qamus and Taj al-'Arus.
If this supposition is correct, the "stones of petrified clay" would be more or less synonymous
with "brimstones", which in its turn would point to a volcanic eruption, probably in conjunction
with a severe earthquake (alluded to in the preceding phrase, "We turned those [sinful towns]
upside down"). But there is also a strong probability, pointed out by Zamakhshari and Razi, that
the term sijjil is of purely Arabic origin - namely, a synonym of sijjil, which primarily signifies
"a writing", and secondarily, "something that has been decreed": in which case the expression
hijarah min sijjil can be understood in a metaphorical sense, namely, as "stones of all the
chastisement laid down in God's decree" (Zamakhshari and Razi, both in conjunction with the above
verse and in their commentaries on 105:4). It is, I believe, this metaphorical meaning of
"stone-hard blows of chastisement pre-ordained", i.e., of God-willed doom, that the concluding
sentence of the next verse alludes to.
115 According to some of the earliest Qur'an-commentators (e.g., Qatadah and 'Ikrimah, as quoted
by Tabari), this threat of ultimate doom applies to evildoers of all times - which further supports
the assumption that the expression hijarah min sijjil has a metaphorical connotation.
116 See surah 7, note 67.
117 Thus, belief in the One God and justice in all dealings between man and man (see surah 6, note 150)
are here placed together as the twin postulates of all righteousness. Some commentators assume that
the people of Madyan were of a particularly commercial bent of mind, and given to fraudulent dealings.
It is obvious, however, that the purport of this passage and of its sequence goes far beyond
anything that might be construed by a purely "historical" interpretation. What this version of Shu'ayb's
story aims at is - as always in the Qur'an - the enunciation of a generally applicable principle
of ethics: namely, the impossibility of one's being righteous with regard to God unless one is
righteous - in both the moral and social senses of this word - in the realm of human relationships
as well. This explains the insistence with which the above prohibition is re-stated in a positive
form, as an injunction, in the next verse.
118 See surah 7, note 68.
119 I.e., the lasting merit achieved by virtue of good deeds and fair dealings with one's fellow-men
(cf. the expression al-baqiyat as-salihat in 18:46 and 19:76).
11:87
Said they: "O Shu'ayb! Does thy [habit of] praying compel thee to demand of us120 that we give up all that our forefathers were wont to worship, or that we refrain from doing whatever we please with our possessions?121 Behold, [thou wouldst have us believe that] thou art indeed the only clement, the only right-minded man!"
11:88
He answered: "O my people! What do you think? If [it be true that] I am taking my stand on a clear evidence from my Sustainer, who has vouchsafed me goodly sustenance [as a gift] from Himself - [how could I speak to you otherwise than I do]?122 And yet, I have no desire to do, out of opposition to you, what I am asking you not to do: 123 I desire no more than to set things to rights in so far as it lies within my power; but the achievement of my aim depends on God alone. In Him have I placed my trust, and unto Him do I always turn!
11:89
"And, O my people, let not [your] dissent from me drive you into sin, lest there befall you the like of what befell the people of Noah, or the people of Hud. or the people of Salih: and [remember that] the people of Lot lived not very far from you!"124 (11:90) Hence, ask your Sustainer to forgive you your sins, and then turn towards Him in repentance - for, verily, my Sustainer is a dispenser of grace, a fount of love!"
(91) [But his people] said: "O Shu'ayb! We cannot grasp the purport of much of what thou sayest;125 on the other hand, behold, we do see clearly how weak thou art in our midst:126 and were it not for thy family, we would have most certainly stoned thee to death, considering that thou hast no power over us!"
120 Lit., "Do thy prayers command thee...", etc.
121 I.e., without regard to the rights and needs of others, especially the poor: hence their
sarcastic reference, in the next sentence, to Shu'ayb's clemency and right-mindedness.
122 According to Zamakhshari, Razi and several other commentators, the clause interpolated here
between brackets is elliptically implied in Shu'ayb's answer. His stress on the fact that God has
graced him amply with worldly goods is meant to remind his countrymen that it is not self-interest
that causes him to ask them to be fair in their dealings with their fellow-men.
123 I.e., "I do not aim at depriving you of what is rightfully yours" - a reference to verse 85 above.
124 As pointed out in surah 7, note 67, the region inhabited by Shu'ayb's people extended from what
is known today as the Gulf of 'Aqabah to the mountains of Moab, east of the Dead Sea, in the
vicinity of which Sodom and Gomorrah were situated.
125 Cf. 6:25. In the present instance. however, the self-confessed lack of understanding on the part
of the people of Madyan may have a more subjective meaning, similar to the half-indignant,
half-embarrassed retort. "I don't know what you are talking about."
126 Lit., "we regard thee indeed as a weak one among us" - i.e., without any appreciable tribal support.
11:92
Said he: "O my people! Do you hold my family in greater esteem than God? - for, Him you regard as something that may be cast behind you and be forgotten!127 Verily, my Sustainer encompasses [with His might] all that you do! (11:93) Hence, O my people, do [to me] anything that may be within your power, [while] I, behold, shall labour [in God's way]; in time you will come to know which [of us] shall be visited by suffering that will cover him with ignominy, and which [of us] is a liar. Watch, then, [for what is coming:] behold, I shall watch with you!"
11:94
And so, when Our judgment came to pass, by Our grace We saved Shu'ayb and those who shared his faith, whereas the blast [of Our punishment] overtook those who had been bent on evildoing: and then they lay lifeless, in their very homes, on the ground,128 (11:95) as though they had never lived there.
Oh, away with [the people of] Madyan, even as the Thamud have been done away with!
11:96
AND, INDEED, We sent Moses with Our messages and a manifest authority [from Us] (11:97) unto Pharaoh and his great ones: but these followed [only] Pharaoh's bidding - and Pharaoh's bidding led by no means to what is right.129 (11:98) [And so] he shall go before his people on the Day of Resurrection, having led them [in this world] towards the fire [of the life to come]; and vile was the destination towards which they were led - (11:99) seeing that they were pursued by [God's] rejection in this [world], and [shall be finally overtaken by it] on the Day of Resurrection;130 [and] vile was the gift which they were given!
127 In classical Arabic usage, as well as in the speech of certain bedouin tribes to this day, the
phrase ittakhadhahu (or ja'lahu) zihriyyan (lit., "he put him behind his back") has the meaning of
"he held him in contempt", or "he forgot him", or "regarded him as something that may be forgotten".
This last rendering seems to be the most appropriate in the above context.
128 See verse 67 of this surah and the corresponding note 98; also surah 7, note 73.
129 Lit., "was not right-guided (rashid)". The short passage dealing with Pharaoh and his followers.
(verses 96-99) connects with, and amplifies, the reference to the tribe of 'Ad, who "followed the
bidding of every arrogant enemy of the truth" (verse 59 of this surah). Thus, the main point of this
passage is the problem of immoral leadership and, arising from it, the problem of man's individual,
moral responsibility for wrongs committed in obedience to a "higher authority". The Qur'an answers
this question emphatically in the affirmative: the leader and the led are equally guilty, and none
can be absolved of responsibility on the plea that he was but blindly following orders given by those
above him. This indirect allusion to man's relative free will - i.e., his freedom of choice between
right and wrong - fittingly concludes the stories of the earlier prophets and their wrongdoing
communities as narrated in this surah.
130 See note 37 on the last clause of verse 18 of this surah, as well as verse 60, which refers in
identical terms to the destiny of the tribe of 'Ad.
11:100
THIS ACCOUNT131 of the [fate of those ancient] communities - some of them still remaining, and some [extinct like] a field mown-down - We convey unto thee [as a lesson for mankind]:132 (11:101) for, no wrong did We do to them, but it was they who wronged themselves. And when thy Sustainer's judgment came to pass, those deities of theirs which they had been wont to invoke instead of God proved of no avail whatever to them, and brought them no more than utter perdition.
11:102
And such is thy Sustainer's punishing grasp whenever He takes to task any community that is given to evildoing: verily, His punishing grasp is grievous, severe!
11:103
Herein, behold, lies a message indeed for all who fear the suffering [which may befall them] in the life to come, (and are conscious of the coming of] that Day on which all mankind shall be gathered together - that Day [of Judgment] which shall be witnessed [by all that ever lived], (11:104) and which We shall not delay beyond a term set [by Us].133
11:105
When that Day comes, not a soul will speak, unless it be by His leave; and of those [that are gathered together], some will be wretched and some, happy. (11:106) Now as for those who [by their deeds] will have brought wretchedness upon themselves, [they shall live] in the fire, where they will have [nothing but] moans and sobs [to relieve their pain], (11:107) therein to abide as long as the heavens and the earth endure - unless thy Sustainer wills it otherwise: 134 for, verily, thy Sustainer is a sovereign doer of whatever He wills.
131 Lit., "This of the accounts" (a construction identical with that employed in 3:44, 11:49 and 12:102),
alluding to the fact that only certain aspects of the relevant stories, and not the complete stories
as such, are presented here (cf. verse 120 below): the purpose being, as always in the Qur'an, the
illustration of an ethical principle or principles, and of men's varying reactions to the guidance
which God offers them directly through His prophets and indirectly through the observable phenomena
of His creation. (See in this connection the second part of note 73 on verse 49 of this surah.)
132 See preceding note.
133 Lit., "except till a term computed [by Us]".
134 I.e., unless God wills to reprieve them (cf. the last paragraph of 6:128 and the corresponding
note 114, as well as note 10 on 40:12). The phrase "as long as the heavens and the earth endure"
has caused some perplexity to most of the classical commentators in view of the many Qur'anic
statements to the effect that the world as we know it will come to an end on the Last Day, which
is synonymous with the Day of Resurrection. This difficulty, however, can be resolved if we remember -
as Tabari points out in his commentary on the above verse - that in ancient Arabic usage the
expressions "as long as the heavens and the earth endure", or "as long as night and day alternate",
etc., were used metonymically in the sense of "time beyond count" (abad). See also 20:105-107
and the corresponding note 90, as well as note 63 on 14:48.
11:108
But as for those who [by virtue of their past deeds] will have been blest with happiness, [they shall live] in paradise, therein to abide as long as the heavens and the earth endure - unless thy Sustainer wills it otherwise135 - as a gift unceasing.
11:109
AND SO, [O Prophet,] be not in doubt about anything that those [misguided people] worship:136 they but [thoughtlessly] worship as their forefathers worshipped aforetime; and, behold, We shall most certainly give them their full due [for whatever good or evil they have earned], without diminishing aught thereof.137
11:110
And, indeed, [similar was the case when] We vouchsafed the divine writ unto Moses, and some of his people set their own views against it;138 and had it not been for a decree that had already gone forth from thy Sustainer, judgment would indeed have been passed on them [then and there]:139: for, behold, they were in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, about him [who called them unto God].140
135 I.e., unless God wills to bestow on them a yet greater reward (Razi; also Manar XII, 161); or -
which to my mind is more probable - unless He opens up to man a new, yet higher stage of evolution.
136 I.e., "do not think that their beliefs are based on reason": a reference, primarily, to the pagan
Arabs who - like the wrongdoers spoken of in the preceding passages - rejected God's message on
the plea that it conflicted with their ancestral beliefs; and, more generally, to all people who
are accustomed to worship.(in the widest sense of this word) false values handed down from their
ancestors and who, consequently, observe false standards of morality: an attitude which must
unavoidably - as the last sentence of this verse shows - result in future suffering, be it in
this world or in the hereafter, or in both.
137 Lit., "We shall repay them their portion in full, undiminished". For an explanation of this
sentence, see note 27 on verses 15-16 of this surah.
138 Lit., "and it was disagreed upon", or "discordant views came to be held about it": meaning
that, like Muhammad's early contemporaries, some of Moses' people accepted the divine writ, whereas
others refused to submit to its guidance.
139 Lit., "it would indeed have been decided between them" - i.e., they would have been punished,
like those communities of old, by utter destruction, had it not been for God's decree (kalimah,
lit., "word") that their punishment should be deferred until the Day of Resurrection (cf. the
last sentence of 10:93 and the corresponding note 114).
140 Cf. 2:55 - "O Moses, indeed we shall not believe thee until we see God face to face!"
11:111
And, verily, unto each and all will thy Sustainer give their full due for whatever [good or evil] they may have done: behold, He is aware of all that they do! (11:112) Pursue, then, the right course, as thou hast been bidden [by God], together with all who, with thee, have turned unto Him; and let none of you behave in an overweening manner:141 for, verily, He sees all that you do.
11:113
And do not incline towards, nor rely upon, those who are bent on evildoing 142 lest the fire [of the hereafter] touch you: for [then] you would have none to protect you from God, nor would you ever be succoured [by Him].143
11:114
And be constant in praying at the beginning and the end144 of the day, as well as during the early watches of the night: 145 for, verily, good deeds drive away evil deeds: this is a reminder to all who bear [God] in mind. (11:115) And be patient in adversity: for, verily,. God does not fail to requite the doers of good!
11:116
BUT, ALAS, among those generations [whom We destroyed] before your time there were no people endowed with any virtue146 - [people] who would speak out against the [spread of] corruption on earth - except the few of them whom We saved [because of their righteousness], whereas those who were bent on evildoing only pursued pleasures which corrupted their whole being,147 and so lost themselves in sinning.
141 Explaining this injunction, expressed in the second person plural, Ibn Kathir points out that it
is addressed to all believers, and that it refers to their behaviour towards everyone, be he
believer or unbeliever; in this he obviously relies on the interpretation advanced by Ibn 'Abbas
(and quoted by Razi): "It means, 'Be humble before God and do not behave with false pride towards
anyone'." According to some later commentators (e.g., Tabari, Zamakhshari, Baghawi, Razi), the
meaning is wider, namely, "do not overstep the bounds of what God has ordained", or "do not exceed
the limits of equity".
142 The verb rakana comprises the concepts of inclining (in one's feelings or opinions) towards, as
well as of relying on, someone or something, and cannot be translated by a single word; hence my
composite rendering of the phrase la tarkanu. The use of the past tense in alladhina zalamu
indicates - as is often the case in the Qur'an - deliberate and persistent evildoing; this term
is, therefore, suitably rendered as "those who are bent on evildoing".
143 According to Zamakhshari, the particle thumma at the beginning of this last clause does not
signify a sequence in time ("and then" or "afterwards") but, rather, a stress on the impossibility
(istib'ad) of their ever being succoured by God.
144 Lit., "at the two ends".
145 This injunction circumscribes all the obligatory prayers without specifying either their form or
the exact times of their performance, both of which are clearly laid down in the sunnah (i.e., the
authenticated sayings and the practice) of the Prophet: namely, at dawn (fajr), shortly after
mid-day (zuhr), in the afternoon ('asr), immediately after sunset (maghrib), and in the first part
of the night ('ishn'). Inasmuch as the above verse stresses the paramount importance of prayer in
general, it is safe to assume that it refers not merely to the five obligatory prayers but to a
remembrance of God at all times of one's wakeful life.
146 For my rendering of the particle law-la, at the beginning of this sentence, as "alas", see
surah 10, note 119. The present passage connects with the statement in the preceding verse, "God
does not fail to requite the doers of good", as well as with verse 111 above, "unto each and all
will thy Sustainer give their due for whatever [good or evil] they may have done". - For the wider
implications of the term garn ("generation"), see surah 6, note 5.
147 The verb tarifa means "he enjoyed a life of ease and plenty", while the participle mutraf denotes
"one who enjoys a life of ease and plenty" or "indulges in the pleasures of life", i.e., to the
exclusion of moral considerations. The form mutarraf has an additional significance, namely, "one
whom a life of softness and ease has caused to behave insolently", or "one whom the [exclusive]
pursuit of the pleasures of life has corrupted" (Mughni ). Hence my above rendering of the phrase
and utrifu fihi.
11:117
For, never would thy Sustainer destroy a community148 for wrong [beliefs alone] so long as its people behave righteously [towards one another]. 149 (11:118) And had thy Sustainer so willed, He could surely have made all mankind one single community: but [He willed it otherwise, and so] they continue to hold divergent views150 - (119) [all of them,] save those upon whom thy Sustainer has bestowed His grace.151
And to this end has He created them [all].152
But [as for those who refuse to avail themselves of divine guidance,] that word of thy Sustainer shall be fulfilled: "Most certainly will I fill hell with invisible beings as well as with humans, all together!"153
148 See surah 6, note 116.
149 This passage connects with the concluding clause of the preceding verse, "and lost themselves in
sinning". According to most of the classical commentators, the term zulm (lit., "wrong" or "evildoing")
is in this context synonymous with "wrong beliefs" amounting to a denial of the truths revealed by
God through His prophets, a refusal to acknowledge His existence, or the ascribing of divine powers
or qualities to anyone or anything beside Him. Explaining the above verse in this sense, Razi says:
"God's chastisement does not afflict any people merely on account of their holding beliefs amounting
to shirk and kufr, but afflicts them only if they persistently commit evil in their mutual dealings,
and deliberately hurt (other human beings] and act tyranically [towards them]. Hence, those who are
learned in Islamic Law (al-fuqaha') hold that men's obligations towards God rest on the principle
of [His] forgiveness and liberality, whereas the rights of man are of a stringent nature and must
always be strictly observed" - the obvious reason being that God is almighty and needs no defender,
whereas man is weak and needs protection. (Cf. the last sentence of 28:59 and the corresponding note 61.)
150 I.e., about everything, even about the truths revealed to them by God. - For a discussion of the
term ummah wahidah ("one single community") and its wider implications, see surah 2, notes 197 and
198; the second part of 2:253 and the corresponding note 245; and the second part of 5 :48 and the
corresponding notes 66 and 67. Thus, the Qur'an stresses once again that the unceasing differentiation
in men's views and ideas is not incidental but represents a God-willed, basic factor of human
existence. If God had willed that all human beings should be of one persuasion, all intellectual
progress would have been ruled out, and "they would have been similar in their social life to the
bees and the ants, while in their spiritual life they would have been like the angels, constrained
by their nature always to believe in what is true and always to obey God" (Manar XII, 193) - that
is to say, devoid of that relative free will which enables man to choose between right and wrong
and thus endows his life - in distinction from all other sentient beings - with a moral meaning and
a unique spiritual potential.
151 I.e., those who avail themselves of His grace, consisting of the God-given ability to realize
His existence (cf. 7:172 and the corresponding note 139) and the guidance which He offers to
mankind through His prophets (Razi).
152 Some of the earliest commentators (e.g., Mujahid and 'Ikrimah) are of the opinion that the
expression li-dhalika (rendered by me as "to this end") refers to God's bestowal of His grace upon
man, while others (e.g., Al-Hasan and 'Ata) relate it to men's ability to differ intellectually
from one another. According to Zamakhshari, it refers to the freedom of moral choice which
characterizes man and is spoken of in the preceding passages: and since it is this freedom which
constitutes God's special gift to man and raises him above all other created beings (cf. the
parable of Adam and the angels in 2:30-34), Zamakhshari's interpretation is, in my opinion, the
most comprehensive of all.
153 The "word of God" reiterated here as well as in 32:13 has originally been pronounced in 7:18
with reference to the "followers of Satan", i.e., those who reject the guidance offered them by
God; hence my interpolation at the beginning of the paragraph. As regards the meaning of jinn
(rendered by me in this and similar instances as "invisible beings"), see Appendix III.
11:120
AND [remember:] out of all the accounts relating to the [earlier] apostles We convey unto thee [only] that wherewith We [aim to] make firm thy heart: 154 for through these [accounts] comes the truth unto thee, as well as an admonition and a reminder unto all believers.
11:121
And say unto those who will not believe: "Do anything that may be within your power, [while] we, behold, shall labour [in God's way]; (11:122) and wait [for what is coming]: behold, we too are waiting!" (11:123) And God alone comprehends the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth:155 for, all that exists goes back to Him [as its source].
Worship Him, then, and place thy trust in Him alone: for thy Sustainer is not unaware of what you do.
154 I.e., the Qur'an does not intend to present those stories as such, but uses them (or, rather,
relevant parts of them) as illustrations of moral truths and as a means to strengthen the faith
of the believer (see the second part of note 73 as well as note 131 above).
155 Lit., "God's is [the knowledge of] the hidden reality of...", etc. For this meaning of the term
al-ghayb, see note 3 on 2:3.
ACCORDING to all the authoritative sources, this surah was revealed in its entirety in Mecca, almost immediately after the preceding one. The contention of some of the early commentators that the first three verses were revealed at Medina is, in the words of Suyuti, "entirely baseless and cannot be seriously considered".
The story of the Prophet Joseph, as narrated in the Qur'an, agrees in the main, but not completely, with the Biblical version (Genesis xxxvii and xxxix-xlvi); the more important differences between the two accounts are pointed out in my notes. But what distinguishes the Qur'anic treatment of the story in a deeper sense is its spiritual tenor: contrary to the Bible, in which the life of Joseph is presented as a romantic account of the envy to which his youthful innocence is first exposed, of the vicissitudes which he subsequently suffers, and, finally, of his worldly triumph over his brothers, the Qur'an uses it primarily as an illustration of God's unfathomable direction of men's affairs - an echo of the statement that "it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you, and it may well be that you love a thing the while it is bad for you: and God knows, whereas you do not know'.' (2:216). The whole of this surah might be described as a series of variations on the theme "judgment [as to what is to happen] rests with none but God", explicitly enunciated only in verse 67, but running like an unspoken leitmotif throughout the story of Joseph.
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
12:1
Alif. Lam. Ra.1
THESE ARE MESSAGES of a revelation clear in itself and clearly showing the truth:2 (12:2) behold, We have bestowed it from on high as a discourse in the Arabic tongue, so that you might encompass it with your reason.3
12:3
In the measure that We reveal4 this Qur'an unto thee, [O Prophet,] We explain it to thee in the best possible way,5 seeing that ere this thou wert indeed among those who are unaware [of what revelation is].6
1 See Appendix II.
2 The participial adjective mubin may denote an attribute of the noun which it qualifies ("clear",
"manifest", "obvious", etc.) as well as its function ("making clear" or "manifesting", i.e., the
truth), either of which meanings is dictated by its context. In the consensus of authoritative opinion,
both these meanings are comprised in the above instance; consequently, a compound phrase is necessary
in order to render the term appropriately.
3 This, according to Zamakhshari, is the meaning of la'allakum ta'qilun in the above context. Although
they were in the first instance addressed to the Arabian contemporaries of the Prophet, these two
verses apply to all people, whatever their origin, who understand the Arabic language. They are meant
to impress upon everyone who listens to or reads the Qur'an that its appeal is directed, primarily,
to man's reason, and that "feeling" alone can never provide a sufficient basis of faith. (See also
13:37 and 14:4, as well as the corresponding notes.)
4 Or: "By Our having revealed".
5 Lit., "with the best explanation (ahsan al-iqtisas)". This rendering is very close to the
interpretation given by Zamakhshari: "We set forth this Qur'an unto thee in the best way in
which it could be set forth." According to Razi, it may safely be assumed that the adjective
"best" refers not to the contents of "that which is set forth - i.e., the particular story narrated
in this surah - but rather to the manner in which the Qur'an (or this particular surah) is set
forth: and herein he agrees with Zamakhshari. It should be borne in mind that the verb qassa (the
infinitive nouns of which are qasas and igtisas) signifies, primarily, "he followed step by step"
or "by degrees", and, subsequently, "he related [a piece of news or a story] as though he followed
its traces": hence, "he expounded [it] gradually" or "he explained [it]" (cf. Lane VII, 2526, quoting
the Qamus and the Taj al-'Arus with specific reference to the above verse). If, on the other hand,
the infinitive noun qasas is regarded as synonymous, in this context, with qissah ("story" or
"narrative"), the above sentence might be rendered as "We narrate unto thee the best of narratives",
i.e., the subsequent story of Joseph. In my opinion, however, the rendering "We explain it [i.e.,
the Qur'an] in the best possible way" is preferable inasmuch as it fully coincides with the two
opening verses of this surah, which state, in effect, that the Qur'an is self-explanatory.
6 At this point in his commentary, Razi draws the reader's attention to 42:52 - "thou didst not know
what revelation is, nor what faith [implies]": a passage similar in purport to the closing words
of the above verse; hence my addition, between brackets, of the phrase "of what revelation is".
12:4
LO!7 Thus spoke Joseph unto his father: "O my father! Behold, I saw [in a dream] eleven stars, as well as the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate themselves before me!"
12:5
[Jacob] replied: "O my dear son!8 Do not relate thy dream to thy brothers lest [out of envy] they devise an evil scheme against thee; verily, Satan is man's open foe!9 (12:6) For, [as thou hast been shown in thy dream,] even thus will thy Sustainer elect thee, and will impart unto thee some understanding of the inner meaning of happenings,10 and will bestow the full measure of His blessings upon thee and upon the House of Jacob - even as, aforetime, He bestowed it in full measure upon thy forefathers Abraham and Isaac. Verily, thy Sustainer is all-knowing, wise!"
7 The particle idh is usually a time-reference, and can in most cases be translated as "when". Occasionally,
however, it is used as a corroborative particle meant to draw the reader's (or hearer's) attention
to the sudden occurrence of a thing (Mughni, Qamus, Taj al-'Arus), or - as is often the case in the
Qur'an - to a turn in the discourse: and in such instances it is suitably rendered as "lo" or "now".
8 See surah 11, note 65.
9 As in the Biblical account of Joseph's story, the Qur'an shows that Jacob did not fail to understand
the meaning of his son's dream-vision of future greatness, with the eleven stars symbolizing his
brothers, and the sun and the moon his parents. But whereas the Bible quotes the father as "rebuking"
his son (Genesis xxxvii, 10) in the obvious assumption that the dream was an outcome of wishful
thinking, the Qur'an makes it clear that Jacob - who was himself a prophet - at once realized its
prophetic quality and its deeper implications.
10 Lit., "sayings". or "tidings" (ahddith). Most of the commentators assume that this refers specifically
to Joseph's future ability to interpret dreams; but Razi points out that in this context the term
hadith (of which ahadith is the plural) may be synonymous with hadith ("something that newly comes
into existence", i.e., "an event" or "a happening"). This is, to my mind, much more convincing than
a mere reference to dream-interpretation, the more so as the term ta'wil is often used in the
Qur'an (e.g., in 3:7, 10:39 or 18:78) in the sense of "final meaning", "inner meaning" or "real
meaning" of a happening or statement or thing, as distinct from its outward, prima-facie appearance.
The use of the particle min ("of") before the term ta'wil indicates that absolute knowledge of what
a thing or event implies rests with God alone (cf. 3:7 - "none save God knows its final meaning"),
and that even God's elect, the prophets - albeit their vision is much wider than that of ordinary men -
are granted only a partial insight into the mysteries of God's creation.
12:7
Indeed, in [the story of] Joseph and his brothers there are messages for all who search [after truth].11
12:8
NOW [Joseph's brothers] spoke [thus to one another:] "Truly, Joseph and his brother [Benjamin] are dearer to our father than we, even though we are so many. 12 Behold, our father is surely suffering from an aberration!"13 (12:9) [Said one of them:] "Slay Joseph, or else drive him away to some [faraway] land, so that your father's regard may be for you alone: and after this is done, you will be [free to repent and to live once again as] righteous people!"14
12:10
Another of them said: "Do not slay Joseph, but - rather - if you must do something - cast him into the dark depths of this well, [whence] some caravan may pick him up."15 (12:11) [On this they agreed; and thereupon] they spoke [thus to their father]: "O our father! Wherefore wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, seeing that we are indeed his well-wishers? (12:12) Let him go out with us tomorrow, that he may enjoy himself and play: and, verily, we shall guard him well!"
12:13
[Jacob] answered: "Behold, it grieves me indeed [to think] that you might take him with you, for I dread lest the wolf devour him at a moment when you are heedless of him!" (12:14) Said they: "Surely, if the wolf were to devour him notwithstanding that we are so many - then, behold, we ought ourselves to perish!" (12:15) And so, when they went away with him, they decided to cast him into the dark depths of the well.
And We revealed [this] unto him: "Thou wilt yet remind them of this their deed at a time when they shall not perceive [who thou art]!"16
11 Lit., "those who inquire".
12 Lit., "a company" or "group". Benjamin was Joseph's full brother - both being sons of Jacob's
wife Rachel - whereas the other ten were only his half-brothers.
13 Lit., "is in most obvious error".
14 The phrase interpolated by me within brackets - reflecting the unconscious irony in the attitude
of Joseph's brethren - is based on the consensus of most of the classical commentators.
15 Sc., "and take him with them to a faraway land" (cf. the preceding verse). The term jubb - rendered
by me as "well" - is usually applied to a desert well simply cut through the earth or through rock
and not cased with stone: the implication being that this particular well did not contain enough
water to drown Joseph, but was deep enough to hide him from sight.
16 See verses 89-90 of this surah.
12:16
And at nightfall they came to their father, weeping, (12:17) [and] said: "O our father! Behold, we went off racing with one another, and left Joseph behind with our things; and thereupon the wolf devoured him! But [we know that] thou wouldst not believe us even though we speak the truth17 - (12:18) and they produced his tunic with false blood upon it.
[But Jacob] exclaimed: "Nay, but it is your [own] minds that have made [so terrible] a happening seem a matter of little account to you!" But [as for myself,] patience in adversity is most goodly [in the sight of God]; and it is to God [alone] that I pray to give me strength to bear the misfortune which you have described to me."18
12:19
AND THERE CAME a caravan;19 and they sent forth their drawer of water, and he let down his bucket into the well - [and when he saw Joseph] he exclaimed: "Oh, what a lucky find,20 this boy!"
And they hid him with a view to selling him: but God had full knowledge of all that they were doing. (12:20) And they sold him for a paltry price - a mere few silver coins: thus low did they value him. (12:21) And the man from Egypt who bought him21 said to his wife: "Make his stay [with us] honourable; he may well be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son.
And thus We gave unto Joseph a firm place on earth; and [We did this] so that We might impart unto him some understanding of the inner meaning of happenings.22 For, God always prevails in whatever be His purpose: but most people know it not.
17 Apparently Jacob did not believe the tale of the wolf but, knowing his sons' envy of Joseph,
at once realized that it was they themselves who had done grievous harm to him. Nevertheless -
as is evident from Jacob's expression of hope in verse 83 of this surah - he was not quite
convinced that Joseph was really dead.
18 Lit., "it is to God that I turn for aid against what you are describing".
19 According. to the Bible (Genesis xxxvii, 25), they were "Ishmaelites" - i.e., Arabs - who "came
from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to
Egypt". (Gilead is the Biblical name for the region east of the Jordan.)
20 Lit., "O good news!"
21 The Qur'an does not mention his name or position; but a later reference to him (in verse 30 below)
as al-aziz ("the great [or "mighty"] one") points to his having been a high official or a nobleman.
22 See note 10 above.
12:22
And when he reached full manhood, We bestowed upon him the ability to judge [between right and wrong], as well as [innate] knowledge: for thus do We reward the doers of good. (12:23) And [it so happened that] she in whose house he was living [conceived a passion for him and] sought to make him yield himself unto her; and she bolted the doors and said, "Come thou unto me!"
[But Joseph] answered: "May God preserve me! Behold, goodly has my master made my stay [in this house]! Verily, to no good end come they that do [such] wrong!"
12:24
And, indeed, she desired him, and he desired her; [and he would have succumbed] had he not seen [in this temptation] an evidence of his Sustainer's truth:23 thus [We willed it to be] in order that We might avert from him all evil and all deeds of abomination - for, behold, he was truly one of Our servants.24
12:25
And they both rushed to the door; and she [grasped and] rent his tunic from behind - and [lo!] they met her lord at the door!
Said she: "What ought to be the punishment of one who had evil designs on [the virtue of] thy wife - [what] but imprisonment or a [yet more] grievous chastisement?"
12:26
[Joseph] exclaimed: "It was she who sought to make me yield myself unto her!"
Now one of those present, a member of her own household, suggested this: "If his tunic has been torn from the front, then she is telling the truth, and he is a liar; (12:27) but if his tunic has been torn from behind, then she is lying, and he is speaking the truth."
(28) And when (her husband] saw that his tunic was torn from behind, he said: "Behold, this is [an instance] of your guile, O womankind! Verily, awesome is your guile! (12:29) [But,] Joseph, let this pass!26 And thou, [O wife,] ask forgiveness for thy sin - for, verily, thou hast been greatly at fault!"
23 The interpolated phrase "and he would have succumbed", is, according to Zamakhshari, implied in
the above sentence. In his commentary on this verse, he further points out that the moral
significance of "virtue" consists in one's inner victory over a wrongful desire, and not in the
absence of such a desire. Cf. the well-known saying of the Prophet, recorded, on the authority of
Abu Hurayrah, by Bukhari and Muslim: "God, exalted be He, says: 'If a servant of Mine [merely]
desires to do a good deed, I shall count this [desire] as a good deed; and if he does it, I shall
count it tenfold. And if he desires to commit a bad deed, but does not commit it, I shall count this
as a good deed, seeing that he refrained from it only for My sake..."' - i.e., in consequence of a
moral consideration (which, in the present instance, is described as "an evidence of God's truth").
24 Lit., "he was among Our sincere servants".
25 Lit., "a present one (shahid) from her household testified" - i.e., suggested a test on these
lines. Here, again, the Qur'anic narrative differs from the story as told in the Bible, since
according to the latter (Genesis xxxix, 19-20), the husband immediately believed the false accusation
and cast Joseph into prison; the episodes related in verses 26-34 of this surah do not appear in
the Biblical account.
26 Lit., "turn aside from this". According to almost all the commentators, the meaning is, "do not
mention this to anyone", the implication being that the husband was prepared to forgive and forget.
12:30
NOW the women of the city spoke [thus to one another]: "The wife of this nobleman is trying to induce her slave-boy to yield himself unto her! Her love for him has pierced her heart; verily, we see that she is undoubtedly suffering from an aberration!"27 (12:31) Thereupon, when she heard of their malicious talk, she sent for them, and prepared for them a sumptuous repast, and handed each of them a knife and said [to Joseph]: "Come out and show thyself to them!"
And when the women saw him, they were greatly amazed at his beauty,28 and [so flustered were they that] they cut their hands [with their knives], exclaiming, "God save us! This is no mortal man! This is nought but a noble angel!"
12:32
Said she: "This, then, is he about whom you have been blaming me! And, indeed, I did try to make him yield himself unto me, but he remained chaste. Now, however, if he does not do what I bid him, he shall most certainly be imprisoned, and shall most certainly find himself among the despised!"30
12:33
Said he: "O my Sustainer! Prison is more desirable to me than [compliance with] what these women invite me to: for, unless Thou turn away their guile from me, I might yet yield to their allure31 and become one of those who are unaware [of right and wrong]."
12:34
And his Sustainer responded to his prayer, and freed him from the threat of their guile:32 verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing. (12:35) For, presently it occurred to the nobleman and his household 33 [even] after they had seen all the signs [of Joseph's innocence] - that they might as well imprison him for a time.34
27 Lit., "we see her indeed in obvious error".
28 The expression muttaka'- lit., "a place where one reclines [while eating]", i.e., a "cushioned couch" -
seems to have been used here tropically to denote a "luxurious [or "sumptuous"] repast".
29 Lit., "they deemed him [i.e., his beauty] great".
30 Lit., "become one of those who are humiliated".
31 Lit., "incline towards them"; it should, however, be borne in mind that the verb sabd combines
the concepts of inclination, yearning and amorous indulgence (cf. Lane IV, 1649); hence my rendering.
32 Lit., "turned away their guile from him".
33 Lit., "it occurred to them".
34 Thus, according to the Qur'an, Joseph was imprisoned not because his master believed him to be
guilty, but because, in his weakness, he wanted to appease his wife, "being entirely submissive
to her, and behaving like a riding-camel whose reins she held in her hand" (Zamakhshari).
12:36
NOW two young men happened to go to prison at the same time as Joseph.35 One of them said: "Behold, I saw myself [in a dream] pressing wine."
And the other said: "Behold, I saw myself [in a dream] carrying bread on my head, and birds were eating thereof." [And both entreated Joseph:] "Let us know the real meaning of this! Verily, we see that thou art one of those who know well [how to interpret dreams]."36
12:37
[Joseph] answered: "Ere there comes unto you the meal which you are [daily] fed, I shall have informed you of the real meaning of your dreams,37 [so that you might know what is to come] before it comes unto you: for this is [part] of the knowledge which my Sustainer has imparted to me.
"Behold, I have left behind me the ways of people who do not believe in God,38 and who persistently refuse to acknowledge the truth of the life to come; (12:38) and I follow the creed of my forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is not conceivable that we should [be allowed to] ascribe divinity to aught beside God: this is [an outcome] of God's bounty unto us and unto all mankind39 - but most people are ungrateful.
35 Lit., "entered the prison with him". According to the Biblical account (not contradicted by the
Qur'an), they were the King's cup-bearer and baker, both of them imprisoned for unspecified offences.
36 This is the meaning given by Baghawi, Zamakhshari and Baydawi to the expression al-muhsinin
in the above context, adopting the tropical use of the verb ahsana in the sense of "he knew
[something]" or "he knew [it] well". Thus, the Qur'an indicates here in its elliptic manner
that Joseph's reputation for wisdom and dream-interpretation preceded him to prison.
37 Lit., "the real meaning thereof".
38 Joseph wants to avail himself of this opportunity to guide his two fellow-prisoners towards
the true faith; and so, while promising that he would explain their dreams presently, he asks
them to listen first to a short discourse on the oneness of God.
39 Since God is almighty and self-sufficient, it is not for His sake that man is warned not to
ascribe divine qualities to aught beside Him: the absolute condemnation of this sin is solely
designed to benefit man by freeing him from all superstition, and thus enhancing his dignity
as a conscious, rational being.
12:39
"O my companions in imprisonment! Which is more reasonable:40 [belief in the existence of numerous divine] lords, each of them different from the other41 - or [in] the One God, who holds absolute sway over all that exists?
12:40
"All that you worship instead of God is nothing but [empty] names which you have invented42 - you and your forefathers - [and] for which God has bestowed no warrant from on high. Judgment [as to what is right and what is wrong] rests with God alone - [and] He has ordained that you should worship nought but Him: this is the [one] ever-true faith; but most people know it not.43
12:41
"[And now,] O my companions in imprisonment, [I shall tell you the meaning of your dreams:] as for one of you two, he will [again] give his lord [the King] wine to drink; but as for the other, he will be crucified, and birds will eat off his head. [But whatever be your future,] the matter on which you have asked me to enlighten you has been decided [by God]."
12:42
And [thereupon Joseph] said unto the one of the two whom he considered saved: "Mention me unto thy lord [when thou art free]!" But Satan caused him to forget to mention [Joseph] to his lord, and so he remained in prison a few [more] years.
12:43
AND [one day] the King said:44 "Behold, I saw [in a dream] seven fat cows being devoured by seven emaciated ones, and seven green ears [of wheat] next to [seven] others that were withered. O you nobles! Enlighten me about [the meaning of] my dream, if you are able to interpret dreams!"
40 Lit., "better", obviously in the sense of "better conforming to the demands of reason".
41 The expression mutafarriqan connotes plurality ds well as separateness - in this context,
separateness in respect of qualities, functions and degrees.
42 Lit., "names which you have named" - i.e., "figments of your own imagination".
43 Cf. the last sentence of 30:30.
44 This king seems to have been one of the six Hyksos rulers who dominated Egypt from about 1700
to 1580 B.C., after having invaded the country from the east by way of the Sinai Peninsula. The
name of this dynasty, which was undoubtedly of foreign origin, is derived from the Egyptian hiq
shasu or heku shoswet, meaning "rulers of nomad lands", or - according to the late Egyptian
historian Manetho - "shepherd kings": all of which points to their having been Arabs who, despite
the fact that before their invasion of Egypt they were already well-established in Syria, had to
a large extent preserved their bedouin mode of life. This would explain the confidence which the
king mentioned in this story was later to place in Joseph, the Hebrew, and the subsequent settlement
of the latter's family (and, thus, of what in due course became the Israelite nation) in Egypt:
for it must be borne in mind that the Hebrews, too, descended from one of the many bedouin tribes
who some centuries earlier had migrated from the Arabian Peninsula to Mesopotamia and later to
Syria (cf. surah 7, note 48); and that the language of the Hyksos must have been very akin to
Hebrew, which, after all, is but an ancient Arabian dialect.
12:44
They answered: "[This is one of] the most involved and confusing of dreams,45 and we have no deep knowledge of the real meaning of dreams." (12:45) At that, the one of the two [erstwhile prisoners] who had been saved, and [who suddenly] remembered [Joseph] after all that time,46 spoke [thus]: "It is I who can inform you of the real meaning of this [dream]; so let me go [in search of it]."47
12:46
[And he went to see Joseph in the prison and said to him:] "Joseph, O thou truthful one! Enlighten us about [the meaning of a dream in which] seven fat cows were being devoured by seven emaciated ones, and seven green ears [of wheat appeared] next to [seven] others that were withered - so that I may return [with thy explanation] unto the people [of the court, and] that they may come to know [what manner of man thou art]!"
12:47
[Joseph] replied: "You shall sow for seven years as usual; but let all [the grain] that you harvest remain [untouched] in its ear, excepting only a little, whereof you may eat: (12:48) for, after that [period of seven good years] there will come seven hard [years] which will devour all that you shall have laid up for them, excepting only a little of that which you shall have kept in store. (12:49) And after that there will come a year in which the people will be delivered from all distress,48 and in which they will press [oil and wine as before]."
12:50
And [as soon as Joseph's interpretation was conveyed to him,] the King said: "Bring him before me!"
But when the [King's] messenger came unto him, [Joseph] said: "Go back to thy lord and ask him [first to find out the truth] about those women who cut their hands - for, behold, [until now it is] my Sustainer [alone who] has full knowledge of their guile!" (12:51) [Thereupon the King sent for those women; and when they came,] he asked: "What was it that you hoped to achieve when you sought to make Joseph yield himself unto you?"49 The women asnwered: "God save us! We did not perceive the least evil [intention] on his part!" [And] the wife of Joseph's former master50 exclaimed: "Now has the truth come to light! It was I who sought to make him yield himself unto me - whereas he, behold, was indeed speaking the truth!"
45 Lit., "confusing medleys (adghath) of dreams".
46 According to almost all the authorities, the noun ummah denotes here "a time" or "a long period
of time".
47 The cup-bearer obviously addresses the assembly as a whole, and not the King alone: hence
the plural "you".
48 Or: "will be granted rain" - depending on whether one connects the verbal form yughath with
either of the infinitive nouns ghayth ("rain") or ghawth ("deliverance from distress"). Although
the crops of Egypt depend entirely on the annual Nile floods, the water-level of the river is,
in its turn, contingent upon the quantity of rainfall at its upper reaches.
49 Evidently, the King wanted to find out whether they had previously been encouraged by Joseph, or
whether he was truly innocent. The noun khatb denotes "something that one has in view" or "desires"
or "seeks to obtain"; and so the expression and khatbukunna (lit., "what was it that you [really]
had in view") may be suitably rendered as above.
50 Lit., "the wife of the great one (al-aziz)".
12:52
[When Joseph learned what had happened, he said:' "I asked for] this, so that [my former master] might know that I did not betray him behind his back,[ and that God does not bless with His guidance the artful schemes of those who betray their trust. (12:53) And yet, I am not trying to absolve myself: for, verily, man's inner self does incite [him] to evil,53 and saved are only they upon whom my Sustainer bestows His grace.54 Behold, my Sustainer is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!"
12:54
And the King said: "Bring him unto me, so that I may attach him to my own person."
And when he had spoken with him, [the King] said: "Behold, [from] this day thou shalt be of high standing with us, invested with all trust!" (12:55) [Joseph] replied: "Place in my charge the store-houses of the land; behold, I shall be a good and knowing keeper.55
51 Some of the commentators (e.g., Ibn Kathir and, among the moderns, Rashid Rida' in Manar XII,
323 f.) regard this and the next verse as a continuation of the woman's confession; but the
great majority of the classical authorities, including Tabari, Baghawi and Zamakhshari, attribute
the speech that follows unequivocally - and, in my opinion, most convincingly - to Joseph:
hence my interpolation at the beginning of this verse.
52 Lit., "in [his] absence" or "in secret" (bi'l-ghayb).
53 Lit., "is indeed wont to command [the doing of] evil"- i.e., is filled with impulses which
often conflict with what the mind regards as a moral good. This is obviously a reference to
the statement in verse 24 above - "she desired him, and he desired her; [and he would have
succumbed,] had he not seen [in this temptation] an evidence of his Sustainer's truth" - as well
as to Joseph's prayer in verse 33, "unless Thou turn away their guile from me, I might yet yield
to their allure". (See also note 23 above.) Joseph's stress on the weakness inherent in human
nature is a sublime expression of humility on the part of one who himself had overcome that
very weakness: for, as the sequence shows, he attributes his moral victory not to himself but
solely to the grace and mercy of God.
54 Lit., "except those upon whom...", etc. According to most of the commentators, the pronoun and
(lit., "that which") is here synonymous with man ("he who" or "those who").
55 By making this request, Joseph wanted to assure an efficient build-up of grain reserves during
the coming years of plenty, knowing well that they would be followed by seven years of scarcity.
It is obvious from the sequence that his request was granted, and that he was able to fulfil the
task which he had set himself.
12:56
(56) And thus We established Joseph securely in the land [of Egypt]: he had full mastery over it, [doing] whatever he willed.
[Thus do] We cause Our grace to alight upon whomever We will; and We do not fail to requite the doers of good.56 (12:57) But in the eyes of those who have attained to faith and have always been conscious of Us, a reward in the life to come is a far greater good [than any reward in this world].57
12:58
AND [after some years,] Joseph's brothers came [to Egypt]58 and presented themselves before him: and he knew them [at once], whereas they did not recognize him.
12:59
And when he had provided them with their provisions, he said: "[When you come here next,] bring unto me that brother of yours from your father's side.59 Do you not see that I have given [you] full measure and have been the best of hosts? (12:60) But if you do not bring him unto me, you shall never again receive a single measure [of grain] from me, nor shall you [be allowed to] come near me!"
12:61
They answered: "We shall try to persuade his father to part with him, and, verily, we shall do [our utmost]!" (12:62) And [Joseph] said to his servants: "Place their merchandise60 in their camel-packs, so that they may find it there when they come home, and hence be the more eager to return. 61
12:63
(63) And so, when they returned to their father, [Joseph's brothers] said: "O our father! All grain 62 is [to be] withheld from us [in the future unless we bring Benjamin with us]: send, therefore, our brother with us, so that we may obtain our measure (of grain]; and, verily, we shall guard him well!"
56 I.e., sometimes in this world as well, but invariably in the hereafter, as the sequence shows.
57 Lit., "for those who have attained to faith...", etc.
58 I.e., to buy wheat from the stores which Joseph had accumulated during the seven years of plenty:
for all the countries in the vicinity of Egypt were by now affected by the famine which he had
predicted, and Egypt alone had a surplus, the distribution of which he supervised personally
(cf. Genesis xli, 54-57).
59 Lit., "a brother of yours from your father"- i.e., their half-brother Benjamin, who was Joseph's
full brother (their mother having been Rachel, Jacob's favourite wife), whereas the other ten
had different mothers. Benjamin, the youngest of Jacob's children, had not accompanied his brothers
on their first journey to Egypt, but they had presumably mentioned him in the course of their
conversation with Joseph.
60 I.e., the goods which they had bartered for wheat (Ibn Kathir): a very plausible explanation in
view of the fact that barter was the most common form of trade in those ancient times.
61 Lit., "so that they may perceive them when they come back to their family, [and] that they may return".
62 Lit., "measure [of grain]", here used metonymically in an allusion to Joseph's words (verse 60).
12:64
[Jacob] replied: "Shall I trust you with him in the same way63 as I trusted you with his brother (Joseph] aforetime? [Nay,] but God's guardianship is better [than yours], for He is the most merciful of the merciful!"
12:65
Thereupon, when they opened their packs, they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them; [and] they said: "O our father! What more could we desire? Here is our merchandise: it has been returned to us! [If thou send Benjamin with us,] we shall (again] be able to bring food for our family, and shall guard our brother [well], and receive in addition another camel-load of grain.64 That [which we have brought the first time] was but a scanty measure."
12:66
Said [Jacob]: "I will not send him with you until you give me a solemn pledge, before God, that you will indeed bring him back unto me, unless you yourselves be encompassed [by death]!"
And when they had given him their solemn pledge, [Jacob] said: "God is witness to all that we say!" (12:67) And he added: "O my sons! Do not enter [the city all] by one gate, but enter by different gates. Yet [even so,] I can be of no avail whatever to you against [anything that may be willed by] God: judgment [as to what is to happen] rests with none but God. In Him have I placed my trust: for, all who have trust [in His existence] must place their trust in Him alone."
12:68
But although they entered [Joseph's city] in the way their father had bidden them, this proved of no avail whatever to them against [the plan of] God67 [His request] had served only to satisfy Jacob's heartfelt desire [to protect them]:68 for, behold, thanks to what We had imparted unto him, he was indeed endowed with the knowledge [that God's will must always prevail69]; but most people know it not.
AND WHEN [the sons of Jacob] presented themselves before Joseph, he drew his brother [Benjamin] unto himself, saying [to him in secret]: "Behold, I am thy brother! So grieve thou not over their past doings!"70
63 Lit., "not otherwise than".
64 It would seem that Joseph used to allot to foreign buyers of grain one camel-load per person.
65 Probably in order not to attract undue attention in the foreign land and possibly fall prey to
intrigues. See in this connection note 68 below.
66 Lit., "when".
67 As is shown in the sequence, they and their father were to suffer severe distress before their
adventures came to a happy conclusion.
68 Lit., "it (i.e., his request that they should enter the city by different gates] had been but a
desire in Jacob's heart (nafs), which he [thus] satisfied". In other words, when he gave his sons
this advice, he followed only an instinctive, humanly - understandable urge, and did not really
expect that any outward precaution would by itself help them: for, as he himself pointed out on
parting, "judgment as to what is to happen rests with none but God". This stress on man's utter
dependence on God - a fundamental tenet of Islam - explains why Jacob's advice (which in itself
is not relevant to the story) has been mentioned in the above Qur'anic narrative.
69 This interpolated clause is based on Zamakhshari's interpretation of the above reference to
Jacob's having been "endowed with knowledge".
70 Thus, contrary to the Biblical account, Joseph is stated here to have disclosed his identity to
Benjamin long before he revealed himself to his ten half-brothers. The words "their past doings"
obviously refer to their treacherous behaviour towards himself which Joseph had now presumably
disclosed to Benjamin.
12:70
And [later,] when he had provided them with their provisions, he placed the [King's] drinking-cup in his brother's camel-pack. And [as they were leaving the city,] a herald71 called out: "O you people of the caravan! Verily, you are thieves!"72
12:71
Turning towards the herald and his companions, the brothers asked:73 "What is it that you miss?" (12:72) They answered: "We miss the King's goblet; and he who produces it shall receive a camel-load [of grain as reward]!" And [the herald added:] "I pledge myself to this [promise]!"
12:73
Said [the brothers]: "By God! Well do you know that we have not come to commit deeds of corruption in this land, and that we have not been thieving!"
71 Lit., "an announcer" (mu'adhdhin) - a noun derived from the verbal form adhdhana ("he announced"
or "proclaimed" or "called out publicly").
72 Commenting on this verse, Razi says: "Nowhere in the Qur'an is it stated that they made this
accusation on Joseph's orders; the circumstantial evidence shows rather (al-agrab ilazahir al-hal)
that they did this of their own accord: for, when they had missed the drinking-cup, [these servants
of Joseph remembered that] nobody had been near it [except the sons of Jacob], and so it occurred
to them that it was they who had taken it." Analogous views are also advanced by Tabari and
Zamakhshari in their comments on the last words of verse 76 below. This extremely plausible
explanation contrasts sharply with the Biblical account of this incident (Genesis xliv), according
to which the false accusation was part of an inexplicable "stratagem" devised by Joseph. If we
discard - as we must - this part of the Biblical version, it is far more logical to assume that
Joseph, who had been granted by the King full authority over all that belonged to the latter (see
verse 56 above), had placed the royal cup as a present in the bag of his favourite brother; and
that he did this secretly, without informing his servants, because he did not want anyone, least
of all his ten half-brothers, to know his predilection for Benjamin. For a further explanation of
this incident and of its ethical relevance within the context of Joseph's story, see note 77 below.
73 Lit., "They said, turning towards them".
12:74
[The Egyptians] said: "But what shall be the requital of this [deed] if you are [proved to be] liars?" (12:75) [The brothers] replied: "Its requital? He in whose camel-pack [the cup] is found - he shall be [enslaved as] a requital thereof! Thus do we [ourselves] requite the doers of [such] wrong.74
12:76
Thereupon [they were brought before Joseph to be searched; and] he began with the bags of his half-brothers75 before the bag of his brother [Benjamin]: and in the end he brought forth the drinking cup76 out of his brother's bag.
In this way did We contrive for Joseph [the attainment of his heart's desire]: under the King's law, he would [otherwise] not have been able to detain his brother, had not God so willed. We do raise to [high] degrees [of knowledge] whomever We will - but above everyone who is endowed with knowledge there is One who knows all.77
12:77
[As soon as the cup came to light out of Benjamin's bag, the brothers] exclaimed: "If he has stolen-well, a brother of his used to steal aforetime!"78
Thereupon Joseph said to himself, without revealing his thought to them:79 "You are far worse in this respect, and God is fully aware of what you are saying."80
74 Most of the commentators (relying, perhaps on Exodus xxii, 3) assume that this was the customary
punishment for theft among the ancient Hebrews. Razi, however, suggests that this last sentence may
not be a part of the brothers' answer but a confirmatory remark made by the Egyptian herald, meaning,
"[In fact,] thus do we [Egyptians] requite the doers of such wrong".
75 Lit., "with their bags".
76 Lit., "he brought it out".
77 The meaning of this story is now clear: it is a further illustration of the basic doctrine that
"judgment [as to what is to happen] rests with none but God" (verse 67 above). Joseph had wanted
to keep Benjamin with himself, but under the law of Egypt he could not do this without the consent
of his half-brothers, who were the legal guardians of their minor brother; and they bound as they
were by the solemn promise given to their father - would certainly not have agreed to Benjamin's
remaining behind. The only other alternative open to Joseph was to disclose his identity to them;
but since he was not yet prepared to go so far, he was obliged to allow Benjamin to depart with
his brothers. The accidental discovery of his gift, entirely unexpected by Joseph (see note 72
above), changed everything: for now Benjamin appeared to be guilty of theft, and under the law of
the land Joseph was entitled to claim him as his slave, and thus to keep him in his house. The
words, "In this way did We contrive (kidna) for Joseph [the attainment of his heart's desire]",
referring to the incident of the cup, indicate that its final outcome was neither planned nor
even foreseen by Joseph.
78 The reference is obviously to Benjamin's full brother, Joseph. In the absence of any indication
that the latter had ever before been accused of theft, it is reasonable to assume that the brothers,
unaware of the fact that they were standing before Joseph, simply wanted to vilify him in order
to dissociate themselves more effectively from Benjamin, who now appeared to have been convicted
of theft.
79 Lit., "Joseph concealed it within himself and did not reveal it to them; he said...", etc.
According to almost all the commentators, the pronoun "it" refers to Joseph's subsequent "saying"
or, rather, thought, indicated by the verb "he said" (i.e., within himself); hence my free
rendering of this phrase.
80 Lit., "of what you attribute", i.e., to Joseph and Benjamin - sc., "since you yourselves have
stolen Joseph from his father".
12:78
They said: "O thou great one! Behold, he has a father, a very old man: detain, therefore, one of us in his stead. Verily, we see that thou art a doer of good!"
12:79
He answered: "May God preserve us from [the sin of] detaining any other than him with whom we have found our property - for then, behold, we would indeed be evildoers!" (12:80) And so, when they lost all hope of [moving] him, they withdrew to take counsel [among themselves].
The eldest of them said: "Do you not remember81 that your father has bound you by a solemn pledge before God - and how, before that, you had failed with regard to Joseph? Hence, I shall not depart from this land till my father gives me leave or God passes judgment in my favour:82 for He is the best of all judges. (12:81) [And as for you others,] return to your father and say: 'O our father! Behold, thy son has stolen - but we [can] bear witness to no more than what has become known to us;83 and [although we gave you our pledge,] we could not guard against something that [lay hidden in the future and, hence,] was beyond the reach of our perception.84 (12:82) And ask thou in the town in which we were [at the time], and of the people of the caravan with whom we travelled hither, and [thou wilt find that] we, are indeed telling the truth!'"
12:83
[AND WHEN they returned to their father and told him what had happened,] he exclaimed: "Nay, but it is your [own] minds that have made [so terrible] a happening seem a matter of little account to you! But [as for myself,] patience in adversity is most goodly; God may well bring them all [back] unto me:85 verily, He alone is all-knowing, truly wise!"
81 Lit., "know" - but since this expression denotes here remembrance rather than knowledge in the
proper sense of the word, it can be suitably translated as above.
82 I.e., "enables me to win back my brother Benjamin".
83 I.e., the finding of the King's cup in Benjamin's bag (Baghawi and Zamakhshari).
84 Lit., "We were not guardians over that which was beyond the reach of [our] perception": i.e.,
"at the time when we gave you our pledge regarding Benjamin; we did not know that he would
steal" (Zamakhshari).
85 I.e., Benjamin and the eldest son (who had remained in Egypt) as well as Joseph, of whose
alleged death Jacob was never fully convinced (cf. note 17).
12:84
But he turned away from them and said: "O woe is me for Joseph!" - and his eyes became dim86 from the grief with which he was filled. (12:85) Said [his sons]: "By God! Thou wilt never cease to remember Joseph till thou art broken in body and spirit or art dead!"
12:86
He answered: "It is only to God that I complain of my deep grief and my sorrow: for I know, from God, something that you do not know.87 (12:87) [Hence,] O my sons, go forth and try to obtain some tidings of Joseph and his brother; and do not lose hope of God's life-giving mercy:88 verily, none but people who deny the truth can ever lose hope of God's life-giving mercy."
12:88
[AND THE SONS of Jacob went back to Egypt and to Joseph;] and when they presented themselves before him, they said: "O thou great one! Hardship has visited us and our folk, and so we have brought but scanty merchandise;89 but give us a full measure [of grain], and be charitable to us: behold, God rewards those who give in charity!"
12:89
Replied he: "Do you remember90 what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were still unaware [of right and wrong]?"91 (12:90) They exclaimed: "Why - is it indeed thou who art Joseph?"
He answered: "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. God has indeed been gracious unto us. Verily, if one is92 conscious of Him and patient in adversity - behold, God does not fail to requite the doers of good!"
86 Lit., "white": i.e., dim with the tears that filled them (Razi). Although Jacob was now deprived
of three of his sons, his grief for Joseph was the most acute because he was the only one of the
three of whom Jacob did not know whether he was dead or alive.
87 Namely, that "judgment as to what is to happen rests with none but God", and that "all who have
'trust [in His existence] must place their trust in Him alone" (verse 67): the twin ideas which
underlie the whole of this surah, and which Jacob now seeks to impress upon his sons. In addition
to this, his remembrance of Joseph's prophetic dream (verse 4) and his own conviction at the time
that his beloved son would be elected by God for His special grace (verse 6), fills Jacob with
renewed hope that Joseph is still alive (Razi and Ibn Kathir): and this explains the directives
which he gives his sons in the next sentence.
88 According to most of the commentators, especially Ibn 'Abbas (as quoted by Tabari and others),
the term rawh is here synonymous with rahmah ("grace" or "mercy"). Since it is linguistically
related to the noun rah ("breath of life" or "spirit"), and has also the metonymic significance
of "rest" (rahah) from grief and sadness (Taj al-'Arus), the most appropriate rendering would
seem to be "life-giving mercy".
89 I.e., goods which they intended to barter for grain (see note 60 above).
90 Lit., "know" (see note 81).
91 By coupling his own name with that of Benjamin he possibly hinted at his brothers' early envy and
hatred of the two sons of Rachel (cf. verse 8 of this surah and the corresponding note 12); alternatively,
the mention of Benjamin may have been due to the readiness with which they accepted the "evidence"
of the latter's guilt (verse 77).
92 Lit., "whoever is...", etc.
12:91
[The brothers] said: "By God! Most certainly has God raised thee high above us, and we were indeed but sinners!" (12:92) Said he: "No reproach shall be uttered today against you. May God forgive you your sins: for He is the most merciful of the merciful! (12:93) [And now] go and take this tunic of mine and lay it over my father's face, and he will recover his sight.93 And thereupon come [back] to me with all your family."
12:94
AND AS SOON as the caravan [with which Jacob's sons were travelling] was on its way,94 their father said [to the people around him]: "Behold, were it not that you might consider me a dotard, [I would say that] I truly feel the breath of Joseph [in the air]!" (12:95) They answered: "By God! Thou art indeed still lost in thy old aberration!"
12:96
But when the bearer of good tidings came [with Joseph's tunic], he laid it over his face; and he regained his sight, [and] exclaimed: "Did I not tell you, 'Verily, I know, from God, something that you do not know'?"95
12:97
[His sons] answered: "O our father! Ask God to forgive us our sins, for, verily, we were sinners." (12:98) He said: "I shall ask my Sustainer to forgive you: He alone is truly forgiving, a true dispenser of grace!"
12:99
AND WHEN they [all arrived in Egypt and] presented themselves before Joseph, he drew his parents unto himself,96 saying, "Enter Egypt! If God so wills, you shall be secure [from all evil]!"
93 Lit., "he will become seeing [again]"- i.e., "he will cease to weep for me and the dimness of his
sight caused by unhappiness and constant weeping will disappear on learning that I am alive": thus
may be summed up Razi's explanation of the above sentence. According to him, there is no compelling
reason to assume that Jacob had become really blind from grief. - The phrase "lay it over my father's
face" could also be rendered as "lay it before my father", since the term wajh (lit., "face") is
often used in classical Arabic to denote, metonymically, one's whole personality, or whole being. '
94 Lit., "had departed", i.e., from Egypt.
95 See verse 86 above.
96 According to the Biblical account - not contradicted by the Qur'an - Joseph's mother Rachel had
died while giving birth to Benjamin. We may, therefore, assume that the "mother" implied in the
term "parents" was another of Jacob's wives, who had brought up Joseph and Benjamin; this would
be in consonance with the ancient Arabian custom of applying the designation "mother" to a foster-mother.
12:100
And he raised his parents to the highest place of honour;97 and they [all] fell down before Him, prostrating themselves in adoration.98
Thereupon [Joseph] said: "O my father! This is the real meaning of my dream of long ago, which my Sustainer has made come true.99 And He was indeed good to me when He freed me from the prison, and [when] He brought you [all unto me] from the desert after Satan had sown discord between me and my brothers. Verily, my Sustainer is unfathomable in [the way He brings about] whatever He wills:100 verily, He alone is all-knowing, truly wise!
12:101
"O my Sustainer! Thou hast indeed bestowed upon me something of power,101 and hast imparted unto me some knowledge of the inner meaning of happenings.102 Originator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art near unto me in this world and in the life to come: let me die as one who has surrendered himself unto Thee, and make me one with the righteous!"
12:102
THIS ACCOUNT of something that was beyond the reach of thy perception We [now] reveal unto thee, [O Prophet:] for thou wert not with Joseph's brothers103 when they resolved upon what they were going to do and wove their schemes [against him]. (12:103) Yet - however strongly thou mayest desire it - most people will not believe [in this revelation], (12:104) although thou dost not ask of them any reward for it: it is but [God's] reminder unto all mankind. (12:105) But [then] - how many a sign is there in the heavens and on earth which they pass by [unthinkingly], and on which they turn their backs!
97 Lit., "onto the throne (al-'arsh)", in the metaphorical sense of this word.
98 According to 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas (as quoted by Razi), the personal pronoun in "before Him" relates
to God, since it is inconceivable that Joseph would have allowed his parents to prostrate themselves
before himself.
99 The fulfilment of Joseph's childhood dream consisted in the high dignity with which he was now
invested and in the fact that his parents and his brothers had come from Canaan to Egypt for his
sake: for "no reasonable person can expect that the fulfilment of a dream should be an exact replica
of the dream itself" (Razi, alluding to the symbolic prostration of the eleven stars, the sun and
the moon mentioned in verse 4 of this surah).
100 As regards my rendering of latif as "unfathomable", see surah 6, note 89. In the present instance,
this term supplies a further accent, as it were, on the theme "judgment as to what is to happen
rests with none but God" (verse 67).
101 Lit., "of dominion", indicating that absolute power and absolute dominion belong to God alone.
102 See note 10 on verse 6 of this surah. 103 Lit., "with them".
12:106
And most of them do not even believe in God without [also] ascribing divine powers to other beings beside Him. (12:107) Do they, then, feel free from the fear that there might fall upon them the overwhelming terror of God's chastisement, or that the Last Hour might come upon them of a sudden, without their being aware [of its approach]?
12:108
Say [O Prophet]: "This is my way: Resting upon conscious insight accessible to reason, I am calling [you all] unto God 104 - and they who follow me."
And [say:] "Limitless is God in His glory; and I am not one of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him!"
12:109
And [even] before thy time, We never sent [as Our apostles] any but [mortal] men, whom We inspired, [and whom We always chose] from among the people of the [very] communities [to whom the message was to be brought].105
Have, then, they [who reject this divine writ] never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened
in the end to those [deniers of the truth] who lived before them? - and [do they not know that] to those who are conscious of God the life in the hereafter is indeed better [than this world]? Will they not, then, use their reason?
12:110
[All the earlier apostles had to suffer persecution for a long time;] but at last106 - when those apostles had lost all hope and saw themselves branded as liars107 - Our succour attained to them: whereupon everyone whom We willed [to be saved] was saved [and the deniers of the truth were destroyed]: for, never can Our punishment be averted from people who are lost in sin.
104 It is impossible to render the expression 'ala basirah in a more concise manner. Derived from
the verb basura or basira ("he became seeing" or "he saw"), the noun basirah (as also the verb)
has the abstract connotation of "seeing with one's mind": and so it signifies "the faculty of
understanding based on conscious insight" as well as, tropically, "an evidence accessible to the
intellect" or "verifiable by the intellect". Thus, the "call to God" enunciated by the Prophet is
described here as the outcome of a conscious insight accessible to, and verifiable by, man's reason:
a statement which circumscribes to perfection the Qur'anic approach to all questions of faith,
ethics and morality, and is echoed many times in expressions like "so that you might use your
reason" (la'allakum ta'qilun), or "will you not, then, use your reason?" (a fa-la ta'qilun), or
"so that they might understand [the truth]" (la'allahum yafqahan), or "so that you might think"
(la'allakum tatafakkarun); and, finally, in the oft-repeated declaration that the message of the
Qur'an as such is meant specifically "for people who think" (li-qawmin yatafakkanun).
105 This is an answer to the objection often raised by unbelievers that a mortal like themselves
could not have been entrusted with God's message to man.
106 Lit., "until" (hatta). This connects with the reference to earlier apostles in the first sentence
of the preceding verse: the implication being (according to Zamakhshari) that they used to suffer
for a long time before they were vindicated by God.
107 Lit., "thought that they had been given the lie - i.e., either by their people, who regarded
the apostles' expectation of God's succour as mere wishful thinking, or by the harsh reality which
seemed to contradict those apostles' own hopes of speedy help from God (Zamakhshari). Commenting
on this verse, 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas used to quote 2:214 - "so shaken were they that the apostle,
and the believers with him, would exclaim, 'When will God's succour come?"'(ibid.) 108 Lit.,
"in their stories" - i.e., the stories of the prophets.
12:111
Indeed, in the stories of these men 108 there is a lesson for those who are endowed with insight.
[As for this revelation,109] it could not possibly be a discourse invented [by man]: nay indeed, 110 it is [a divine writ] confirming the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations], clearly spelling out everything,111 and [offering] guidance and grace unto people who will believe.
109 I.e., the Qur'an as a whole (Baghawi and Zamakhshari). The passage that follows connects with
verses 102-105.
110 Lit., "but"- denoting here the impossibility of its having been invented by Muhammad.
111 I.e., everything that man may need for his spiritual welfare. See also 10:37 and the
corresponding note 60.
THERE ARE considerable differences of opinion regarding the period in which this surah was revealed. According to one statement attributed to Ibn 'Abbas, it is a Meccan surah (Suyuti), while according to other authorities, mentioned by Tabarani, Ibn 'Abbas is reported to have described it as belonging to the Medina period (ibid.). Suyuti himself inclines to the view that it is a Meccan surah but contains a few verses revealed at Medina; and so do Baghawi and Razi. Zamakhshari, on the other hand, confines himself to the statement that the time of its revelation is uncertain.
Like so many other surahs, this one, too, takes it's title from the incidental mention of a word which caught the imagination of the earliest generation of Muslims: in this case, the word "thunder" occurring in verse 13, which relates to the evidence of God's creative powers forthcoming from the observable manifestations of nature.
The main theme of this surah is God's revelation, through His prophets, of certain fundamental moral truths which man may not neglect without suffering the natural consequences of such a neglect (see the last paragraph of verse 31 and note 57) - just as a realization of those moral truths by those "who are endowed with insight... [and] are true to their bond with God" (verses 19-20) invariably causes them to "find inner happiness and the most beauteous of all goals" (verse 29): for, "God does not change men's condition unless they change their inner selves" (verse 11).
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
13:1
Alif. Lam. Mim. Ra.1
THESE ARE MESSAGES of revelation:2 and what has been bestowed upon thee from on high by thy Sustainer is the truth - yet most people will not believe [in it]?3
13:2
It is God who has raised the heavens without any supports that you could see, and is established on the throne of His almightiness;4 and He [it is who] has made the sun and the moon subservient [to His laws], each running its course for a term set [by Him].5 He governs all that exists.
Clearly does He spell out these messages, so that you might be certain in your innermost that you are destined to meet your Sustainer [on Judgment Day].6
1 See Appendix II.
2 Although some commentators are of the opinion that the term kitab ("divine writ" or "revelation")
refers here to this particular surah, Ibn 'Abbas states emphatically that it denotes the Qur'an as
a whole (Baghawi).
3 This passage connects with the concluding verses (102-111) of the preceding surah, and particularly
with verse 103, all of which, stress the divine origin of the Qur'an.
4 For an explanation of this phrase, see surah 7, note 43. As regards the "raising of the heavens
without any supports" visible to man, it should be borne in mind that the noun sama' denotes,
primarily, "something that is above [another thing]", and is used - mostly in its plural form
samawat - to describe (a) the visible skies (as well as, occasionally, the clouds), (b) the cosmic
space in which the stars, the solar systems (including our own) and the galaxies pursue their
course, and (c) the abstract concept of the forces emanating from God (since He is, in the
metonymical sense of this word, "above" all that exists). To my mind, it is the second of these
three meanings of samawat to which the 'above verse refers: namely, to the spatial universe in
which all aggregations of matter - be they planets, stars, nebulae or galaxies - are, as it were,
"suspended" in space within a system of unceasing motion determined by centrifugal forces and
mutual, gravitational attraction.
5 This may refer either to the end of the world as we know it - thus indicating the finality of
all creation - or, according to 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas (as quoted by Baghawi and Razi), to the
"mansions" or stages through which the sun and the moon, like all other celestial bodies, move
in time as well as in space.
6 I.e., "so that you might realize that He who has created the universe and governs all that exists
is equally able to resurrect the dead, and to judge you in the life to come in accordance with
what you did when you were alive on earth".
13:3
And it is He who has spread the earth wide and placed on it firm mountains and running waters, and created thereon two sexes of every [kind of] plant;7 [and it is He who] causes the night to cover the day.
Verily, in all this there are messages indeed for people who think!
13:4
And there are on earth [many] tracts of land close by one another [and yet widely differing from one another8]; and [there are on it] vinyards, and fields of grain, and date-palms growing in clusters from one root or standing alone,9 [all] watered with the same water: and yet, some of them have We favoured above others by way of the food [which they provide for man and beast].10
Verily, in all this there are messages indeed for people who use their reason!
7 Lit., "and out of all [kinds of] fruits He made thereon (i.e., on earth] pairs (zawjayn ithnayn)".
The term zawj denotes, according to the context, either "a pair" or "one of a pair". Whenever the
dual form zawjan is followed by the additional numerical definition ithnan ("two"), it invariably
signifies "a pair comprising both sexes". Thus, the above phrase states that there are two sexes
to every kind of plant: a statement fully in accord with botanical science. (Usually, the male and
female organs of reproduction exist together in one and the same flower of a particular plant,
e.g., cotton; alternatively, they are placed in separate flowers of one and the same plant, e.g.,
in most of the cucurbitaceae; and, in some rare cases, e.g., the date-palm, in entirely separate,
uni-sexual plants of the same species.)
8 I.e., regarding the nature of the soil, fertility and kind of vegetation. The necessity of this
interpolation - which, in the consensus of all commentators, conveys the meaning of the above phrase -
becomes apparent from the subsequent clauses.
9 Lit., "non-clustered" (ghayr sin wan)=i.e., each tree having separate roots.
10 Cf. 6:99 and 141, where a similar stress is laid on the multiformity of plants - and their varying
beneficence to man and animal - as some of the signs of God's purposeful, creative activity.
13:5
BUT IF thou art amazed [at the marvels of God's creation], amazing, too, is their saying, "What! After we have become dust, shall we indeed be [restored to life] in a new act of creation?"11
It is they who [thus show that they] are bent on denying their Sustainer;12 and it is they who carry the shackles [of their own making] around their necks;13 and it is they who are destined for the fire, therein to abide.
13:6
And [since, O Prophet, they are bent on denying the truth,] they challenge thee to hasten the coming upon them of evil instead of [hoping for] good 14although [they ought to know that] the exemplary punishments [which they now deride] have indeed come to pass before their time.
Now, behold, thy Sustainer is full of forgiveness unto men despite all their evildoing:15] but, behold, thy Sustainer is [also] truly severe in retribution!
13:7
However, they who are bent on denying the truth [refuse to believe and] say, "Why has no miraculous sign ever been bestowed on him from on high by his Sustainer?"16
[But] thou art only a warmer; and [in God] all people have a guide.17
11 I.e., while it is amazing that one can refuse to believe in God despite all the evidence,
accessible to human observation, of the existence of a definite purpose in all life-phenomena,
and thus of the existence of a conscious Creative Power, it is no less amazing to see people
who, while vaguely believing in God, can yet refuse to believe in individual resurrection:
for, if God has created the universe and the phenomenon of life as such, He obviously has the
power to re-create life - and its requisite physical vehicle - in a new act of creation.
12 By denying the possibility of resurrection, they implicitly deny God's almightiness, and thus,
in effect, His reality.
13 A metaphor of man's wilful self-abandonment to false values and evil ways, and of the resulting
enslavement of the spirit (cf. Zamakhshari, Razi, Baydawl). See also surah 34, note 44.
14 Lit., "they ask thee to hasten the evil before the good": i.e., instead of willingly accepting
the guidance offered them by the Prophet, they mockingly challenge him to bring about the exemplary
punishment with which, according to him, God threatens them. (For a fuller explanation of this
"challenge", referred to here and in several other places in the Qur'an, see 6:57-58 and 8:32,
as well as the corresponding notes.)
15 Cf. the first sentence of 10: 11 and the corresponding note 17.
16 I.e., to prove that he (Muhammad) is really a prophet inspired by God. But the Qur'an makes
it clear in several places (e.g., 6:7 and 111, 10:96-97 or 13:31) that even a miracle would
not convince those who are "bent on denying the truth".
17 According to the classical commentators, this sentence lends itself to several interpretations:
(1) "Thou art only a warmer; and every nation has had a guide like thee (i.e., a prophet)"- which
would be in consonance with the Qur'anic doctrine of the continuity of prophetic guidance; or
(2) "Thou art only a warmer - but [at the same time] also a guide unto all people" - which would
stress the universality of the Qur'anic message as contrasted with the time-bound and ethnically
limited missions of the earlier prophets; or (3) "Thou art only a warmer bound to do no more than
deliver the message entrusted to thee, while it is God alone who can truly guide men's hearts
towards faith". Since the last of the above three interpretations is the most plausible and has,
moreover, the support of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak, I
have adopted it in my rendering. According to Zamakhshari, this interpretation is further
strengthened by the subsequent reference to God's omniscience.
13:8
God knows what any female bears [in her womb], and by how much the wombs may fall short [in gestation], and by how much they may increase [the average period]:18 for with Him everything is [created] in accordance with its scope and purpose.19
13:9
He knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being's perception as well as all that can be witnessed by a creature's senses or mind20 - the Great One, the One far above anything that is or could ever be!21
13:10
It is all alike [to Him] whether any of you conceals his thought22 or brings it into the open, and whether he seeks to hide [his evil deeds] under the cover of night or walks [boldly] in the light of day,23 (13:11) [thinking that] he has hosts of helpers - both such as can be perceived by him and such as are hidden from him24- that could preserve him from whatever God may have willed.25
Verily, God does not change men's condition unless they change their inner selves;26 and when God wills people to suffer evil [in consequence of their own evil deeds], there is none who could avert it: for they have none who could protect them from Him.
18 The term untha denotes any female being, whether human or animal. The "falling short" may refer
either to a shortening of the usual period of gestation (e.g., to seven months in human beings) or
to a falling short of the completion of pregnancy, i.e., a miscarriage; it is to be noted that the
noun ghayd signifies "an abortive foetus" (Taj al-Aras), i.e., in human beings, a foetus less
than seven months old. The "increase", on the other hand, may mean either the completion of
gestation or its being in excess of the average period (as, for instance, the occasional lengthening
of human pregnancy from the usual period of about 280 days to 305 or, according to some medical
authorities, even 307 days). In addition to this, God's knowledge of "what any female bears
[in her womb]" obviously relates also to the sex of the unborn embryo as well as to the number
of offspring involved in one pregnancy.- As the sequence shows, this reference to the mysteries
of gestation, fully known only to God, is meant to bring out the idea that He who knows what is
in the wombs knows also the innermost disposition of every human being and the direction in which
that human being will develop.
19 Lit., "according to a measure" (bi-miqdar) -i.e., in accordance with the particular purpose
for which it has been created, the exigencies of its existence and the role which it is destined
to play within God's plan of creation.
20 See surah 6, note 65.
21 God's attribute al-muta'al, which occurs in the Qur'an only in this one instance, denotes His
infinite exaltedness above anything existing or potential; also, according to Zamakhshari, above
anything that could be circumscribed by human definitions. (See in this connection the last
sentence of 6:100 and the corresponding note 88.)
22 The term Bawl denotes, primarily, "a saying" or "an utterance", but it is also used tropically,
in the sense of "an idea", irrespective of whether it is expressed in actual words (as a statement,
an assertion, a formulated doctrine, etc.) or merely conceived in the mind (e.g., an opinion, a
view, or a connected set of ideas). Since in the above verse this term obviously refers to unspoken
thoughts, I have rendered it accordingly.
23 Lit., "and goes forth by day" - i.e., commits evil deeds openly (Ibn 'Abbas, as quoted by Baghawi
and Razi). In the Arabic construction, the sentence reads thus: "All alike [to Him] is he from
among you who conceals his thought (al-pawl) and he who brings it into the open, as well as he
who... ," etc.
24 Lit., "from between his hands and from behind him". As in 2:255, the expression "between his
hands" denotes "something that is perceivable by him" or "evident to him", while that which
is "behind him" is a metonym for something "beyond his ken" or "hidden from him". See also
next note.
25 Lit., "from God's command (amr)". The rendering of the above passage hinges on the meaning given
to the term mu'aqqibat-a double plural of mu'aqqib, which signifies "something that comes immediately
after another thing" or "succeeds another thing without interruption". Most of the classical
commentators understand by mu'aqqibat "hosts of angels", i.e., the recording angels who attend on
every human being, succeeding one another without interruption. Consequently, they interpret the
phrase min bayni yadayhi wa-min khalfihi as meaning "ranged before him and behind him", i.e.,
surrounding man from all sides; and they explain the words "from God's command" as being here synonymous
with "by God's command", and take them to refer to the angels or to their function of guardianship.
However, this interpretation has by no means the support of all the commentators. Some of the earliest
ones assume that the term mu'aqqibat refers to all manner of worldly forces or concepts on which man
so often relies in the mistaken belief that they might help him to achieve his aims independently of
God's will: and this is the meaning given to this elliptic passage by the famous commentator Abu
Muslim al-Isfahani, as quoted by Razi. Explaining verse 10 and the first part of verse 11, he says:
"All alike are, in God's knowledge, deeds done secretly or openly, as well as he who hides in the
darkness of night and he who walks [boldly] in the light of day... : for he that resorts to the
[cover of] night can never elude God's will (amr), just as he [cannot] that walks in the light of
day, surrounded by hosts of helpers (mu'aqqibat)- that is, guards and aids - meant to protect him:
[for] those guards of his cannot save him from [the will of] God." It is on this convincing
interpretation that I have based my rendering. The worldly "guards and aids" on which a sinner relies
may be tangible (like wealth, progeny, etc.) or intangible (like personal power, high social standing,
or the belief in one's "luck"): and this explains the phrase "both such as can be perceived by him
and such as are hidden from him" (see preceding note).
26 Lit., "that which is in themselves". This statement has both a positive and a negative connotation:
i.e., God does not withdraw His blessings from men unless their inner selves become depraved (cf. 8:53),
just as He does not bestow His blessings upon wilful sinners until they change their inner disposition
and become worthy of His grace. In its wider sense, this is an illustration of the divine law of cause
and effect (sunnat Allah) which dominates the lives of both individuals and communities, and makes
the rise and fall of civilizations dependent on people's moral qualities and the changes in
"their inner selves".
13:12
HE IT IS who displays before you the lightning, to give rise to [both] fear and hope,27 and calls heavy clouds into being; (13:13) and the thunder extols His limitless glory and praises Him, and [so do] the angels, in awe of Him; and He [it is who] lets loose the thunderbolts and strikes with them whom He wills.
And yet, they stubbornly argue about God,28 notwithstanding [all evidence] that He alone has the power to contrive whatever His unfathomable wisdom wills!29
27 I.e., hope of rain, which in the Qur'an frequently symbolizes faith and spiritual life. With this
verse, the discourse returns to the theme enunciated at the beginning of this surah (verses 2-4):
namely, to the evidence of a consciously devised plan and purpose inherent in all nature and thus,
of the existence of God.
28 I.e., about His transcendental existence or the quality of His Being.
29 According to Raghib, the expression shadrd al-mihdi (which occurs in the Qur'an only in this
one place) signifies "powerful in contriving, in a manner hidden from man, that wherein wisdom
lies"; hence my rendering.
13:14
Unto Him [alone] is due all prayer aiming at the Ultimate Truth,30 since those [other beings or powers] whom men invoke instead of God 31 cannot respond to them in any way - [so that he who invokes them is] but like one who stretches his open hands32 towards water, [hoping] that it will reach his mouth, the while it never reaches him. Hence, the prayer of those who deny the truth amounts to no more than losing oneself in grievous error.
13:15
And before God, they prostrate themselves, willingly or unwillingly, all [things and beings] that are in the heavens and on earth,33 as do their shadows in the mornings and the evenings.34 (13:16) Say: "Who is the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?"
Say: "[It is] God."
Say: "[Why,] then, do you take for your protectors, instead of Him, such as have it not within their power to bring benefit to, or avert harm from, themselves?"
Say: "Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equal? - or can the depths of darkness and the light be deemed equal?"
Or do they [really] believe that there are, side by side with God, other divine powers35 that have created the like of what He creates, so that this act of creation appears to them to be similar [to His]?36 - Say: "God is the Creator of all things; and He is the One who holds absolute sway over all that exists."
30 Lit., "His is the call [or "invocation"] of the truth"; or, possibly, "to Him [alone] is due all
true invocation". It should, however, be remembered that the term al-haqq ("the Truth") is one of
the Qur'anic attributes of God, signifying the Ultimate Reality or Primal Cause of all that exists
(the Urgrund in German philosophical terminology): consequently, the expression da'wat al-haqq may
be understood in the sense of "prayer directed towards Him who is the Ultimate Reality", implying -
as the sequence clearly states - that the invocation of any other being, power or principle is
eo ipso wrong and futile.
31 Or: "side by side with God".
32 Lit., "his two palms".
33 The expression yasjud ("prostrates himself" or "prostrate themselves") is a metonym for complete
submission to His will (Zamakhshari), that is, to the natural laws decreed by Him with regard to
everything that exists. According to most of the classical commentators, those who submit to God
willingly (i.e., consciously) are the angels and the believers, whereas the deniers of the truth,
who are "not willing" to submit to Him, are nevertheless, without being conscious of it, subject
to His will. However, in view of the subsequent reference to "shadows" it is logical to assume
that the relative pronoun man relates in this context not merely to conscious beings but also to
all other physical objects, whether animate or inanimate - i.e., to "all things and beings that
are in the heavens and on earth". (See also 16:48-49 and 22:18.)
34 I.e., the varying lengths of the shadow projected by any material object depend on the position
of the sun in relation to the earth; and since the earth's rotation around the sun is - as
everything else in the universe - an outcome of God's creative will, the greater length of a shadow
in the morning and evening and its contraction towards noon visibly expresses the shadow's
subjection to Him.
35 Lit.. "do they assign to God partners ...", etc. - i.e. beings that supposedly have a share
in God's divinity and/or His creative power. (See also surah 6, note 15.)
36 Although the term khalq ("creation" or "act of creation") is often used metaphorically with
reference to human achievements, there is an intrinsic difference between the "creation" of an
artist, a poet or a philosopher, and the act of creation as attributed to God: for whereas the
human "creator" produces his work out of already-existing elements and does no more than bring
those elements together in a (possibly) new combination, God alone has the power to create in
the true sense of the word - that is, to bring into being something that did not exist, either
in its entirety or in its components, before this particular act of creation (cf. 2:117- "when
He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it, 'Be'- and it is"). This is the significance of the
allusion, in the above verse, to the erroneous belief that any other power or being could ever
have "created the iike of what He creates".
13:17
[Whenever] He sends down water from the sky, and [once-dry] river-beds are running high37 according to their measure, the stream carries scum on its surface;38 and, likewise, from that [metal] which they smelt in the fire in order to make ornaments or utensils, [there rises] scum.
In this way does God set forth the parable of truth and falsehood: for, as far as the scum is concerned, it passes away as [does all] dross; but that which is of benefit to man abides on earth.
In this way does God set forth the parables (13:18) of those who have responded to their Sustainer with a goodly response, and of those who did not respond to Him.39 [As for the latter,] if they possessed all that is on earth, and twice as much,40 they would surely offer it as ransom [on the Day of Judgment]:41 a most evil reckoning awaits them, and their goal is hell: and how evil a resting-place!
37 The interpolation of the adjective "once-dry" before "river-beds" (awdiyah) is necessitated by
the absence of the definite article al before this noun. According to Zamakhshari, this indicates
that only some of the river-beds are streaming with water while others, not affected by this
particular rainfall, remain dry. It is to be borne in mind that the term wad (or wadi in popular
parlance) denotes, primarily, a "water-course" or "river-bed" which is normally dry and carries
water only after copious rainfalls; it is only by extension that this term is sometimes applied
to an actual river.
38 Sc., "while the water beneath remains clear".
39 This rendering is based on Zamakhshari's interpretation of the above passage. According to other
commentators, the beginning of verse 18 is independent of the last sentence of the preceding verse,
and is a new sentence, reading thus: "For those who have responded to their Sustainer there is the
ultimate good (al-husna) [in store]; but as for those who did not respond to Him...", etc. In my
opinion, Zamakhshari's reading - in which the expression al-husna is regarded as an adjective
qualifying the believers' response - is preferable inasmuch as it fully justifies the repetition
of the reference to "God's parables".
40 Lit., "and the like of it with it".
41 Cf. 3:91 and the corresponding note 71.
13:19
CAN, THEN, he who knows that whatever has been bestowed from on high upon thee by thy Sustainer is the truth be deemed equal to one who is blind? Only they who are endowed with insight keep this in mind: (13:20) they who are true to their bond with God and never break their covenant;42 (13:21) and who keep together what God has bidden to be joined,43 and stand in awe of their Sustainer and fear the most evil reckoning [which awaits such as do not respond to Him]; (13:22) and who are patient in adversity out of a longing for their Sustainer's countenance, and are constant in prayer, and spend on others, secretly and openly, out of what We provide for them as sustenance, and [who] repel evil with good.44
It is these that shall find their fulfilment in the hereafter:45 (13:23) gardens of perpetual bliss, which they shall enter together with the righteous from among their parents, their spouses, and their offspring;46 and the angels will come unto them from every gate [and will say]: (13:24) "Peace be upon you, because you have persevered!"
How excellent, then, this fulfilment in the hereafter!
42 The "covenant" is, in this context, a general term embracing the spiritual obligations arising
from one's faith in God and the moral and social obligations, resulting from that faith, towards
one's fellow-men (Zamakhshari)- I see in this connection the first sentence of 5:1 (where the term
'aqd is used) and the corresponding note 1. As regards my rendering of 'ahd Allah as "bond with
God", see surah 2, note 19.
43 This refers to all ties arising from human relationships - e.g., the bonds of family, responsibility
for orphans and the poor, the mutual rights and duties of neighbours - as well as the spiritual
and practical bonds which ought to exist between all who belong to the brotherhood of Islam
(cf. 8:75 and the corresponding notes). In its widest sense, the phrase "what God has bidden to be
joined" applies to the spiritual obligation, on the part of man, to remain conscious of the unity
of purpose underlying all of God's creation, and hence - according to Razi - man's moral duty to
treat all living beings with love and compassion.
44 Some of the commentators take this to mean that "if they have committed a sin, they repel it
[i.e., its effect] by repentance" (Ibn Kaysan, as quoted by Zamakhshari), while others think
that the "repelling" connotes the doing of a good deed in atonement of a - presumably unintentional -
bad deed (Razi), or that it refers to endeavours to set evil situations to rights by word or
deed (an alternative interpretation mentioned by Zamakhshari). But the great majority of the
classical commentators hold that the meaning is "they repay evil with good"; thus Al-Hasan al-Basra
(as quoted by Baghawi, Zamakhshari and Razi): "When they are deprived [of anything], they give;
and when they are wronged, they forgive." Tabari's explanation is very similar: "They repel the
evil done to them by doing good to those who did it"; and "they do not repay evil with evil,
but repel it by [doing] good". See also 41:34-36.
45 Lit., "For them there will be the end-result [or "fulfilment"] of the [ultimate] abode". The noun
'uqba is regarded by almost all the philological authorities as synonymous with 'aqibah
("consequence" or "end" or "end-result"; hence also "recompense" and, tropically, "destiny" or
"fulfilment"). The term ad-dar stands for ad-dar al-dkhirah, "the ultimate abode", i.e.,
life in the hereafter.
46 As I have pointed out in several places, the term zawj denotes "a pair" or "a couple" as well
as each of the components of a couple - i.e., with reference to human couples, "a spouse": hence
it signifies either "husband" or "wife": Similarly, the term aba' (lit., "fathers" or "forefathers")
usually denotes both fathers and mothers, i.e., "parents"; and this is, according to Zamakhshari,
the meaning in this instance. - As regards the expression 'adn, rendered by me as "perpetual bliss",
see note on 38:50, the earliest instance of the Qur'anic use of this term.
13:25
But as for those who break their bond with God after it has been established [in their nature],47 and cut asunder what God has bidden to be joined, and spread corruption on earth - their due is rejection [by God],48 and theirs is a most evil fate [in the life to come].
13:26
GOD GRANTS abundant sustenance, or gives it in scant measure, unto whomever He wills; and they [who are given abundance] rejoice in the life of this world - even though, as compared with the life to come, the life of this world is nought but a fleeting pleasure.
13:27
NOW THOSE who are bent on denying the truth [of the Prophet's message] say, "Why has no miraculous sign ever been bestowed upon him from on high by his Sustainer?"49
Say: "Behold, God lets go astray him who wills [to go astray]50, So just as He guides unto Himself all who turn unto Him -(13:28) those who believe, and whose hearts find their rest in the remembrance of God - for, verily, in the remembrance of God [men's] hearts do find their rest -: (13:29) [and so it is that] they who attain to faith and do righteous deeds are destined for happiness [in this world] and the most beauteous of all goals [in the life to come]!"
47 Lit., "after its establishment (mithaq)". For a full explanation of the expression "bond with God"
and of my interpolation, between brackets, of the words "in their nature", see surah 2, note 19.
48 The Qur'anic term la'nah - usually but inexactly translated as "curse" (and popularly used in
this sense in post-classical Arabic parlance) - denotes "banishment" or "alienation" (ib'ad),
i.e., from all that is good (Lisan al-'Arab). Whenever it is attributed in the Qur'an to God
with reference to a sinner, it signifies the latter's "exclusion from God's grace" or his
"rejection by God". In the present context, this meaning is reinforced by the subsequent reference
to "a most evil fate" (lit., "abode") in afterlife. - For an explanation of the phrase "what
God has bidden to be joined", see note 43 above.
49 See verse 7 of this surah and the corresponding note 16. The repetition of this question at this
place points to its connection with the reference to "those who break their bond with God after
it has been established [in their nature]" in verse 25 above (elucidated in note 19 on 2:27).
The abandonment of their original, innate faculty to realize the existence of God and their own
dependence on His guidance - caused by their utter immersion in the passing pleasures of this
world's life - makes it impossible for "those who are bent on denying the truth" to sense the
breath of the divine in the message propounded to them by Muhammad: and so they refuse to accept
it as true unless it is supported by an outward "miracle". (See in this connection note 94 on 6:109.)
50 Or: "God lets go astray whomever He wills". Regarding the rendering adopted by me, see surah 14, note 4.
13:30
Thus51 have We raised thee [O Muhammad] as Our Apostle amidst a community [of unbelievers] before whose time [similar] communities have come and gone,52 so that thou might propound to them what We have revealed unto thee: for [in their ignorance] they deny the Most Gracious!53
Say: "He is my Sustainer. There is no deity save Him. In Him have I placed my trust, and unto Him is my recourse!"
13:31
Yet even if [they should listen to] a [divine] discourse by which mountains could be moved, or the earth cleft asunder, or the dead made to speak - [they who are bent on denying the truth would still refuse to believe in it]!54
Nay, but God alone has the power to decide what shall be.55 Have, then, they who have attained to faith not yet come to know that, had God so willed; He would indeed have guided all mankind aright?56
But as for those who are bent on denying the truth - in result of their [evil] deeds, sudden calamities will always befall them or will alight close to their homes;57 [and this will continue] until God's promise [of resurrection] is fulfilled: verily, God never fails to fulfil His promise!
51 Most of the commentators explain the "thus" or "thus it is" (kadhalika) as referring to the
earlier prophets, namely, "Thus, [or "in like manner"] as We sent prophets before thee, O
Muhammad, We have now sent thee...", etc. It seems to me, however, that this speculative interpolation
is unnecessary, and that the adverb "thus" connects directly with the preceding statement that God
"guides unto Himself all who turn unto Him": in other words, the "thus" qualifies Muhammad's
mission as an instrument of God's guidance. (This is, apparently, how Tabari understands the
above phrase.)
52 Lit., "before whom [other] communities have passed away": an indirect reference to the continuity
of prophetic revelation before and up to the time of the Last Prophet, Muhammad (Zamakhshari, Razi).
The interpolation of the words "of unbelievers" is based on Ibn Kathir's commentary on this verse,
whereas my rendering of arsalnaka (lit., "We have sent thee") as "We have raised thee as Our Apostle"
is necessitated, in English, by the subsequent preposition "amidst".
53 I.e., by refusing to acknowledge His existence, or by rejecting His guidance, or by ascribing
divine qualities to other beings or forces side by side with Him.
54 The sentence added by me between brackets corresponds to the interpretation given to the above
passage by Tabari and also by Az-Zajjaj (as quoted by, Razi and - without the mention of Az-Zajjaj
by name - by Baghawi and Zamakhshari as well); cf. 6:109-111.
55 Lit., "God's alone is all [power of] command": i.e., no "miraculous sign" can ever convince those
whose hearts God has "sealed" in consequence of their "breaking their bond with Him" (see surah 2,
notes 7 and 19).
56 The meaning is that God grants man the freedom to choose between right and wrong: "He guides unto
Himself all who turn unto Him" (verse 27 above) and "are true to their bond with God" (verse 20);
on the other hand, He withholds His guidance from "the iniquitous, who break their bond with "God"
(2:26-27). See also the last sentence of 6:149 and the corresponding note 143.
57 Lit., "a sudden calamity (qari'ah) will not cease (la yazal) to befall them or to alight close
to their home". However, since this phrase connotes repetition and continuity, the singular form
of the noun qari'ah has here obviously a cumulative sense - namely, an unceasing succession of
social catastrophes, fratricidal wars and mutual deprivations which, in consequence of their
deliberate disregard of all spiritual values, will directly befall "those who are bent on denying
the truth" (alladhina kafaru), or will, indirectly, cause them to suffer by affecting their whole
organic environment: and this, to my mind, is the meaning of the phrase "or will alight close to
their homes". (Cf. in this connection 5 :33 and the corresponding notes, especially note 45.)
13:32
And, indeed, [even] before thy time have [God's] apostles been derided, and for a while I gave rein to those who were [thus] bent on denying the truth: but then I took them to task - and how awesome was My retribution!
13:33
IS, THEN, HE who has every living being58 in His almighty care, [dealing with each] according to what it deserves59 - [is, then, He like anything else that exists]? And yet, they ascribe to other beings a share in God's divinity!
Say: "Give them any name [you please]:60 but do you [really think that you could] inform Him of anything on earth that He does not know - or [do you] but play with words?"61
Nay, goodly seems their false imagery62 to those who are bent on denying the truth, and so they are turned away from the [right] path: and he whom God lets go astray can never find any guide.63 (13:34) For such, there is suffering in the life of this world;64 but, truly, [their] suffering in the life to come will be harder still, and they will have none to shield them from God.
58 The term nafs has here apparently the general meaning of "soul" or "living being", applying
both to humans and animals.
59 Lit., "what it has acquired" - i.e., according to the exigencies of its life, and -
in the case of a human being - according to his or her moral deserts as well.
60 Lit., "Name them!" Most of the commentators explain this phrase as an expression of utter contempt
for those allegedly "divine" beings: i.e., "they are so unreal and meaningless as not to deserve
even a name". It is also conceivable that we have here an echo of the statement, to be found in
7:71, 12:40 and 53:23, to the effect that those false objects of worship are but "[empty] names
which you have invented". However, in view of the next sentence - which refers to God's omniscience
and is similar to 10:18, where imaginary "intercessors" are explicitly mentioned - it is possible
to interpret the above phrase still more precisely, viz., "Call them 'divine intercessors', if you
so like: but...", etc. (According to Zamakhshari, the particle am, which usually denotes "or",
stands here for bal, "nay, but" or simply "but".)
61 Lit., "or [do you say this] in the outward appearance (bi-zahir) of a saying". Cf. the second
part of 10:18 (preceded by a reference to deified "intercessors") and the corresponding note 27.
62 Lit., "their cunning [or "artful"] device (makr)": but since, as Tabari points out, this term
relates here mainly to conscious shirk ("the attribution of divine qualities to aught but God")
and, hence, to false religious ideas in general, it can be suitably rendered as above.
63 See surah 7, note 152, and surah 14, note 4.
64 See the last paragraph of verse 31 and note 57 above.
13:35
THE PARABLE of the paradise promised to those who are conscious of God [is that of a garden] through which running waters flow:65 [but, unlike an earthly garden,] its fruits will be everlasing, and [so will be] its shade.66
Such will be the destiny of those who remain conscious of God - just as the destiny of those who deny the truth will be the fire.67
13:36
Hence, they unto whom We have vouchsafed this revelation68 rejoice at all that has been bestowed upon thee [O Prophet] from on high;69 but among the followers of other creeds there are such as deny the validity of some of it.70
Say [unto them, O Prophet]: "I have only been bidden to worship God, and not to ascribe divine powers to aught beside Him:71 unto Him do I call [all mankind], and He is my goal!"
13:37
Thus, then, have We bestowed from on high this [divine writ] as an ordinance in the Arabic tongue.62 And, indeed, if thou shouldst defer to men's likes and dislikes63 after all the [divine] knowledge that has come unto thee, thou wouldst have none to protect thee from God, and none to shield thee [from Him].
65 This rendering (and the interpolation of the words "is that of a garden") reproduces literally
the interpretation given to the above passage by Az-Zajjaj, as quoted by Zamakhshari and - in an
abbreviated form - by Razi; according to Zamakhshari, this passage serves "as a parabolic illustration,
by means of something which we know from our experience, of something that is beyond the reach of
our perception" (tamthilan li-ma ghaba 'annd bi-ma nushahid). As in the similar (but wider)
reference to "the parable of paradise" in 47:15, we are here reminded that the Qur'anic descriptions
of what awaits man after resurrection are, of necessity, metaphorical, since the human mind cannot
conceive of anything that is - both in its elements and its totality - entirely different from
anything that can be experienced in this world. (See in this connection Appendix I.)
66 I.e., its gift of happiness. Regarding this metaphorical meaning of zill ("shade"), see the last
clause of 4:57 and the corresponding note 74.
67 For my rendering of 'uqba, in this context, as "destiny" see note 45 above.
68 Sc., "and who believe in it".
69 I.e., because it offers them guidance in this world and holds out to them the promise of ultimate
happiness in the life to come.
70 I.e., while admitting that the Qur'an contains much that coincides with the spiritual concepts
taught by their own religions. The designation ahzab (lit., "parties" or "sects", sing. hizb)
connotes here the followers of other religions or creeds (Tabari and Razi).
71 The particle "only" (innama) at the beginning of this sentence "clearly shows that there is [in
Islam] no obligation, no ordinance and no prohibition that is not connected with this [principle]"
(Razi).
72 Lit., "as an Arabic ordinance (hukm)": i.e., so as to enable the Arabian Prophet to propound it to
the people of his immediate environment and, through them, to the whole world. Cf. in this connection
14:4, where it is stated that every one of God's prophets was entrusted with a message "in his own
people's tongue, so that he might make [the truth] clear unto them". That the message of the Qur'an
is universal, and not restricted to the Arabs alone, is brought out clearly in many places, e.g.,
in 7:158, "Say [O Prophet]: 'O mankind! Verily, I am an apostle of God to all of you."
73 Lit., "follow their likes and dislikes (ahwahum)" - i.e., by compromising with the followers of
other creeds who, while accepting some of the fundamental verities of the Qur'an, are unwilling
to accept the whole of it.
13:38
And, truly, We sent forth apostles before thee, and We appointed for them wives and offspring;74 and it was not given to any apostle to produce a miracle save at God's behest.75
Every age has had its revelation:76 (13:39) God annuls or confirms whatever He wills [of His earlier messages] - for with Him is the source of all revelation.77
13:40
BUT WHETHER We let thee see [in thy lifetime, O Prophet, the fulfilment of] some of what We have promised them, or whether We cause thee to die [before its fulfilment] - thy duty is no more than to deliver the message; and the reckoning is Ours. (13:41) Have, then, they [who deny the truth] never yet seen how79 We visit the earth [with Our punishment], gradually depriving it of all that is best thereon?80
For, [when] God judges, there is no power that could repel His judgment: and swift in reckoning is He!
74 I.e., they were mortals like all other men, and were not endowed with any "supernatural" qualities.
This is a rejoinder to those who refuse to accept a divine message as true on the grounds of its
having been conveyed to mankind by an "ordinary mortal". (Cf. 25:7, where the unbelievers are
speaking derisively of Muhammad as an apostle "who eats food [like all other mortals] and goes about
in the market-places", and the many references to their incredulous wondering that God should have
chosen as His prophet "a man from among themselves".) In addition to this, the above verse stresses,
by implication, the positive value of man's natural, physical life - summarized, as it were, in the
expression "wives and offspring" - and the rejection of exaggerated asceticism and self-mortification
as an allegedly desirable "way to God".
75 Lit., "by God's leave". Cf. 6:109 - "Miracles are in the power of God alone" - and the corresponding
note 94. In the present context, this is an answer to those who refuse to believe in Muhammad's
message unless "a miraculous sign" is bestowed upon him.
76 Or: "a divine writ" (kitab). See 5:48 - "Unto every one of you have We appointed a [different] law
and way of life" - and the corresponding note 66, which explains the succession of divine messages
culminating in, and ending with, the revelation of the Qur'an. This interpretation of the above phrase -
adopted, among others, by Ibn Kathir - connects it plausibly with the precedingg mention of the
apostles who came before Muhammad, and with the subsequent reference to the supersession of the
earlier divine messages by that of the Qur'an. Apart from this, the statement that every age had a
revelation suited to the particular needs of the time and the people concerned (Zamakhshari)
constitutes an answer to the objection, often raised by followers of other creeds, that the message
of the Qur'an differs in many respects from the earlier divine revelations (Razi).
77 I.e., He is the fountainhead or source (asl) of all revelation. - As regards the preceding reference
to the abrogation of earlier divine dispensations and their supersession by later ones - ending
with the final revelation, the Qur'an - see 2:106 and the corresponding note 87. (According to
Qatadah, as quoted by Tabari and Ibn Kathir, the passage under consideration has the same purport
as 2:106.)
78 I.e., the calamities which, according to the last paragraph of verse 31 above, are in store for
"those who are bent on denying the truth" (alladhina kafaru).
79 Lit., "that".
80 Or: "curtailing it from [all] its sides" (min atrafiha) -depending on whether one understands
by atraf the "sides" or "extremities" or "outlying parts" (of a concrete body or land) or, alternatively,
the "outstanding men" - i.e., the great leaders, scholars and thinkers (Taj al-'aras) - and "the best
of the [earth's] inhabitants and fruits" (ibid.). Many commentators, taking the primary meaning of
atraf, are of the opinion that the above sentence relates to the struggle between the early Muslim
community at Medina and the pagans of Mecca, and interpret it thus: "Do they [i.e., the pagans of Mecca]
not see that we are visiting [with Our punishment] the land [held by them], gradually curtailing it
from [all] its sides?" - which would imply a prophecy of the gradual conquest of all Arabia by the
Muslims. Other commentators, however, prefer the secondary meaning of atraf and - without denying
its relevance to the early history of Islam - interpret this passage in a more general sense, similar
to the rendering adopted by me. Thus, for instance, Razi: "Have they [i.e., the deniers of the truth]
never yet seen the turns of fortune (ikhtildfdt) that take place in this world-destruction after
prosperity, death after life, humiliation after glory, deficiency after perfection?... Hence, what
makes those deniers of the truth so sure that God will not render them abject after they had been mighty,
and subjected [by others] after they had been rulers?" Thus, in its widest sense, the phrase "gradually
depriving it of all that is best in it" may be taken to relate not merely to physical and social
catastrophes but also to the loss of all ethical values - and, thus, to the loss of all worldly power -
which "those who are bent on denying the truth" are bound to suffer in the end.
13:42
Now those who lived before these [sinners] did, too, devise many a blasphemy81 - but the most subtle devising is that of God, who knows what each human being deserves:82 and the deniers of the truth will [in time] come to know to whom the future belongs.83
13:43
And [if] they who are bent on denying the truth say [unto thee, O Prophet], "Thou hast not been sent [by God]", say thou: "None can bear witness between me and you as God does; and [none can bear witness as does] he who truly understands this divine writ."84
81 Lit., "did scheme" - an expression which in this context apparently refers to blasphemous ideas
and attitudes.
82 Lit., "earns" - i.e., of good and evil.
83 For an explanation of this rendering of 'uqba 'd-dar (which is here synonymous with 'aqibat
ad-dar), see surah 6, note 118.
84 Lit., "and anyone who possesses (man 'indahu) knowledge of the revelation" - implying that a
true understanding of the Qur'an unavoidably leads one to the conviction that it has been
revealed by God.
ALL AUTHORITIES agree that this surah belongs to the last group of Meccan revelations; in the Itqan it is placed immediately after surah 71 (Nuh), and we have no reason to question this chronology. The title is based on Abraham's prayer in verses 35-41; its relevance to the rest of the surah has been explained in note 48.
As in the preceding surah, the main theme of Ibrahim is the revelation of God's word to man, destined to lead him "out of the depths of darkness into the light" (verses 1 and 5) by means of messages expressed in the language of the people to whom it was originally addressed (verse 4; cf. also 13:37 and the corresponding note 72): but whereas all earlier instances of the divine writ were meant only for the people thus addressed by their prophet (cf. God's command to Moses, in verse 5, "Lead thy people out of the depths of darkness into the light"), the Qur'an is, as stated in the first and the last verses of this surah, a message for all mankind.
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
14:1
Alif. Lam. Ra.1
A DIVINE WRIT [is this a revelation] which We have bestowed upon thee from on high in order that thou might bring forth all mankind, by their Sustainer's leave, out of the depths of darkness into the light: onto the way that leads to the Almighty, the One to whom all praise is due - (14:2) to God, unto whom all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth belongs.
But woe unto those who deny the truth: for suffering severe (14:3) awaits those who choose the life of this world as the sole object of their love,2 preferring it to [all thought of] the life to come, and who turn others away from the path of God and try to make it appear crooked. Such as these have indeed gone far astray!
14:4
AND NEVER have We sent forth any apostle otherwise than [with a message] in his own people's tongue, so that he might make [the truth] clear unto them;3 but God lets go astray him that wills [to go astray], and guides him that wills [to be guided] - for He alone is almighty, truly wise.4
14:5
And [thus], indeed, have We sent forth Moses with Our messages [and this Our command]: "Lead thy people out of the depths of darkness into the light, and remind them of the Days of God!"3
Verily, in this [reminder] there are messages indeed for all who are wholly patient in adversity and deeply grateful [to God].
14:6
And, lo,6 Moses spoke [thus] unto his people: "Remember the blessings which God bestowed upon you when He saved you from Pharaoh's people who afflicted you with cruel suffering, and slaughtered your sons, and spared [only] your women7 - which was an awesome trial from your Sustainer. (14:7) And [remember the time] when your Sustainer made [this promise] known: 'If you are grateful [to Me], I shall most certainly give you more and more;8 but if you are ungrateful, verily, My chastisement will be severe indeed!"9
1 See Appendix II; also surah 11, note 1.
2 According to Zamakhshari and Razi, this is the real meaning of the verbal form yastahibbun in
the above context - implying that such an all-absorbing, exclusive love of the life of this world
leads inevitably to a denial of moral truths.
3 Since every divine writ was meant to be understood by man, it is obvious that each had to be formulated
in the language of the people whom the particular prophet was addressing in the first instance;
and the Qur'an - notwithstanding its universal import (cf. note 126 on 7:158) - is no exception
in this respect.
4 Or: "God lets go astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills". All Qur'anic references
to God's "letting man go astray" must be understood against the background of 2:26-27 - "none does
He cause to go astray save the iniquitous, who break their bond with God" (regarding which latter
expression, see surah 2, note 19): that is to say, man's "going astray" is a consequence of his
own attitudes and inclinations and not a result of an arbitrary "predestination" in the popular
sense of this word (cf. surah 2, note 7). In his commentary on the above verse, Zamakhshari stresses
this aspect of free choice on the part of man and points out that "God does not cause anyone to go
astray except one who, as He knows, will never attain to faith; and He does not guide anyone aright
except one who, as He knows, will attain to faith. Hence, the [expression] 'causing to go astray'
denotes [God's] leaving [one] alone (takhliyah) and depriving [him] of all favour, whereas [the
expression] 'guidance' denotes [His] grant of fulfilment (tawfiq) and favour.... Thus, He does not
forsake anyone except those who deserve to be forsaken, and does not bestow His favour upon anyone
except those who deserve to be favoured." Commenting on the identical phrase occurring in 16:93,
Zamakhshari states: "[God] forsakes him who, as He knows, will [consciously] choose to deny the
truth and will persevere in this [denial]; and ... He bestows His favour upon him who, as He knows,
will choose faith: which means that He makes the issue dependent on [man's] free choice (al-ikhtiyar),
and thus on his deserving either [God's] favour or the withdrawal of [His] aid ... and does not
make it dependent on compulsion [i.e., predestination], which would rule out [man's] deserving
anything of the above."
5 In ancient Arabian tradition, the terms "day" or "days" were often used to describe momentous historical
events (e.g., ayyam al-'arab as a metonym for the inter-tribal wars of pre-Islamic Arabia). However,
in view of the frequent Qur'anic application of the word "day" to eschatological concepts - e.g.,
the "Last Day", the "Day of Resurrection", the "Day of Reckoning", and so forth - and, particularly,
in view of 45:14, where the expression "the Days of God" unmistakably points to His judgment at the
end of time - it is only logical to assume that in the present context this expression bears the
same significance: namely, God's final judgment of man on the Day of Resurrection. The use of the
plural form ("the Days of God") is perhaps meant to bring out the idea that the "Day" of which the
Qur'an so often speaks has nothing to do with human time-definitions but, rather, alludes to an
ultimate reality in which the concept of "time" has neither place nor meaning.
6 For this rendering of the particle idh, see surah 2, note 21.
7 Cf. 2:49; also Exodus i, 15-16 and 22.
8 I.e., "even more than you deserve".
14:8
And Moses added: "If you should [ever] deny the truth - you and whoever else lives on earth, all of you - [know that,] verily, God is indeed self-sufficient, ever to be praised!"
14:9
HAVE THE STORIES of those [deniers of the truth] who lived before you never yet come within your ken - [the stories of] the people of Noah, and of [the tribes of] 'Ad and Thamud, and of those who came after them? None knows them [now] save God.9
There came unto them their apostles with all evidence of the truth - but they covered their mouths with their hands10 and answered: "Behold, we refuse to regard as true the message with which you [claim to] have been entrusted; and, behold, we are in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, about [the meaning of] your call to us!"11
14:10
Said the apostles sent unto them:12 "Can there be any doubt about [the existence and oneness of] God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth? It is He who calls unto you, so that He may forgive you [whatever is past] of your sins and grant you respite until a term [set by Him is fulfilled]."12
[But] they replied: "You are nothing but mortal men like ourselves! You want to turn us away from what our forefathers were wont to worship: well, then, bring us a clear proof [of your being God's message-bearers]!"
9 I.e., they have disappeared from the face of the earth, and none save God knows today how many
they were and how they lived. See verse 14 and note 18 below.
10 Lit., "they put their hands into their mouths" - an idiomatic phrase indicating one's inability
to refute a reasonable proposition by cogent, logical counter-arguments: for the out-of-hand rejection
of the apostles' message by their recalcitrant compatriots cannot by any means be regarded as an
"argument".
11 See surah 11, note 92. It is to be noted that whereas in 11:62 this reply is placed in the mouth
of people of one particular community - the Thamud - and is phrased in the singulaar ("thy call
to us"), it appears here in the plural ("your call to us") and represents the gist of the answers
given by various communities to various prophets. This generalization, underlying the entire
subsequent account and containing echos of several Qur'anic narratives relating to the experiences
of individual apostles of earlier times, is obviously meant to bring out the symptomatic character
of the attitude referred to: the stubborn attitude of people who either deny God altogether, or -
while not consciously denying His existence - yet feel compelled to interpose all manner of
imaginary "mediators" (thought to be divine or semi-divine) between themselves and Him, thus denying,
by implication, His omniscience and omnipotence.
12 Lit., "their apostles".
13 I.e., "until the end of your life in this world". This is, I believe, an indirect allusion to the
calamities which are bound to befall, even in this world, "those who are bent on denying the truth"
(see the last paragraph of 13:31 and the corresponding note 57) - implying that they who consciously
respond to the call of God, conveyed through His prophets, would be immune to this kind of suffering
and would be graced with abiding spiritual happiness (cf. 13:29).
14:11
Their apostles answered them: "True, we are nothing but mortal men like yourselves: but God bestows His favour upon whomever He wills of His servants. Withal, it is not within our power to bring you a proof [of our mission], unless it be by God's leave - and [so] it is in God that all believers must place their trust.14 (14:12) And how could we not place our trust in God, seeing that it is He who has shown us the path which we are to follow?"15
"Hence, we shall certainly bear with patience whatever hurt you may do us: for, all who have trust [in His existence] must place their trust in God [alone]!"
14:13
But they who denied the truth spoke [thus] unto their apostles: "We shall most certainly expel you from our land, unless you return forthwith to our ways!"16
Whereupon their Sustainer revealed this to His apostles:17 "Most certainly shall We destroy these evildoers, (14:14) and most certainly shall We cause you to dwell on earth [long] after they have passed away:18 this is [My promise] unto all who stand in awe of My presence, and stand in awe of My warning!"19 (14:15) And they prayed [to God] that the truth be made to triumph.20
14 I.e., it is to the contents of the divine message propounded to them that all seekers after truth
must turn for illumination (see 7:75 and 13:43, as well as the corresponding notes). The Qur'an
dwells in many places (e.g., in 6:109-111 or 13:31) on the futility - moral as well as intellectual
- of the demand that the divine origin of a prophetic message should be proved by tangible,
extraneous means: for, a morally valid and intellectually justifiable conviction of the intrinsic
truth of such a message can be gained only through "conscious insight accessible to reason" (12:108).
15 Lit., "guided us on our paths - a plural indicating (as does the whole of the passage beginning
with verse 9) the fundamental identity of the message preached by all the prophets.
16 Cf. 7:88-89, where this alternative is placed before Shu'ayb.
17 Lit., "to them".
18 Lit., "after them": implying a divine promise that the truth preached by the apostles would outlive
its detractors (cf. verse 9 above, "None knows them [now] save God"), and would triumph in the end.
19 As Zamakhshari points out, the divine promise expressed in the above verse is equivalent to the
statement in 7:128 that "the future (al-aqibah) belongs to the God-conscious".
20 Or: "they [i.e., the apostles] prayed for victory" or "for [God's] aid" - both these meanings
being contained in the noun fath, with which the verbal form istaftahu, used here, is connected.
It should be borne in mind that the primary significance of fataha is "he opened", and of istaftaha,
"he sought to open [something]" or "he desired that it be opened". Thus, the above passage echoes,
in a generalized form, Shu'ayb's prayer in 7:89, "Lay Thou open (iftah) the truth between us and
our people".
14:15
And [thus it is:] every arrogant enemy of the truth shall be undone [in the life to come], (14:16) with hell awaiting him;21 and he shall be made to drink of the water of most bitter distress,22 (14:17) gulping it [unceasingly,] little by little, and yet hardly able to swallow it.23 And death will beset him from every quarter - but he shall not die: for [yet more] severe suffering lies ahead of him.
14:18
[This, then, is] the parable of those who are bent on denying their Sustainer: all their works24 are as ashes which the wind blows about fiercely on a stormy day: [in the life to come,] they cannot achieve any benefit whatever from all [the good] that they may have wrought: for this [denial of God] is indeed the farthest one can go astray.25
14:19
ART THOU NOT aware that God has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth?26 He can, if He so wills, do away with you and bring forth a new mankind [in your stead]:27 (14:20) nor is this difficult for God. (14:21) And all [mankind] will appear before God [on the Day of Judgment]; and then the weak28 will say unto those who had gloried in their arrogance: "Behold, We were but your followers: can you, then, relieve us of something of God's chastisement?"
[And the others] will answer: "If God would but show us the way [to salvation], we would indeed guide you [towards it].29 It is [now] all one, as far as we are concerned, whether we grieve impatiently or endure [our lot] with patience: there is no escape for us!"
21 Lit., "[with] hell beyond him", i.e., as his destiny. For my rendering of jabbar, in this context,
as "enemy of the truth", see the first part of note 58 on 26:130.
22 The word sadid is an infinitive noun of sadda. which in its primary meaning denotes "he turned
away" or "was averse [from something]"; also - as noted in the Qamus and the Asas - "he cried
out loudly" (i.e., by reason of his aversion to something). Since sadid signifies anything that
is repulsive, it is also used tropically to describe the pus that flows from wounds or the viscous
liquid that oozes from corpses. In his commentary on this verse, Razi suggests that the expression
ma' sadid is here purely metaphorical, and should be understood as "water like [what is described as]
sadid". It is in pursuance of this interpretation that I have rendered the above expression as
"waters of most bitter distress" - a metaphor of the boundless suffering and bitter frustration
which, in the life to come, awaits those who during their life in this world were bent on denying
all spiritual truths. (Cf. the expression sharab min hamim - rendered by me as "a draught of burning
despair" - occurring in several places and elucidated in note 62 on 6:70.)
23 I.e., to reconcile himself to this suffering.
24 I.e., even the good ones (Razi).
25 Lit., "this, this is the straying far-away". The definite article in the expression ad-dalal
al-ba'id, preceded by the pronouns dhalika huwa, is meant to stress the extreme degree of this
"straying far-away" or "going astray": a construction that can be rendered in English only by
a paraphrase, as above. It is to be noted that this phrase occurs in the Qur'an only
twice-namely, in the above passage and in 22:12 - and refers in both cases to a denial, conscious
or implied, of God's oneness and uniqueness.
26 See note 11 on 10: 5.
27 Lit., "bring forth a new creation" or "new people", for it should be remembered that the term
khalq denotes not merely "creation" or "act of creation" but also "people" or "mankind", which
seems to be its meaning here (Ibn 'Abbas, as quoted by Razi).
28 I.e., those who had sinned out of moral weakness and self-indulgence, relying on the supposedly
superior wisdom of the so-called "leaders of thought", who are described in the sequence as having
"gloried in their arrogance" (astakbaru) inasmuch as they refused to pay heed to God's messages
(Tabari, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas).
29 Sc., "but now it is too late for repentance". According to Tabari and Razi, this is the meaning
of the above passage. Zamakhshari, however, prefers another interpretation, implying a reference
not to the present but to the past, thus: "'If God had guided us aright, we would have guided you
[too] aright": in other words, he understands the phrase as an attempt on the part of the doomed
to divest themselves of all responsibility, and to attribute their past sinning to God's "not having
willed" to guide them aright. To my mind, the interpretation offered by Tabari and Razi is
preferable because - all other considerations apart - it provides a logical connection between
the request of "the weak" (see preceding note) and the reply of those who in their earthly life had
"gloried in their arrogance", as well as with the latters' subsequent, despairing utterance, which
can be summed up in the words, "too late!"
14:22
And when everything will have been decided, Satan will say: "Behold, God promised you something that was bound to come true!30 I, too, held out [all manner of] promises to you - but I deceived you. Yet I had no power at all over you: I but called you - and you responded unto me. Hence, blame not me, but blame yourselves.31 It is not for me to respond to your cries, nor for you to respond to mine:32 for, behold, I have [always] refused to admit that there was any truth in your erstwhile belief that I had a share in God's divinity."33
Verily, for all evildoers34 there is grievous suffering in store.
30 Lit., "God promised you a promise of truth" - i.e., the promise of resurrection and last judgment.
31 In his commentary on this passage, Razi remarks: "This verse shows that the real Satan (ash-shaytan
al-asli) is [man's own] complex of desires (an-nafs): for, Satan makes it clear [in the above] that
it was only by means of insinuations '(waswasah) that he was able to reach [the sinner's soul]; and
had it not been for an already-existing [evil] disposition due to lusts, anger, superstition or
fanciful ideas, these [satanic] insinuations would have had no effect whatsoever."
32 I.e., "I cannot respond to your call for help, just as you should not have, in your lifetime,
responded to my call." The above sentence is often interpreted in another sense, namely, "I cannot
succour you, just as you cannot succour me". However, in view of Satan's allegorical reference -
in the preceding passages as well as in the next sentence - to the sinners' earthly past, the
rendering adopted by me seems to be more suitable; moreover, it is closer to the primary meaning
of the verb sarakha ("he cried out"), from which the form musrikh ("one who responds to a cry")
is derived (Jawhari).
33 This is, to my mind, the meaning of the highly elliptical phrase kafartu bi-ma ashraktumuni min
qabl, which could be literally - but most inadequately - translated thus: "I have refused to admit
the truth of that whereby you associated me aforetime [with God]." The implication is that Satan,
while endeavouring to lead men astray, never claims to be God's "equal" (cf. 7:20, where he speaks
of God, to Adam and Eve, as "your Sustainer", or 15:36 and 39, where he addresses Him as "my
Sustainer", or 8:48 and 59:16, where he says, "behold, I fear God") but, rather, tries to make men's
sinful doings "seem goodly to them" (cf. 6:43, 8:48, 16:63, 27:24, 29:38), i.e., persuades them
that it is morally justifiable to follow one's fancies and selfish desires without any restraint.
But while Satan himself does not make any claim to equality with God, the sinner who submits to
Satan's blandishments attributes to him thereby, as it were, "a share in God's divinity".- It must
be stressed, in this connection, that the Qur'anic expression shaytan is often used as a metaphor
for every human impulse that is intrinsically immoral and, therefore, contrary to man's best - i.e.,
spiritual - interests.
34 I.e., all those who had consciously - either from intellectual arrogance or from moral weakness -
responded to "Satan's call".
14:23
But those who shall have attained to faith and done righteous deeds will be brought into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide by their Sustainer's leave, and will be welcomed with the greeting, "Peace!"35
14:24
ART THOU NOT aware how God sets forth the parable of a good word?36 [It is] like a good tree, firmly rooted, [reaching out] with its branches towards the sky, (14:25) yielding its fruit at all times by its Sustainer's leave.
And [thus it is that] God propounds parables unto men,36 so that they might bethink themselves [of the truth].37
14:26
And the parable of a corrupt word is that of a corrupt tree, torn up [from its roots] onto the face of the earth, wholly unable to endure.38 (14:27) [Thus,] God grants firmness unto those who have attained to faith through the word that is unshakably true39 in the life of this world as well as in the life to come; but the wrongdoers He lets go astray:40 for God does whatever He wills.
35 As in 10:10, this phrase reads literally, "their greeting therein [will be],'Peace!' (salam)"-
a term which has been explained in surah 5, note 29.
36 In its wider meaning, the term kalimah ("word") denotes any conceptual statement or proposition.
Thus, a "good word" circumscribes any proposition (or idea) that is intrinsically true and - because
it implies a call to what is good in the moral sense - is ultimately beneficent and enduring; and
since a call to moral righteousness is the innermost purport of every one of God's messages, the
term "good word" applies to them as well. Similarly, the "corrupt word" mentioned in verse 26 applies
to the opposite of what a divine message aims at: namely, to every idea that is intrinsically false
or morally evil and, therefore, spiritually harmful.
37 See note 33 on the first clause of 39:27.
38 Lit., "having no permanance (qarar) whatever": i.e., the "corrupt word" (see note 36 above) is
ephemeral in its effect, however strong its original impact on the minds of people who fall prey
to it.
39 Lit., "firm" (thabit). The term qawl - similar to the term kalimah (see note 36 above) - denoteo,
beyond its primary meaning of "saying" or "utterance", also anything that can be defined as a
statement of belief or opinion, namely, "concept", "tenet", "assertion of faith", and so on. In
this context it expresses the concept that there is no deity save God, and that Muhammad is His
Apostle: which is an interpretation of the above phrase given by the Prophet himself, as quoted
by Bukhari in a Tradition on the authority of Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (Kitab at-Tafsir), and by other
Traditionists, including Muslim, on the authority of Shu'bah. The adjective thabit connotes the
"firmness"- that is, the unshakable truth - of the "word" (or "concept",) which it qualifies,
thus connecting it with the preceding parable of the "good word" and the "good tree".
40 See note 4 on verse 4 of this surah.
14:28
ART THOU NOT aware of those who have preferred a denial of the truth to God's blessings 41 and [thereby] invited their people to alight in that abode of utter desolation (14:29) - hell - which they [themselves] will have to endure?42 And how vile a state to settle in! (14:30) For, they claimed that there are powers that could rival God,43 and so they strayed from His path. Say: "Enjoy yourselves [in this world], but, verily, the fire will be your journey's end!"
14:31
[And] tell [those of] My servants who have attained to faith that they should be constant in prayer and spend [in Our way], secretly and openly, out of what We provide for them as sustenance,44 ere there come a Day when there will be no bargaining, and no mutual befriending.45
14:32
[And remember that] it is God who has created the heavens and the earth, and who sends down water from the sky and therpby brings forth [all manner] of fruits for your sustenance; and who has made ships subservient to you, so that they may sail through the sea at His behest; and has made the rivers subservient [to His laws, so that they be of use] to you; (14:33) and has made the sun and the moon, both of them constant upon their courses, subservient [to His laws, so that they be of use] to you; and has made the night and the day subservient [to His laws, so that they be of use] to you.46
41 Lit., "who have exchanged God's blessings for a denial of the truth". The expression "God's
blessings (ni'mah)" obviously refers here to the messages revealed through His apostles.
42 This is evidently an allusion to the relationship between the arrogant leaders of thought and
their weak followers spoken of in verse 21 above.
43 Lit., "they gave God compeers (andad)". For an explanation of my paraphrase of this sentence (fully
justified by Razi), see surah 2, note 13.- The particle li prefixed to the subsequent verb li-yudillu
does not denote intent but is a so-called lam al-'aqibah, i.e., "the [letter] lam indicating a
consequence" or "a result" (Razi), and is in this case suitably rendered as "and so".
44 See surah 2, note 4.
45 Cf. 2:254. According to the philologist Abu 'Ubaydah, as quoted by Razi, the expression bay'
("selling and buying" or "bargaining") denotes here the metaphorical "[giving and taking] ransom"
which, as the Qur'an repeatedly stresses, will be inadmissible on the Day of Judgment (cf. 3:91 and
the corresponding note 71, as well as 5:36, 10: 54, 13:18, 39:47 and 70:11-15); similarly, the
denial of khildl - which Abu 'Ubaydah regards as synonymous, in this context, with mukhalah
("mutual befriending")- expresses the impossibility of "ransom" through intercession on Judgment
Day, for "now, indeed, you have come unto Us in a lonely state, even as We created you in the
first instance" (6:94).
46 Almost all classical commentators agree that God's having made the natural phenomena "subservient"
to man is a metaphor (majaz) for His having enabled man to derive lasting benefit from them: hence
my explanatory interpolations. In the same sense, the night and the day are spoken of in 10:67,
27:86 or 40:61 as having been "made for you" (resp. "for them").
14:34
And [always] does He give you something out of what you may be asking of Him;47 and should you try to count God's blessings, you could never compute them.
[And yet,] behold, man is indeed most persistent in wrongdoing, stubbornly ingrate!
14:35
AND [remember the time] when Abraham spoke [thus]:48 "O my Sustainer! Make this land secure,49 and preserve me and my children from ever worshipping idols50- (14:36) for, verily, O my Sustainer, these [false objects of worship] have led many people astray!
"Hence, [only] he who follows me [in this my faith] is truly of me;51 and as for him who disobeys me - Thou art, verily, much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!
14:37
(37) "O our Sustainer! Behold, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley in which there is no arable land,52 close to Thy sanctified Temple, so that, O our Sustainer, they might devote themselves to prayer: cause Thou, therefore, people's hearts to incline towards them 53 and grant them fruitful sustenance, so that they might have cause to be grateful.
47 I.e., God satisfies every one of man's desires, provided that His unfathomable wisdom regards
its satisfaction as ultimately beneficial to the human being concerned: this is the meaning of
the preposition min (lit., "out of", but in this context, "something out of") preceding the phrase
"what you may be. asking".
48 The whole of this passage (verses 35-41)- from which the title of this surah is derived represents
a parenthetic reminder, in the form of Abraham's prayer, of the only way to righteousness, in the
deepest sense of the word, open to man: namely, a recognition of God's existence, oneness and
uniqueness and, hence, a rejection of all belief in "other powers" supposedly co-existent with
Him (cf. verse 30 above). Inasmuch as this prayer implies a realization of, and gratitude for,
God's infinite bounty, it connects directly with the preceding verse 34 and the subsequent verse 42.
49 I.e., the land in which the Kabah is situated (see surah 2, note 102) and, more specifically, Mecca.
50 The term "idols" (asnam, sing. sanam) does not apply exclusively to actual, concrete representations
of false "deities": for shirk - that is, an attribution of divine powers or qualities to anyone or
anything beside God - may consist also, as Razi points out, in a worshipful devotion to all manner
of "causative agencies and outward means to an end" - an obvious allusion to wealth, power, luck,
people's favour or disfavour, and so forth - "whereas genuine faith in the oneness and uniqueness
of God (at-tawhid al-maha) consists in divesting oneself of all inner attachment to [such] causative
agencies and in being convinced that there exists no real directing power apart from God".
51 Thus, Abraham accepts God's verdict (given in 2:124) regarding the sinners from among his descendants.
52 I.e., the narrow desert valley of Mecca, which is enclosed by barren, rocky hills. By "some of my
offspring" Abraham refers to Ishmael and his descendants who settled at Mecca.
53 I.e., to be desirous of visiting them - namely, on pilgrimage to Mecca - and thus help them to
maintain themselves in the holy but barren land. The phrase af'idah min an-nas lends itself also
to the rendering "the hearts of some people", in which case it could be taken to mean "the hearts
of the believers" (Baghawi, Razi, Ibn Kathir).
14:38
"O our Sustainer! Thou truly knowest all that we may hide [in our hearts] as well as all that we bring into the open: for nothing whatever, be it on earth or in heaven, remains hidden from God.
14:39
"All praise is due to God, who has bestowed upon me, in my old age, Ishmael and Isaac! Behold, my Sustainer hears indeed all prayer: (14:40) [hence,] O my Sustainer, cause me and [some] of my offspring to remain constant in prayer!54
"And, O our Sustainer, accept this my prayer: (14:41) Grant Thy forgiveness unto me, and my parents, and all the believers, on the Day on which the [last] reckoning will come to pass!"
14:42
AND DO NOT think that God is unaware of what the evildoers are doing: He but grants them respite until the Day when their eyes will stare in horror, (14:43) the while they will be running confusedly to and fro, with their heads upraised [in supplication], unable to look away from what they shall behold,56 and their hearts an abysmal void.
14:44
Hence, warn men of the Day when this suffering may befall them, and when those who did wrong [in their lifetime] will exclaim: "O our Sustainer! Grant us respite for a short while, so that we might respond to Thy call and follow the apostles!"57
[But God will answer:] "Why - were you not aforetime wont to swear that no kind of resurrection and retribution awaited you?58 (45) And yet, you dwelt in the dwelling-places of those who had sinned against their own selves [before your time],59 and it was made obvious to you how We had dealt with them: for We have set forth unto you many a parable [of sin, resurrection and divine retribution]."60
54 I.e., metonymically, "to remain utterly devoted to Thee". The particle min ("[some] of") preceding
the word dhurriyati ("my offspring") is obviously an allusion to 2:124, where God says in answer to
Abraham's question about his descendants: "My covenant does not embrace the evildoers." Thus, Abraham
has been given to understand that not all of his posterity would be righteous and that none can claim
to belong to a "chosen people" by virtue of his or her descent from an apostle of God: a statement
which relates not only to the Israelites, who descended from Abraham through Isaac, but also to
the Arabian (Ishmaelite) branch of the Abrahamic peoples, from whom the Quraysh were to spring:
hence, by implication, even to the unrighteous among the descendants of the Last Prophet, Muhammad,
who belonged to the tribe of Quraysh.
55 This verse connects with the last sentence of Abraham's prayer, namely, his reference to "the Day
on which the [last] reckoning will come to pass". The wrongdoers mentioned here are those who
indulge in the belief "that there are other powers that can rival God" (cf. verse 30 above), and
thus commit the unforgivable sin of shirk. As regards the "respite" granted to them, see the first
clause of 11:20 and the corresponding note 39.
56 Lit., "their gaze will not revert to them".
57 Cf. 6 : 27.
58 Lit., "that there would be no going down [or "no removal"] whatever for you" - i.e., no passing-over
from earthly life to a life in the hereafter, attended by God's retribution of sins: a reference
to many people's refusal, often mentioned in the Qur'an, to believe in life after death and, hence,
in God's ultimate judgment.
59 I.e., "you lived on the same earth, and in basically the same human environment, as those earlier
generations who offended against all ethical values and thereby brought destruction upon themselves:
hence, their tragic fate should have been a warning to you".
60 Lit., "the parables", i.e., the parables in the Qur'an which illuminate the idea of resurrection
and of God's final judgment (Rail). See also note 37 above.
14:46
And [this retribution will befall all evildoers because] they devise that false imagery of theirs" - and all their false imagery is within God's knowledge.
[And never can the blasphemers prevail against the truth - not] even if their false imagery were so (welldevised and so powerful] that mountains could be moved thereby.
14:47
HENCE, do not think that God will fail to fulfil the promise which He gave to His apostles:62 verily, God is almighty, an avenger of evil! (14:48) [His promise will be fulfilled] on the Day when the earth shall be changed into another earth, as shall be the heavens 63 and when [all men] shall appear before God, the One who holds absolute sway over all that exists. (14:49) For on that Day thou wilt see all who were lost in sin linked together in fetters,64 (14:50) clothed in garments of black pitch, with fire veiling their faces.65
61 Lit., "they devised their devising", i.e., their blasphemous belief in the existence of other
"divine powers" side by side with God: this is the interpretation given by Tabari towards the
end of his long commentary on this verse. For my rendering of the term makr, in this context,
as "false imagery", see surah 13, note 62.
62 I.e., the promise of resurrection and recompense on the Day of Judgment. This relates specifically
to the "respite" occasionally granted to evildoers for the duration of their lifetime (cf. verse 42 above).
63 This is an allusion to the total, cataclysmic change, on the Last Day, of all natural phenomena,
and thus of the universe as known to man (cf. 20:105-107 and the corresponding note 90). Since that
change will be beyond anything that man has ever experienced or what the human mind can conceive,
all the Qur'anic descriptions - in the next two verses as well as in many other places - of what is
to happen on that Last Day are, of necessity, expressed in allegorical terms: and this applies also
to all descriptions of man's condition, good or bad, in, the life to come. (Cf. note 37 above,
relating to the term "parable" often used in the Qur'an.)
64 In his commentary on this passage, Razi expresses the view that the reference to the sinners' being
"linked together in fetters" is a metaphor of their own evil deeds and inclinations and, consequently,
of the utter despair which will be common to all of them in the hereafter. To my mind, it may also
be an allusion to the chain-reaction which every evil deed is bound to set in motion on earth,
one evil unavoidably begetting another.
65 According to Razi, the "garments of black pitch (qatiran)"' and the "fire veiling their faces"
are metaphors of the inexpressible suffering and loathsome horror which will enwrap the sinners'
souls on the Day of Judgment. (See also surah 73, note 7.)
14:51
[And all shall be judged on that Day,] so that God may requite every human being for all that he has earned [in life]: verily, God is swift in reckoning!
14:52
THIS IS A MESSAGE unto all mankind. Hence, let them be warned thereby, and let them know that He is the One and Only God; and let those who are endowed with insight take this to heart!
ACCORDING to Suyuti, this surah was revealed very shortly after surah 12 (Yasuf): in other words, during the last year before the Prophet's exodus to Medina. The supposition (mentioned by Razi) that verse 87 was revealed at Medina lacks any factual corroboration and may, therefore, be safely dismissed.
As in most surahs of this period, the main theme of Al-Hijr is the evidence of God's creative activity and of the guidance vouchsafed by Him to man through revelation - especially the revelation of the Qur'an, which, as verse 9 predicts, will for all times remain impervious to corruption.
The title, derived from the mention in verse 80 of the Arabian region known as Al-Hijr, obviously 'suggested itself to the Prophet's Companions because of the many legends attached to that place-name since 'time immemorial. That it is a place-name and not a description ("rocky tract" or according to some, "forbidden tract") is evident from the fact that an ancient township of that name, long since non-existent, is mentioned by Ptolemy as "Hegra" and by Pliny as "Egra". Consequently, I have left this title untranslated.
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
15:1
Alif. Lam. Ra.1
THESE ARE MESSAGES of revelation - of a discourse clear in itself and clearly showing the truth.2 (15:2) And it will come to pass that those who are [now] bent on denying this truth will wish that they had surrendered themselves to God [in their lifetime].3
15:3
Leave them alone; let them eat and enjoy themselves the while the hope [of vain delights] beguiles them: for in time they will come to know [the truth]. (15:4) And never have We destroyed any community [for its wrongdoing] unless a divine writ had (previously] been made known to it;' (15:5) [but remember that] no community can ever forestall [the end of] its term - and neither can they delay [it].5
1 See Appendix II.
2 Regarding this lengthy rendering of the participial adjective mubin, see surah 12, note 2. In the
above context, the term qur'an (which, whenever it appears without the definite article al, denotes
a solemn "recital" or "discourse") is preceded by the conjunction wa, which, in its simplest
connotation, signifies "and"; but since it is used here to stress the present, particular instance
of the divine writ (al-kitab), it can be omitted in the translation without affecting the meaning
of the sentence.
3 Since this revelation - i.e., the Qur'an - is clear in itself and clearly shows the truth, those
who deliberately reject it now will have no excuse on Resurrection Day. As so often in the Qur'an,
the past tense in the expression alladhina kafaru is indicative of conscious intent (see surah 2,
note 6).
4 Lit., "unless it [the community] had a known divine writ (kitab ma'lum)"- i.e., unless the people
in question had been shown through a divine writ the meaning of right and wrong, and had deliberately
rejected this divine guidance: cf. the statement, in 26:208, that "never have We destroyed any
community unless it had had its warners", or in 6:131, that God "would never destroy a community
for its wrongdoing so long as its people are still unaware [of the meaning of right and wrong]".
5 I.e., every community - and, in the widest sense of this term, every civilization - has a God-willed,
organic span of life resembling in this respect all other living organisms, destined to grow, to
reach maturity and ultimately to decay. For the ethical implications of this law of nature and
its bearing on the passage that follows, see 7:34 and the corresponding note 25.
15:6
And yet, they [who deny the truth] say: "O thou unto whom this reminder has [allegedly] been bestowed from on high: verily, thou art mad! (15:7) Why dost thou not bring before us angels, if thou art a man of truth?"6
15:8
[Yet] We never send down angels otherwise than in accordance with the [demands of] truth;7 and [were the angels to appear now,] lo! they [who reject this divine writ] would have no further respite!8 (15:9) Behold, it is We Ourselves who have bestowed from on high, step by step, this reminder? and, behold, it is We who shall truly guard it [from all corruption].9
15:10
AND, INDEED, [O Prophet,] even before thy time did We send [Our apostles] unto communities11 of old - (15:11) and never yet came an apostle to them without their deriding him. (15:12) Even so do We [now] cause this [scorn of Our message] to pervade the hearts of those who are lost in sin, (15:13) who do not believe in it,12 although the way which those [evildoers] of olden times had to go has long been within their ken.13
6 Cf. 6:8-9. The reference of the unbelievers to the Prophet's revelation is obviously sarcastic
(Zamakhshari); hence my interpolation of the word "allegedly". Although these verses relate primarily
to the pagan contemporaries of the Prophet, they broadly describe the negative attitude of unbelievers
of all times.
7 Sc., "and not just to satisfy a frivolous demand of people who - refuse to consider a prophetic
message on its merits". Moreover - as is evident from the next clause - an actual appearance of
the angels to ordinary men would but presage the Day of Judgment (described in 78:39 as "the Day
of Ultimate Truth") and, thus, the doom of the deniers of the truth spoken of here.
8 Cf. 6:8 - "had We sent down an angel, all would indeed have been decided", i.e., the Day of
Judgment would have come.
9 I.e., the Qur'an. The grammatical form nazzalnd implies a gradual revelation ("step by step") over
a period of time, as has been pointed out by Zamakhshar! in his commentary on 2:23 (see the last
sentence of my corresponding note 14).
10 This prophecy has been strikingly confirmed by the fact that the text of the Qur'an has remained
free from all alterations, additions or deletions ever since it was enunciated by the Prophet in
the seventh century of the Christian era; and there is no other instance of any book, of whatever
description, which has been similarly preserved over such a length of time. The early-noted variants
in the reading of certain words of the Qur'an, occasionally referred to by the classical commentators,
represent no more than differences in respect of diacritical marks or of vocalisation, and, as a
rule, do not affect the meaning of the passage in question. (See also note 11 on 85:22, explaining
the expression lawh mahfuz.)
11 The term shi'ah denotes a distinct group of people having in common the same persuasion or adhering
to the same principles of behaviour, and is sometimes (though not here) used in the sense of "sect".
12 Cf. 6:10 and the corresponding note 9. My interpolation of the words "derision of Our message" is
based on Tabari's and Zamakhshari's interpretations of the above passage. Regarding God's "causing"
the deniers of the truth to sin, see surah 2, note 7, as well as surah 14, note 4.
13 Lit., "although the way of life (sunnah) of those of olden times has already passed"- i.e.,
although the manner in which God has dealt with them has long since become a matter of common
knowledge (Ibn Kathir).
15:14
Yet even had We opened to them a gateway to heaven and they had ascended, on and on, up to it, (15:15) they would surely have said, "It is only our eyes that are spellbound! Nay, we have been bewitched!"14
15:16
AND, INDEED, We have set up in the heavens great constellations,15 and endowed them with beauty for all to behold; (15:17) and We have made them secure against every satanic force accursed 16- (15:18) so that anyone who seeks to learn [the unknowable] by stealth is pursued by a flame clear to see.17
14 Lit., "we are people bewitched". Cf. 6:7, as well as the last paragraph of 10:2 and the corresponding
note 5. The confusing of revealed truths with illusory "enchantment" or "sorcery" is often pointed
out in the Qur'an as characteristic of the attitude of people who a priori refuse to accept the idea
of revelation and, thus, of prophethood. The above two verses, implying that not even a direct
insight into the wonders of heaven could convince "those who are bent on denying the truth", are
a prelude to the subsequent passage, which once again draws our attention to the wonders of nature
as an evidence of God's creative activity.
15 My rendering of buraj as "great constellations" is based on the Taj al-'Arus; among the classical
commentators, Baghawi, Baydawi and Ibn Kathir give the same interpretation, while Tabari (on the
authority of Mujahid and Qatadah) explains this term as signifying "the stars" in general.
16 The term shaytan ("satan") - derived from the verb shatana ("he was [or "became"] remote") - often
denotes in the Qur'an a force or influence remote from, and opposed to, all that is true and good
(Taj al-'Arus, Raghib): thus, for instance, in 2:14 it is used to describe the evil impulses
(shayatin) within the hearts of "those who are bent on denying the truth". In its widest, abstract
sense it denotes every "satanic force", i.e., every impulsion directed towards ends which are
contrary to valid ethical postulates. In the present context, the phrase "every satanic force
accursed (rajim)"- like the phrase "every rebellious (marid) satanic force" in a similar context
in 37:7 - apparently refers to endeavours, strongly condemned in Islam, to divine the future by
means of astrological speculations: hence the preceding reference to the skies and the stars. The
statement that God has made the heavens "secure" against such satanic forces obviously implies
that He has made it impossible for the latter to obtain, through astrology or what is popularly
described as "occult sciences", any real knowledge of "that which is beyond the reach of human
perception" (al-ghayb).
17 Lit., "excepting [or "except that"] anyone who seeks to hear by stealth...", etc. The implication
seems to be that any attempt at fathoming the mysteries of the unknowable by such illicit means
("by stealth") is inevitably followed by "a flame clear to see", i.e., by burning, self-evident
frustration. (Cf. also 37:10.)
15:19
(19) And the earth - We have spread it out wide, and placed on it mountains firm, and caused [life] of every kind to grow on it in a balanced manner, (15:20) and provided thereon means of livelihood for you [O men] as well as for all [living beings] whose sustenance does not depend on you.18
15:21
For, no single thing exists that does not have its source with Us;19 and nought do We bestow from on high unless it be in accordance with a measure well-defined.20
15:22
And We let loose the winds to fertilize [plants] 21 and We send down water from the skies and let you drink thereof: and it is not you who dispose of its source - (15:23) for, behold, it is We - We alone - who grant life and deal death, and it is We alone who shall remain after all else will have passed away!22
15:24
And well do We know [the hearts and deeds, of all human beings - both] those who lived before you and those who will come after you;23 (15:25) and, behold, it is thy Sustainer who will gather them all together [on Judgment Day]: verily, He is wise, all-knowing!
15:26
(26) AND, INDEED, We have created man out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted 24 - (15:27) whereas the invisible beings We had created, [long] before that, out of the fire of scorching winds.25 (15:28) And lo! Thy Sustainer said unto the angels: "Behold, I am about to create mortal man out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted; (15:29) and when I have formed him fully and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down before him in prostration!"26 (15:30) Thereupon the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together, (15:31) save Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.27
18 Lit., "whose providers you are not"; i.e., all living organisms - whether plants or animals - which
are not tended by man but are nevertheless provided for in its wider sense, this phrase stresses the
notion that all living beings - man included - are provided for by God, and by Him alone (cf. 11:6).
19 Lit., "but with Us are its storehouses".
20 Lit., "and We do not send it down [i.e., "create it"] otherwise than according to a measure known
[to Us]": that is, in accordance with the exigencies of God's plan as such and with the function
which any particular thing or phenomenon is to have within that plan.
21 I.e., by pollination as well as by bringing rain-clouds.
22 Lit., "We are [or "shall be"] the inheritors (al-warithun)": an idiomatic metaphor based, according
to the consensus of all classical commentators, on the use of the term "inheritor" or "heir" in the
sense of "one who remains after his predecessor has passed away" - in this case, after all creation
has perished. (Cf. the expression "the heritage of the heavens and of the earth" used, with reference
to God, in 3:180 and 57:10.)
23 Or: "those of you who hasten forward [towards Us], and those who lag behind". Both these
interpretations are considered equally legitimate by the early commentators.
24 There are many references in the Qur'an to man's having been "created out of clay (tin)" or "out of
dust (turab)", both these terms signifying man's lowly biological origins as well as the fact that his
body is composed of various organic and inorganic substances existing - in other combinations or in
their elementary forms - on or in the earth. The term salsal, occurring in three verses of this surah
as well as in 55:14, adds a further dimension to this concept. According to most of the philological
authorities, it denotes "dried clay that emits a sound" (i.e., when it is struck); and since it is
used in the Qur'an exclusively with reference to the creation of man, it seems to contain an allusion
to the power of articulate speech which distinguishes man from all other animal species, as well as
to the brittleness of his existence (cf. the expression "like pottery" in 55:14). As the construction
of the sentence shows, this salsal is stated to have evolved (Razi) out of hama' - which, according
to some authorities, is the plural of ham'ah, signifying "dark, fetid mud" or "dark slime" - while
the participial adjective masnun which qualifies this noun denotes, as Razi points out, both "altered"
(i.e., in its composition) and "brought into shape": hence my rendering of this expression as
"transmuted", which to some extent combines both of the above meanings. To my mind, we have here a
description of the primeval biological environment out of which the "sounding clay" - the matrix,
as it were - of man's physical body has evolved in acccordance with God's plan of creation.
25 Cf. 55:15 - "out of the confusing flame of fire (marij min nar)": i.e., of non-corporeal elements.
The noun al-jann, rendered by me as "the invisible beings", is in reality a singular, denoting here
the kind of these particular beings or forces, similar to the use of the singular noun "man" (al-insan)
which describes the collective entity "mankind". The etymology of the word jdnn (the plural of which
is jinn) has been briefly touched upon in note 86 on 6:100; a more detailed discussion of its meaning
is found in Appendix III.
26 Cf. 2 : 30-34 and the corresponding notes, as well as 7:11-18. The allegorical character of all
the passages bearing on the creation of man and on God's command to the angels to prostrate themselves
before him is brought out clearly in God's saying, "I am about to create mortal man... ; and when
I have formed him fully...", etc.: for it is obvious that, in reality, no lapse of time is required
for God's completing His creation - since, "when He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it, 'Be'-
and it is" (cf. 2:117, 3:47 and 59, 6:73, 16:40, 19: 35, 36:82 and 40: 68). God's "breathing of His
spirit" into man is obviously a metaphor for His endowing him with life and consciousness: that is,
with a soul.
27 See note 10 on 7:11. For the deeper meaning of this "rebellion", see note 31 below.
15:32
Said He: "O Iblis! What is thy reason for not being among those who have prostrated themselves?" (15:33) [Iblis] replied: "It is not for me to prostrate myself before mortal man whom Thou hast created out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted!" (15:34) Said He: "Go forth, then, from this [angelic state]: for, behold, thou art [henceforth] accursed, (15:35) and [My] rejection shall be thy due28 until the Day of Judgment!"
15:36
Said [Iblis]: "Then, O my Sustainer, grant me a respite till the Day when all shall be raised from the dead!" (15:37) Answered He: "Verily, so be it: thou shalt be among those who are granted respite (15:38) till the Day the time whereof is known [to Me alone]." (15:39) [Whereupon Iblis] said: "O my Sustainer! Since Thou hast thwarted me,29 I shall indeed make [all that is evil] on earth seem goodly to them, and shall most certainly beguile them - into grievous error - (15:40) (all save such of them as are truly Thy servants!"30)
28 Lit., "is upon thee".
29 See surah 7, note 11.
30 Lit., "Thy sincere servants": i.e., those who are so deeply conscious of God that no "blandishment
of Satan" can lead them astray. (See also note 32 below.)
15:41
Said He: "This is, with Me a straight way:31 (15:42) verily, thou shalt have no power over My creatures - unless it be such as are [already] lost in grievous error and follow thee [of their own will]:32 (15:43) and for all such, behold, hell is the promised goal. (15:44) with seven gates leading into it, each gate receiving its allotted share of sinners."33
15:45
VERILY, those who are conscious of God [shall find themselves in the hereafter] amidst gardens and springs, (15:46) [having been received with the greeting,] "Enter here in peace, secure!" (15:47) And [by then] We shall have removed whatever unworthy thoughts or feelings may have been [lingering] in their breasts, [and they shall rest] as brethren, facing one another [in love] upon thrones of happiness.34 (48) No weariness shall ever touch them in this [state of bliss], and never shall they have to forgo it.35
31 I.e., "this is what I have willed" - namely, that Iblis (or Satan) should tempt man, but should
have no power to seduce those who are truly conscious of God. Thus, the Qur'an makes it clear
that despite his ostensible "rebellion" against his Creator. Satan fulfils a definite function in
God's plan: he is the eternal tempter who enables man to exercise his God-given freedom of choice
between good and evil and, thus, to become a being endowed with moral free will. (See in this
connection 19:83, as well as note 26 on 2:34 and note 16 on 7:24.)
32 Lit., "except him who shall follow thee from among those who are lost in grievous error". (Cf.
14:22, according to which Satan will thus address his erstwhile followers on Judgment Day: "I had
no power at all over you: I but called you - and you responded unto me.") This phrase constitutes
the essential difference between the above passage and the similar one in 7:l1-18.
33 Lit., "it has seven gates, [with) an allotted share of them for each gate". This probably means
"seven degrees" of hell, i.e., of the suffering which, in the life to come, awaits the "followers
of Satan" in accordance with the gravity of their sins (Razi; a similar explanation is given by
Qatadah, as quoted by Tabari). It should also be remembered that the concept of "hell" as such is
referred to in the Qur'an under seven different names, all of them metaphorical (necessarily so,
because they relate to what the Qur'an describes as al-ghayb, "something that is beyond the reach
of human perception"): namely nar ("fire, which is the general term), jahannam ("hell"), jahim
("blazing fire"), sa'ir ("blazing flame"), saqar ("hell-fire"). laza ("raging flame"), and hutamah
("crushing torment"). Since. as I have mentioned, these designations of other-worldly suffering
are obviously allegorical, we may also assume that the "seven gates of hell" have the same character,
and signify "seven approaches [or "ways"] to hell". Furthermore. it is well known that in the Semitic
languages - and most particularly in classical Arabic - the number "seven" is often used in the sense
of "several" or "various" (cf. Lisan al-'Arab, Taj al-'Arus, etc.): and so the above Qur'anic phrase
may well have the meaning of "various ways leading to hell" - in other words, many ways of sinning.
34 I.e.. all being equal in dignity, and therefore free from envy. As Razi points out, the plural
noun surur (sing. sarir), which literally denotes "couches" or, occasionally, "thrones", signifies
also "seats [or "thrones"] of eminence" or "of happiness (surir)", from which latter word the noun
sarir and its plural surur may be derived. The sublime. quality of these "thrones of happiness" is
in some instances further symbolized by expressions like "gold-encrusted" (56:15) or "raised high"
(88:13).
15:49
Tell My servants that I - I alone - am truly forgiving, a true dispenser of grace; (15:50) and [also,] that the suffering which I shall impose [on sinners] will indeed be a suffering most grievous.36
15:51
AND TELL THEM [once again] about Abraham's guests37 - (15:52) [how,] when they presented themselves before him and bade him peace, he answered: "Behold, we are afraid of you!"38 (15:53) Said they: "Fear not! Behold, we bring thee the glad tiding of [the birth of] a son who will be endowed with deep knowledge."39
15:54
Said he: "Do you give me this glad tiding despite the fact that old age has overtaken me? Of what [strange thing], then, are you giving me a tiding!" (15:55) They answered: "We have given thee the glad tiding of something that is bound to come true:40 so be not of those who abandon hope!"
15:56
[Abraham] exclaimed: "And who - other than those who have utterly lost their way - could ever abandon the hope of his Sustainer's grace?" (15:57) He added: "And what [else] may you have in view, O you [heavenly] messengers?" (15:58) They answered: "We are sent to people lost in sin41 [who are to be destroyed], (15:59) barring Lot's household, all of whom, behold, we shall save - (15:60) excepting only his wife, [of whom God says,] 'We have ordained [that], behold, she should be among those who stay behind!'"42
35 Lit., "never shall they be caused to depart from it".
36 In his commentary on the above two verses, Razi notes that the statement relating to God's
forgiveness and grace contains a threefold emphasis - expressed by the repetition of the personal
pronoun and relating to God, and the definite article al before each of the two participial adjectives -
whereas there is no such stress in the mention of His chastisement of recalcitrant sinners.
(Cf. 6:12 - and the corresponding note 10 - as well as 6:54, both of which verses state that God
"has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy".)
37 For a more detailed story of Abraham and the heavenly messengers, see verses 69-76 of Sarah 11 (Hud),
which was revealed shortly before the present one. The connection between this story and the preceding
stress on God's grace arises from Abraham's saying (in verse 56), "And who - other than those who have
utterly lost their way - could ever lose the hope of his Sustainer's grace?" Similarly, the subsequent
references (in verses 58-84) to the sinful communities that were destroyed because they refused to
heed the warnings of their prophets are, obviously, meant to illustrate the reverse of God's grace,
namely, His inevitable chastisement of deliberate, unrepented sinning (verse 50 above).
38 For the reason of Abraham's and Sarah's apprehension. see 11:70. 39 I.e., will be a prophet.
40 Lit., "We have given thee the glad tiding of the truth" - i.e., of the truth willed by God On
'Abbas, as quoted by Razi).
41 I.e., to the people of Sodom (see also 7 : 80-84 and 11 :77-83).
42 See 7:83 and the corresponding note 66, as well as 11:81 and 66:10. My interpolation of the words
"of whom God says" is necessitated by the elliptic use of the verb gaddamd - which, in the sense
of "We have ordained" or "decreed", is an act attributed in the Qur'an invariably, and exclusively,
to God. As I have repeatedly pointed out in my notes, God's "ordaining" a sinner to commit a sin
or His "decreeing" that he should remain deaf to the voice of truth is a metonym for the natural
law instituted by Him, which has been explained in surah 2, note 7; it refers also, generally
speaking, to God's absolute fore-knowledge of how any of His creatures will act in a given situation
(Zamakhshari). See also note 56 on 11:34 and note 4 on 14:4.
15:61
AND WHEN the messengers [of God] came to the house of Lot, (15:62) he said: "Behold, you are people unknown [here]!"43
They answered: "Nay, but we have come unto thee with [the announcement of] something that they [who are given to evil] have always been wont to call in question,44 (15:64) and we are bringing thee the certainty [of its fulfilment]:45 for, behold, we are speaking the truth indeed. (15:65) Go, then with thy household while it is yet night, with thyself following them in the rear; and let none of you look back,46 but proceed whither you are bidden."
15:66
And [through Our messengers] We revealed unto him this decree: "The last remnant of those [sinners] shall be wiped out47 in the morn." (15:67) And the people of the city came [unto Lot], rejoicing at the glad tiding.48
15:68
Exclaimed [Lot]: "Behold, these are my guests: so put me not to shame, (15:69) but be conscious of God and disgrace me not!" (15:70) They answered: "Have we not forbidden thee [to offer protection] to any kind of people?"49
43 Implying that they might be assaulted by the sinful people of his town: cf. 11:77 and the
corresponding note 107.
44 Lit., "that about which they have persistently been (kanu) in doubt" - i.e., the doom which, in
this world or in the hereafter, is the inevitable consequence of deliberate sinning: a prediction
which the sinners themselves so often deride (cf. 6:57-58, 8:32, 11:8, and the corresponding notes).
To my mind, this sentence constitutes the reason for the repetition, in this surah, of the stories
of Lot's people and the other sinful communities of old that were punished for their persistent
transgressions against all moral laws.
45 Lit., "We have brought thee for "come to thee with"] the truth".
46 For an explanation of this metaphorical "looking back", see Sarah 11, note 112.
47 Lit., "cut off".
48 Sc., "of the arrival of handsome strangers". See also 7:80-81 and 11:77-79, as well as the
relevant notes.
49 Lit., "all people" (al= dlamin): obviously, because Lot was a stranger in Sodom - having come
there from Mesopotamia, his and Abraham's country of origin (see surah 11, note 102) - and had
previously aroused the ire of the Sodomites by his moral reproaches (cf. 7:80-82).
15:71
[Lot] said: "[Take instead] these daughters of mine,50 if you must do [whatever you intend to do]!" (15:72) [But the angels spoke thus:] "As thou livest, [O Lot, they will not listen to thee:]51 behold, in their delirium [of lust] they are but blindly stumbling to and fro!"
15:73
And thereupon the blast [of Our punishment] overtook them52 at the time of sunrise, (15:74) and We turned those [sinful towns} upside down, and rained down upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement pre-ordained.53
15:75
Verily, in all this there are messages indeed for those who can read the signs:54 (15:76) for, behold, those [towns] stood by a road that still exists.55 (15:77) Verily, herein lies a message indeed for all who believe [in God].
15:78
AND THE DWELLERS of the wooded dales [of Madyan, too,] were inveterate evildoers,56 (15:79) and so We inflicted Our retribution on them. And, behold, both these [sinful communities] lived by a highway, [to this day] plain to see.57
15:80
AND, [likewise,] indeed, the people of Al-Hijr58 gave the lie to [Our] message-bearers: (15:81) for We did vouchsafe them Our messages, but they obstinately turned their backs upon them - (15:82) notwithstanding that they had been wont [to enjoy Our blessings and] to hew out dwellings from the mountains, [wherein they could live] in security59 -: (15:83) and so the blast [of Our punishment] overtook them at early morn, (15:84) and of no avail to them was all [the power] that they had acquired.
50 See surah 11, note 109.
51 The above two interpolations are based on Zamakhshari's commentary on this verse. The oath "As
thou livest" reads, literally, "By thy life".
52 Regarding the meaning of the term sayhah, rendered by me as "blast of [God's punishment",
see surah 11, note 98.
53 See surah 11, note 114.
54 In its full significance, the term mutawassim denotes "one who applies his mind to the study of
the outward appearance of a thing with a view to understanding its real nature and its inner
characteristics" (Zamakhshari and Razi).
55 The existence of that road, which led from northern Hijaz to Syria, skirting the Dead Sea - to
the north-east of which Sodom and Gomorrah were situated - has received startling confirmation
through aerial photographs recently published by the American School of Oriental Research (New
Haven, Connecticut). These photographs clearly show the ancient road as a dark streak winding
northwards, more or less parallel with the eastern shores of the Dead Sea.
56 As is evident from 26:176 ff., the "dwellers of the wooded dales (al-aykah)" were the people of
Madyan, who refused to pay heed to their prophet, Shu'ayb, and were thereupon destroyed, apparently
by an earthquake and/or a volcanic eruption (cf. 7:85-93 and 11:84-95).
57 I.e., the people of Lot and those of Shu'ayb, who inhabited adjacent regions (see surah 7, note 67),
and whose fate should be an example as plain to see as the highway which passes through the regions
once inhabited by them.
58 I.e., the tribe of Thamud (see surah 7, note 56), who in pre-Islamic times inhabited the region
of Al-Hijr in northernmost Hijaz, south of the oasis of Taymah. The story of the Thamud is found
in 7:73-79.
59 See 7 : 74 and the corresponding notes (particularly note 59).
15:85
AND [remember:] We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without [an inner] truth;60 but, behold, the Hour [when this will become clear to all] is indeed yet to come.
Hence, forgive [men's failings] with fair forbearance: (15:86) verily, thy Sustainer is the all-knowing Creator of all things!61
15:87
AND, INDEED, We have bestowed upon thee seven of the oft-repeated [verses], and [have, thus, laid open before thee] this sublime Qur'an:62 (15:88) [so] turn, not thine eyes [longingly] towards the worldly benefits which We have granted unto some 63 of those [that deny the truth]. And neither grieve over those [who refuse to heed thee], but spread the wings of thy tenderness over the believers,64 (15:89) and say: "Behold, I am indeed the plain warner [promised by God]!-65 (15:90) [For, thou art the bearer of a divine writ66 such as We have bestowed from on high upon those who [afterwards] broke it up into parts,67 (15:91) [and] who [now] declare this Qur'an to be [a tissue of] falsehoods!68
60 For an explanation of this rendering of illa bi'l-haqq (lit., "otherwise than with [or "in"] truth"),
see surah 10, note 11.
61 I.e., "He has created all human beings with full knowledge of their natural differentiation and the
disparity in their respective conditions" (Razi) - and this, of course, includes their failings and
errors. (Cf. 7:199 - "Make due allowance for man's nature" - and the corresponding note 162.)
62 With these words, the discourse returns to the theme enunciated at the beginning of this surah
and indirectly alluded to in verse 85 as well: namely, the revelation of the divine writ, destined
to serve as a moral guidance to man, who cannot, as yet, discern the meaning and purpose of God's
creation. - According to most of the authorities, including some of the foremost Companions of the
Prophet, "The Seven Oft-Repeated [Verses]" is a designation given by Muhammad himself to the first
surah of the Qur'an, which has also been described by him as "The Essence of the Divine Writ" (Umm
al-Kitab) inasmuch as it alludes to all the ethical and metaphysical principles set forth in the
Qur'an (Bukhari, Kitab at-Tafsir). See also my introductory note to Al-Fatihah ("The Opening").
63 The philological authorities are unanimous in that the plural noun azwaj denotes here "kinds" of
people, or "some" of them, and not - as certain modern translators of the Qur'an have assumed -
"pairs".
64 Lit., "lower thy wing for the believers": an idiomatic metaphor for loving tenderness and humility
(see 17:24 and the corresponding note 28).
65 The above interpolated phrase offers, to my mind, the only satisfactory explanation of the definite
articles prefixed to the words an-nadhir al-mubin ("the plain warner"). This construction possibly
alludes to the Biblical prediction of the advent of the Prophet Muhammad appearing in Deuteronomy
xviii, 15 and 18, which has been discussed by me in surah 2, note 33.
66 Thus Zamakhshari, explaining the elliptic beginning of this sentence and its logical connection
with the preceding verse as well as with verse 87.
67 This is apparently a reference to the followers of the Bible, who "believe in some parts of the
divine writ and deny the truth of other parts" (cf. 2:85)- i.e., who act in accordance with those
principles of the Bible which suit their inclinations and the prevailing social trends, and disregard
the others, thus denying, by implication, their validity.
68 This, according to the Taj al-'Arus (art. 'adiha and 'adawa) is the meaning of 'idin in the
above context: an interpretation also advanced by Tabari and Razi (in the last paragraph of the
latter's commentary on this verse). Another interpretation - equally acceptable from the purely
linguistic point of view - is "[those] who cut up the Qur'an into separate parts": i.e., accept
(on the analogy of the Jews and the Christians) some of it as true and regard the rest as Muhammad's
invention. But since - as Tabari points out - those who refuse to believe in the divine origin of
the Qur'an do not accept any of it as true, the first interpretation is by far the preferable.
15:92
But, by thy Sustainer! [On the Day of Judgment] We shall indeed call them to account, one and all, (15:93) for whatever they have done! (15:94) Hence, proclaim openly all that thou hast been bidden [to say], and leave alone all those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God: (15:95) verily, We shall suffice thee against all who [now] deride [this message - all] (15:96) who assert that there are, side by side with God, other divine powers as well:69 for in time they will come to know [the truth].
15:97
And well do We know that thy bosom is constricted by the [blasphemous] things that they say: (15:98) but extol thou thy Sustainer's limitless glory and praise Him, and be of those who prostrate themselves [before Him] in adoration, (15:99) and worship thy Sustainer till death comes to thee.70
69 Lit., "who postulate (yaj'alun), side by side with God, another deity (ilah)"- a term which is
obviously used here in its generic sense, embracing anything that could be visualized as a
"divine power": hence my use of the plural.
70 Lit., "till there comes unto thee that which is certain (al-yagin)" - a term which in the Qur'an
is often used as a metonym for "death" (Bukhari, Kitab-at-Tafsir). However, see also the earliest
occurrence of this term in 74:47.
ACCORDING to almost all the authorities (including the Itqan), this Surah was revealed a few months before the Prophet's emigration to Medina. Although some commentators maintain that the last three verses belong to the Medina period, there is no evidence for this more or less speculative view.
The title - or, rather, the key-word by which this Surah has been identified ever since the time of the Prophet - is based on the reference, in verses 68-69, to the marvellous instance of God's creativeness manifested in the instincts with which He has endowed the bee. Indeed, it is the evidence of the Creator's purposeful activity that provides the subject-matter of most of this surah - an activity that culminates in the guidance which He offers man through His revealed messages, summed up, as it were, in verse 90: "Behold, God enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards [one's] fellow-men; and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs counter to reason, as well as envy."
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
16:1
GOD'S JUDGMENT is [bound to] come: do not, therefore, call for its speedy advent!1
Limitless is He in His glory and sublimely exalted above anything to which men may ascribe a share in His divinity!
16:2
He causes the angels to descend with this divine inspiration,2 [bestowed] at His behest upon whomever He wills of His servants: "Warn [all human beings] that there is no deity save Me: be, therefore, conscious of Me!" (16:3) He has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth;3 sublimely exalted is He above anything to which men may ascribe a share in His divinity!4
1 Regarding this allusion to the incredulous inquiry of the unbelievers, see 6:57-58, 8:32 and
10:50-51, as well as the corresponding notes.
2 The term ruh (lit., "spirit", "soul" or "breath of life") is often used in the Qur'an in the
sense of "inspiration" - and, more particularly, "divine inspiration" - since, as Zamakhshari
points out in connection with the above verse as well as with the first sentence of 42:52, "it
gives life to hearts that were [as] dead in their ignorance, and has in religion the same function
as a soul has in a body". A very similar explanation is given by Razi in the same context. The
earliest instance in which the term ruh has been used in this particular sense is 97:4.
3 I.e., in accordance with a meaning and a purpose known only to Him. See also 10:5 and, in particular,
the corresponding note 11.
4 This repetition of part of verse 1 is meant to stress the uniqueness of God's creative powers.
16:4
He creates man out of a [mere] drop of sperm: and lo! this same being shows himself endowed with the power to think and to argue!5
16:5
And He creates cattle: you derive warmth from them, and [various other] uses; and from them you obtain food; (16:6) and you find beauty in them when you drive them home in the evenings and when you take them out to pasture in the mornings. (16:7) And they carry your loads to [many] a place which [otherwise] you would be unable to reach without great hardship to yourselves.
Verily, your Sustainer is most compassionate, a dispenser of grace!
16:8
And (it is He who creates] horses and mules and asses for you to ride, as well as for [their] beauty: and He will yet create things of which [today] you have no knowledge.6 (16:9) And [because He is your Creator,] it rests with God alone to show you the right path:7 yet there is [many a one] who swerves from it. However, had He so willed, He would have guided you all aright.8
5 Lit., "he becomes an open contender in argument (khasim)". According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the
above phrase is liable to two interpretations:' In the words of Zamakhshari, "one interpretation is
that after having been a (mere] drop of sperm, a particle of matter without consciousness or motion,
man becomes highly articulate (mintiq); able to argue on his own [for or against a proposition],
courageously facing - disputes, and clearly formulating his arguments: [and herein lies] an indication
of God's creative power. The other - [interpretation] is that man is [prone to become] a contender
in 'argument against his Sustainer, refusing to acknowledge his [very] Creator." Razi, on his part,
gives his. unqualified. support to the first of these two interpretations, "because the above verses
are meant to stress the evidence of the existence of a wise Creator, and not the fact of men's
insolence and their proneness to blasphemy and ingratitude". However, in view of 36:77-78 ('revealed
at a considerably earlier period), I am of the opinion that the above two interpretations are not
mutually exclusive but, rather, complementary, inasmuch as this passage is meant to bring out man's
unique quality as a rational being - a quality that may lead him to great heights of achievement,
but may equally well lead him utterly astray: hence my free rendering of this profound elliptic phrase.
6 The use, in this context, of the aorist yakhluqu implies the future tense ("He will create") in
contrast with the past tense khalaqa employed, in the preceding passages. Since this reference to
God's continuing creation comes immediately after, a mention of primitive means of transport
(i.e., of animals domesticated by man to this end), it-obviously relates to other - as yet unknown -
things of the same category: that is to say, to new means of transport which God unceasingly
creates through the instrumentality of the inventiveness with which He has endowed man's mind
(cf. 36:42). Inasmuch as every successive stage of human development bears witness to new, previously
undreamt-of inventions in the realm of transport, the Qur'anic statement that "He will yet create
things of which [today] you have no knowledge" is valid for every period - past, present and future -
of man's history.
7 Lit., "upon God rests the [showing of the] goal of the path" - i.e., the establishing of the goals
of ethics and morality implied in the concept of the "right path". In further analysis of this phrase,
the expression "it rests upon God" ('ala 'llah) is similar in intent to the statement in 6:12 and 54
that He "has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy": in other words, God invariably shows
the right path to everyone who is willing to follow it.
8 Since the concept of morality is linked with man's God-given freedom of choice between good and evil,
God does not "impose" His guidance upon man but leaves it to him to accept or reject it.
16:10
It is He who sends down water from the skies; you drink thereof, and thereof [drink] the plants upon which you pasture your beasts; (16:11) (and] by virtue thereof He causes crops to grow for you, and olive trees, and date-palms, and grapes, and all [other] kinds of fruit: in this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who think!
16:12
And He has made the night and the day and the sun and the moon subservient [to His laws, so that they be of use] to you;9 and all the stars are subservient to His command: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who use their reason!
16:13
And all the [beauty of] many hues - which He has created for you on earth: in this, behold, there is a message for people who (are willing to] take it to heart! (16:14) And He it is who has made the sea subservient [to His laws], so that you might eat fresh meat from it, and take from it gems which you may wear.
And on that [very sea] one sees10 ships ploughing through the waves, so that you might [be able to] go forth in quest of some of His bounty, and thus have cause to be grateful [to Him].
16:15
And he has placed firm mountains on earth, lest it sway with you,11 and rivers and paths, so that you might find your way, (16:16) as well as [various other] means of orientation: for [it is] by the stars that men find their way.12
9 See 14:33 and the corresponding note 46.
10 Lit., "thou seest".
11 This is apparently an allusion to the fact that the mountains owe their rise to the gradual balancing
process to which the solid crust of the earth is subject - a process which, in its turn, is the result
of stresses and disturbances due to the cooling and hardening, progressing from the surface towards
the centre, of the presumably molten or perhaps even gaseous matter of which the earth's interior
seems to be composed. It appears that part of this interior is kept solid only by the enormous pressure
of the overlaying material, of which the mountains are the most vivid evidence: and this explains
the Qur'anic reference (in 78:7) to mountains as "pegs" (awtad), i.e., symbols of the firmness and
relative equilibrium which the surface of the earth has gradually achieved in the course of its
geological history. Notwithstanding the fact that this equilibrium is not absolute (as is evidenced
by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions), it is the solidity of the earth's crust - as contrasted with
its possibly fluid but certainly very unstable interior - which makes life on earth possible: and
this, to my mind, is the meaning of the phrase "lest it sway with you" (or "with them") occurring in
the above verse as well as in 21:31 and 31:10.
12 Lit., "they find their way". This passage rounds off the preceding description of God's favours to
man by returning, in a subtle manner, to the theme introduced in verse 4 and alluded to, indirectly,
in the last sentence of verse 8 as well as in verse 14:namely, the consideration of man's intellectual
potential - the greatest of all the gifts bestowed upon him by God. (See in this connection note
5 above, as well as the allegory of the creation of man enunciated in 2:30-33.)
16:17
IS, THEN, HE who creates comparable to any [being] that cannot create? Will you not, then, bethink yourselves? (16:18) For, should you try to count God's blessings, you could never compute them!
Behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace; (16:19) and God knows all that you keep secret as well as all that you bring into the open.
16:20
Now those beings that some people invoke13 beside God cannot create anything, since they themselves are but created: (16:21) they are dead, not living,14 and they do not [even] know when they will be raised from the dead!
16:22
Your God is the One God: but because of their false pride, the hearts of those who do not believe in the life to come refuse to admit this [truth].15
16:23
Truly, God knows all that they keep secret as well as all that they bring into the open - [and,] behold, He does not love those who are given to arrogance, (16:24) and [who], whenever they are asked, "What is it that your Sustainer has bestowed from on high?" - are wont to answer, "Fables of ancient times!"16
16:25
Hence,17 on Resurrection Day they shall bear the full weight of their own burdens, as well as some of the burdens of those ignorant ones whom they have led astray:18 oh, how evil the load with which they shall be burdened! (16:26) Those who lived before them did, too, devise many a blasphemy19- whereupon God visited with destruction all that they had ever built,20 [striking] at its very foundations, so that the roof fell in upon them from above 21 and suffering befell them without their having perceived whence it came.
13 Lit., "those whom they invoke": this refers - as is obvious from verse 21 below - to dead saints
invested by their followers with divine or semi-divine qualities.
14 Cf. 7:191-194.
15 I.e., they are too arrogant to accept the idea of man's utter dependence on, and responsibility
to, a Supreme Being.
16 Sc., "and not divine revelations" (cf. 8:21).
17 The conjunction li prefixed to the verb yahmila ("they shall carry") has here obviously - as
pointed out by Razi - the function of what the grammarians call a lam al-aqibah, indicating no
more than a causal sequence ('aqibah); it may be appropriately rendered by means of the conjunctive
particle "and" or - as in this context - by the adverb "hence".
18 Lit., "those whom they are leading astray without knowledge" - i.e., without knowledge or
understanding on the latters' part (Zamakhshari).
19 Lit., "schemed" (makara): i.e., they blasphemed by describing the divine revelations as "fables
of ancient times" and by refusing to admit the truth of God's existence or of His oneness and
uniqueness.
20 Lit., "their building" (see next note).
21 This is obviously a metaphor (Razi) describing the utter collapse of all endeavours - both
individual and social - rooted in godlessness and false pride.
16:27
And then, on Resurrection Day, He will cover them [all] with ignominy,22 and will say: "Where, now, are those beings to whom you ascribed a share in My divinity,23 [and] for whose sake you cut yourselves off [from My guidance]?"24
[Whereupon] those who [in their lifetime] were endowed with knowiedge25 will say: "Verily, ignominy and misery [have fallen] this day upon those who have been denying the truth-(16:28) those whom the angels have gathered in death while they were still sinning against themselves!"
Then will they [who are thus arraigned] proffer their submission, [saying:] "We did not [mean to] do any evil!"
[But they will be answered:] "Yea, verily, God has full knowledge of all that you were doing!27 (16:29) Hence, enter the gates of hell, therein to abide!"
And evil, indeed, shall be the state of all who are given to false pride!
16:30
But [when] those who are conscious of God are asked, "What is it that your Sustainer has bestowed from on high?" - they answer, "Goodness supreme!"
Good fortune awaits, in this world, all who persevere in doing good;28 but their ultimate state will be far better still: for, how excellent indeed will be the state of the God-conscious [in the life to come]! (16:31) Gardens of perpetual bliss will they enter - [gardens] through which running waters flow - having therein all that they might desire.
Thus will God reward those who are conscious of Him - (16:32) those whom the angels gather in death while they are in a state of inner purity, greeting them thus: "Peace be upon you! Enter paradise by virtue of what you were doing [in life]!"
22 I.e., finally and utterly - for, "only on the Day of Resurrection will you be requited in full
for whatever you have done" (3:185). Since the pronoun "them" refers not only to the earlier
sinners mentioned parenthetically in the preceding verse but also to those spoken of in verses
22-25, I have interpolated the word "all".
23 Lit., "those [alleged] partners of Mine". Regarding the Qur'anic use of the term sharik
(pl. shuraka') in connection with religious beliefs, see surah 6, note 15.
24 Or: "you were wont to contend [against My guidance]". See in this connection surah 8, note 16.
25 I.e., those who had availed themselves of the knowledge of good and evil which God offers to
mankind through His prophets.
26 Cf. 6:23 and the corresponding note, as well as 2:11.
27 Sc., "and He will judge you on the basis of your motivation" - implying that their plea of
ignorance is rejected in view of the fact that they were offered God's guidance through His
revealed messages, which they deliberately scorned in their false pride and dismissed out of
hand as "fables of ancient times" (see verses 22-24 above).
28 This "good fortune" (hasanah) does not necessarily signify, in this context, material benefits
but refers, rather, to the spiritual satisfaction and the feeling of inner security resulting
from genuine God-consciousness.
16:33
ARE THEY [who deny the truth] but waiting for the angels to appear unto them, or for God's judgment to become manifest?29
Even thus did behave those [stubborn sinners] who lived before their time; and [when they were destroyed,] it was not God who wronged them, but it was they who had wronged themselves: (16:34) for all the evil that they had done fell [back] upon them, and they were overwhelmed by the very thing which they had been wont to deride.30
16:35
Now they who ascribe divinity to aught beside God say, "Had God so willed, we would not have worshipped aught but Him - neither we nor our forefathers; nor would we have declared aught as forbidden without a commandment from Him."31
Even thus did speak those [sinners] who lived before their time; but, then, are the apostles bound to do more than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to them]?32
16:36
And indeed, within every community33 have We raised up an apostle [entrusted with this message]: "Worship God, and shun the powers of evil!"34
And among those [past generations] were people whom God graced with His guidance,35 just as there was among them [many a one] who inevitably fell prey to grievous error:36 go, then, about the earth and behold what happened in the end to those who gave the lie to the truth!
29 Lit., "for the angels to come to them, or for God's judgment (amr) to come"- i.e., for the Day
of Resurrection. The full meaning of this passage is forthcoming from 6:158, revealed at the same
period as the present surah.
30 See 6:10 and the corresponding note. Similar phrases occur in many places in the Qur'an, always
with reference to a derision of divine messages and, particularly, of predictions relating to
God's chastisement of reprobate sinners. As so often, the Qur'an points out here that this
"chastisement" or "suffering" ('adhab) is but a natural, unavoidable consequence of deliberate
wrongdoing: hence, he who becomes guilty of it is, in reality, "doing wrong to himself" or
"sinning against himself" inasmuch as he destroys his own spiritual integrity and must
subsequently suffer for it.
31 Lit., "apart from Him". See in this connection - 6:148 and the corresponding note 141.
(The arbitrary, unwarranted prohibitions and taboos alluded to in that verse as well as in
the present one are discussed in 6:136-153 and explained in my notes.) The derision of God's
messages by the deniers of the truth is implied in their questioning His grant of free will
to man - that is to say, the ability to choose between right and wrong, which is the basis
of all morality.
32 I.e., the apostles could not force anyone to make the right choice.
33 Or "at every period", since the term ummah has this significance as well. In its wider sense,
it may also be taken here to denote "civilization", thus comprising a human groupment as well
as a period of time.
34 For this rendering of the term at-taghat, see surah 2, note 250. It is to be borne in mind
that, in Qur'anic terminology, "worship of God" invariably implies the concept of man's sense
of responsibility before Him: hence, the above commandment comprises, in the most concise
formulation imaginable, the sum-total of all ethical injunctions and prohibitions, and is
the basis and source of all morality as well as the one unchanging message inherent in every
true religion.
35 I.e., who availed themselves of the guidance offered by Him to all human beings.
36 Lit., "upon whom error came to be inevitably established (haqqa 'alayhi)" or "against whom [a
verdict of] error became inevitable": i.e., one whose heart "God has sealed" in consequence of
his persistent, conscious refusal to submit to His guidance (see surah 2, note 7, as well as
surah 14, note 4).
16:37
[As for those who are bent on denying the truth -] though thou be ever so eager to show them the right way, [know that,] verily, God does not bestow His guidance upon any whom He judges to have gone astray;37 and such shall have none to succour them [on Resurrection Day].
16:38
As it is,38 they swear by God with their most solemn oaths, "Never will God raise from the dead anyone who has died!"39
Yea indeed! [This very thing has God promised] by a promise which He has willed upon Himself; but most people know it not. (16:39) [He will resurrect them] to the end that He might make clear unto them all whereon they [now] hold divergent views,40 and that they who are bent on denying the truth [of resurrection] might come to know that they were liars.
16:40
Whenever We will anything to be, We but say unto it Our word "Be" - and it is.
16:41
NOW as for those who forsake the domain of evil41 in the cause of God, after having suffered wrong [on account of their faith] - We shall most certainly grant them a station of good fortune in this world:42 but their reward in the life to come will be far greater yet. If they [who deny the truth] could but understand43 (16:42) those who, having attained to patience in adversity, in their Sustainer place their trust!44
37 See preceding note; also 8:55 and the corresponding note 58.
38 Lit., "And - but since this conjunction is obviously meant to elaborate the preceding statement,
it is best rendered as above.
39 This categorical denial of resurrection - implying as it does a denial of God's ultimate judgment
of good and evil - is characteristic of a mental attitude which refuses to admit the reality, or
even possibility, of anything that lies beyond the range of man's actual or potential observation.
Since such an attitude is an outcome of an intrinsically materialistic outlook on life and the
"false pride" referred to in verses 22-23 above, it is anti-religious in the deepest sense of
this word even if it is accompanied by a vague - because non-consequential - belief in the
existence of God.
40 I.e., in the first instance, the truth of resurrection and judgment as such, and, in general,
the final answers to all the metaphysical problems which perplex man during his life on earth.
41 For an explanation of this rendering of alladhina hajaru, see surah 2, note 203, and surah 4,
note 124. That the "forsaking of the domain of evil" has here a purely spiritual connotation is
obvious from its juxtaposition with the "denial of the truth" referred to in the preceding verses.
42 See note 28 above.
43 The verb 'alima, which primarily denotes "he knew", has also the meaning of "he came to know",
i.e., "he understood"; and since - as pointed out by Baghawi, Zamakhshari and Razi - the pronoun
"they" in the phrase law kanu ya'lamun relates to the deniers of the truth spoken of in the
preceding passages, the rendering "if they could but understand" is here clearly indicated - the
more so as it provides a self-evident connection with the subsequent, objective clause.
44 I.e., if they could really understand the spiritual motivation of the believers, they (the deniers
of the truth) would themselves begin to believe.
16:43
AND [even] before thy time, [O Muhammad,] We never sent [as Our apostles] any but [mortal] men, whom We inspired:45 and if you have not [yet] realized this, ask the followers of [earlier] revelation,46 (16:44) [and they will tell you that their prophets, too, were but mortal men whom We had endowed] with all evidence of the truth and with books of divine wisdom.47
And upon thee [too] have We bestowed from on high this reminder, so that thou might make clear unto mankind all that has ever been thus bestowed upon them,48 and that they might take thought.
16:45
Can, then, they who devise evil schemes49 ever feel sure that God will not cause the earth to swallow them,50 or that suffering will not befall them without their perceiving whence [it came]? - (16:46) or that He will not take them to task [suddenly] in the midst of their comings and goings,51 without their being able to elude [Him], (16:47) or take them to task through slow decay?52
And yet, behold, your Sustainer is most compassionate, a dispenser of grace!53
45 This passage has a double purport: firstly, it connects with the statement enunciated in verse 36
to the effect that God's apostles have appeared, at one time or another, within every civilization,
and that, consequently, no substantial human groupment has ever been left without divine guidance;
secondly, it answers the objection frequently raised by unbelievers that Muhammad could not be
God's message-bearer since he was "a mere mortal man". (As regards the Qur'anic doctrine that no
created being, not even a prophet, has ever been endowed with "supernatural" powers or qualities,
see 6:50 and 7:188, as well as the notes relating to those verses; also note 94 on 6:109.)
46 Lit., "reminder"- because every divine message is meant to remind one of the truth. The people
to be asked for enlightenment in this respect are apparently the Jews and the Christians
(Tabari, Zamakhshari).
47 The above sentence is addressed, parenthetically, to all who question the divine origin of the
Qur'an on the grounds mentioned in note 45 above. For an explanation of the term zubur ("books
of divine wisdom"), see surah 21, note 101.
48 Sc., "through revelation" - implying that moral values are independent of all time-bound changes
and must, therefore, be regarded as permanent.
49 To my mind, by "evil schemes" are meant here systems of God-denying philosophy and of perverted
morality.
50 I.e., destroy them utterly.
51 I.e., in the midst of their habitual occupations. My interpolation of the word "suddenly" is
warranted by the reference, in the next verse, to the alternative of gradual decay.
52 One of the meanings of takhawwuf is "gradual diminution" or "decay" or "slow destruction"
(Lisan al-'Arab, art. khawafa; thus also Tabari and Zamakhshari); in the above context, the term
has obviously both a social and a moral connotation: a gradual disintegration of all ethical values,
of power, of civic cohesion, of happiness and, finally, of life itself.
16:48
HAVE, THEN, they [who deny the truth] never considered any of the things that God has created 54 - (how] their shadows turn right and left, prostrating themselves before God and utterly submissive [to His will]?55
16:49
For, before God prostrates itself all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth - every beast that moves, and the angels:56 [even] these do not bear themselves with false pride: (16:50) they fear their Sustainer high above them, and do whatever they are bidden to do.57
16:51
And God has said: "Do not take to worshipping two [or more] deities.58 He is the One and Only God: hence, of Me, of Me alone stand in awe!"59
53 Sc., "seeing that He offers you guidance through His prophets, and gives you time to reflect and
mend your ways before you do irreparable harm to yourselves".
54 In view of the separate mention, in the next verse, of animals and angels, the "things" referred
to here apparently denote inanimate objects and perhaps also living organisms like plants.
55 Lit., "and they are utterly lowly" or "submissive". The "prostration" referred to in this and
the next verse is obviously a symbolism expressing the intrinsic subjection of all created beings
and things to God's will. See also 13:15 and the corresponding notes 33 and 34.
56 I.e., the lowest as well as the highest. The term dabbah denotes any sentient, corporeal being
capable of spontaneous movement, and is contrasted here with the non-corporeal, spiritual beings
designated as "angels" (Razi).
57 I.e., they must, by virtue of their nature, obey the impulses implanted in them by God and are,
therefore, incapable of what is described as "sinning". Man, however, is fundamentally different
in this respect. In contrast with the natural sinlessness of "every beast that moves, and the angels",
man is endowed with free will in the moral sense of this term: he can choose between right and
wrong and therefore he can, and often does, sin. But even while he sins he is subject to the universal
law of cause and effect instituted by God and referred to in the Qur'an as sunnat Allah ("God's
way"): hence the Qur'anic statement that "before God prostrate themselves, willingly or unwillingly,
all [things and beings] that are in the heavens and on earth" (13:15).
58 The double dual in ilahayn ithnayn ("two deities") serves to emphasize the prohibition of worshipping
"more than one deity"- i.e., anything but the One God.
59 This is a striking example of the fluctuation to which personal pronouns are subjected in the
Qur'an whenever they refer to God. As already pointed out in my Foreword, note 2. as well as in
other places, such abrupt changes of pronoun ("He", "I", "We", "Us", "Me", etc.) indicate that
God is limitless and, therefore, beyond the range of definition implied in the use of "personal"
pronouns.
16:52
And His is all that is in the heavens and on earth, and to Him [alone] obedience is always due: will you, then, pay reverence to aught but Him?
16:53
For, whatever good thing comes to you, comes from God; and whenever harm befalls you, it is unto Him that you cry for help60- (16:54) yet as soon as He has removed the harm from you, lo! some of you [begin to] ascribe to other powers a share in their Sustainer's divinity 61 (16:55) [as if] to prove their ingratitude for all that We have granted them!
Enjoy, then, your [brief] life: but in time you will come to know [the truth]!
16:56
As it is, they ascribe - out of what We provide for them as sustenance - a share unto things of which they know nothing.62
By God, you shall most certainly be called to account for all your false imagery!
16:57
And [thus, too,] they ascribe daughters unto God, who is limitless in His glory63 - whereas for themselves [they would choose, if they could, only] what they desire:64 (16:58) for, whenever any of them is given the glad tiding of [the birth of] a girl, his face darkens, and he is filled with suppressed anger, (16:59) avoiding all people because of the [alleged] evil of the glad tiding which he has received, [and debating within himself:] Shall he keep this [child] despite the contempt [which he feels for it] - or shall he bury it in the dust? Old, evil indeed is whatever they decide!66 (16:60) [Thus it is that] the attribute of evil applies to all who do not believe in the life to come67 - whereas unto God applies the attribute of all that is most sublime: for He alone is almighty, truly wise!
60 Cf. 6:40-41.
61 Lit., "associate [other powers] with their Sustainer": i.e., by attributing the change in their
"luck" to what they regard as "extraneous" factors and influences, they invest the latter, as
it were, with divine qualities and powers.
62 According to most of the classical commentators, this relates to the custom of the pagan Arabs -
mentioned in 6:136 - to dedicate a part of their agricultural produce and cattle to their deities;
and because those deities were mere figments of imagination, they are described here as "things of
which they know nothing". However, as I have pointed out in note 120 on 6:136, the above statement
bears a much wider, more general meaning: it connects directly with the three preceding verses of
this surah - namely, with the attribution of a share (nasib) in God's creativeness - and thus of
a decisive influence on one's life - to "causes" or "powers" other than Him. This view has also
been advanced by Razi (with a specific reference to astrological speculations) in the concluding
sentence of his commentary on the above verse.
63 The pre-Islamic Arabs believed that the goddesses Al-Lat, Al-'Uzza and Manat (see note 13 on
53:19-20), as well as the angels, whom they conceived as females, were "God's daughters". As
against this, the Qur'an states that God is utterly remote from every imperfection (subhanahu),
complete in Himself, and therefore free from the incompleteness inherent in the concept of
"progeny" as an extension of one's own being (cf. 6:100 and the corresponding notes 87 and 88).-
This parenthetic passage, comprising verses 57-59, is explained in note 66 below.
64 Namely, only male issue, because the pre-Islamic Arabs regarded daughters as no more than a
necessary evil.
65 I.e., a tiding that should have been regarded as a happy one, since the sex of the child ought
to make no difference to parental love.
66 I.e., either of these alternatives is evil: to keep the child as an object of perpetual contempt,
or to bury it alive, as was frequently done by the pagan Arabs.- This passage, containing as it
does an utter condemnation of men's attitude towards women in pre-Islamic Arabia, has - as is always
the case with Qur'anic references to historical events or customs - a meaning that goes far beyond
this specific social phenomenon and the resulting infanticide. It would seem that the pivotal point
of the whole passage is the sentence, "for themselves [they would choose, if they could, only] what
they desire": that is to say, while they are only too ready to associate with God ideas which
are repugnant to themselves (for instance, female progeny, which they themselves despise), they are
unwilling to accept the concept of man's ultimate responsibility to Him, because such a concept
militates against their own hedonistic inclinations by obliging them to impose a moral discipline
on themselves. And because they rebel against the idea of ultimate moral responsibility, they
instinctively reject the idea of resurrection and of life after bodily death; and since they deny,
by implication, God's power to resurrect the dead, they deny His omnipotence and, consequently,
begin to "ascribe divinity" - i.e., a genuinely causative function - to all manner of imaginary
forces, beings or influences: and so, by means of a parenthetic reference to pre-Islamic Arabian
beliefs and customs, the discourse returns full circle to the concept of God's oneness, uniqueness
and omnipotence, around which the whole of the Qur'an revolves.
67 I.e., inasmuch as they deny, by implication, man's ultimate responsibility before God. According
to Zamakhshari and Razi, the term mathal (lit., "example" or "parable") has here and in the next
clause the connotation of sifah ("attribute").
16:61
Now if God were to take men [immediately] to task for all the evil that they do [on earth], He would not leave a single living creature upon its face. However, He grants them respite until a term set [by Him]:68 but when the end of their term approaches, they can neither delay it by a single moment, nor can they hasten it.69
16:62
As it is, they ascribe to God something that they [themselves] dislike70 - and [all the while] their tongues utter the lie that [by doing so] they earn supreme merit!71
Truly, they earn but the fire, and will be left out [of God's grace]!72
68 Or: "known [only to Him]" - i.e., the period of their lives on earth, during which they may
reflect and repent.
69 For my rendering of sa'ah as "a single moment", see surah 7, note 26.
70 I.e., "daughters" (see verses 57-59 above): but this alludes also, as Zamakhshari points out, to
the association with God of imaginary beings which allegedly have a share in His power and thus
nullify the concept of His uniqueness: in other words, while the people spoken of here would hate
to see their own legitimate spheres of influence encroached upon and curtailed by rivals, they do
not extend the same consideration to their idea of God.
71 Lit., "that theirs is the supreme good (al-husnd )" - i.e., in the sight of God - because they
regard their own religious or anti-religious views, in spite of their absurdity, as good and true'.
This interpretation of al-husna in the above context (mentioned, among others, by Zamakhshari and Razi)
connects logically with the statement in the next verse that "Satan had made their own doings seem
goodly to them"
72 Lit., "theirs [or "their portion"] will be the fire, and they will be abandoned".
16:63
By God, [O Prophet,] even before thy time have We sent apostles unto [various] communities: but [those who were bent on denying the truth have always refused to listen to Our messages because] Satan has made all their own doings seem goodly to them: and he is [as] close to them today73 [as he was to the sinners of yore]; hence, grievous suffering awaits them.
16:64
And upon thee [too] have We bestowed from on high this divine writ for no other reason than that thou might make clear unto them all [questions of faith] on which they have come to hold divergent views, and [thus offer] guidance and grace unto people who will believe.
16:65
AND GOD sends down water from the skies, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless:74 in this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who [are willing to] listen.
16:66
And, behold, in the cattle [too] there is indeed a lesson for you: We give you to drink of that [fluid] which is [secreted from] within their bellies between that which is to be eliminated [from the animal's body] and [its] life-blood: milk pure and pleasant to those who drink it.75
16:67
And [We grant you nourishment] from the fruit of date-palms and vines: from it you derive intoxicants as well as wholesome sustenance - in this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who use their reason!76
16:68
And [consider how] thy Sustainer has inspired the bee:77 "Prepare for thyself dwellings in mountains and in trees, and in what [men] may build [for thee by way of hives]; (16:69) and then eat of all manner of fruit, and follow humbly the paths ordained for thee by thy Sustainer."78 [And lo!] there issues from within these [bees] a fluid of many hues, wherein there is health for man. In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who think!
73 Or: "He is their patron [or "master"] today": It should be borne in mind that the noun wali is
derived from the verb waliya, which primarily signifies "he was [or "became"] close [or "near",
i.e., to someone or something]". It is in this sense that the term wali is used in the Qur'an with
reference to God's nearness to the believers (e.g., in 2:257 or 3:68), or their nearness to God
(see 10:62 and the corresponding note 84). Similarly, the "powers of evil" (at-taghut) are spoken
of in 2:257 as being "near unto those who are bent on denying the truth (alladhina kafaru)".
74 As so often in the Qur'an, a reference to the spiritual life engendered by divine revelation is
followed here by a reference to the miracle of organic life as another indication of God's creative
activity.
75 Milk - in itself a glandular secretion - is not necessary for the mother-animal's life (or,
as it is here metonymically described, its "blood"); on the other hand, it is not just something
that the body eliminates as being of no further use to its metabolism: hence it is referred to
as a substance "between that which is to be eliminated [from the animal's body] and [its]
life-blood".
76 The term sakar (lit., "wine" or, generically, "intoxicants") is contrasted here with rizq
hasan ("wholesome sustenance"), thus circumscribing both the positive and the negative properties
and effects of alcohol. Although this surah was revealed about ten years before the Qur'anic
prohibition of intoxicants in 5:90-91, there is no doubt that their moral condemnation is already
implied in the above verse (Ibn 'Abbas, as quoted by Tabari; also Razi).
77 The expression "He has inspired" (awha) is meant to bring out the wonderful quality of the instinct
which enables the lowly insect to construct the geometrical masterpiece of a honeycomb out of
perfectly-proportioned hexagonal, prismatic wax cells - a structure which is most economical,
and therefore most rational, as regards space and material. Together with the subsequently mentioned
transmutation, in the bee's body, of plant juices into honey, this provides a striking evidence
of "God's ways" manifested in all nature.
78 Lit., "thy Sustainer's paths".
16:70
AND GOD has created you, and in time will cause you to die; and many a one of you is reduced in old age to a most abject state, ceasing to know anything of what he once knew so well.79
Verily, God is all-knowing, infinite in His power! (16:71) And on some of you God has bestowed more abundant means of sustenance than on others: and yet, they who are more abundantly favoured are [often] unwilling to share their sustenance with those whom their right hands possess, so that they [all] might be equal in this respect.80 Will they, then, God's blessings [thus] deny?
16:72
And God has given you mates of your own kinds81 and has given you, through your mates, children and children's children, and has provided for you sustenance out of the good things of life.
Will men,82 then, [continue to] believe in things false and vain, and thus blaspheme against God's blessings? - (16:73) and will they [continue to] worship, instead of God, something that has it not within its power to provide for them any sustenance whatever from the heavens or the earth,83 and can do nothing at all?
79 Lit., "is reduced to a most abject age, so that he knows nothing after [having had] knowledge":
alluding to the organic curve of man's growth, his acquisition of bodily strength, intelligence
and experience, followed by gradual decay and, in some cases, the utter helplessness of senility,
comparable to the helplessness of a new-born child.
80 The phrase "to share their sustenance with...", etc., reads, literally, "to turn over their
sustenance to". The expression "those whom their right hands possess" (i.e., "those whom they
rightfully possess") may relate either to slaves taken captive in a war in God's cause (see surah 2,
notes 167 and 168, and surah 8, note 72) or, metonymically, to all who are dependent on others for
their livelihood and thus become the latters' responsibility. The placing of one's dependants on an
equal footing with oneself with regard to the basic necessities of life is a categorical demand of
Islam; thus, the Prophet said: "They are your brethren, these dependants of yours (khawalukum) whom
God has placed under your authority [lit., "under your hand"]. Hence, whoso has his brother under
his authority shall give him to eat of what he eats himself, and shall clothe him with what he
clothes himself. And do not burden them with anything that may be beyond their strength; but if
you [must] burden them, help them yourselves." (This authentic Tradition, recorded by Bukhari in
several variants in his Sahih, appears in the compilations of Muslim, Tirmidhi and Ibn Hanbal as
well.) However, men often fail to live up to this consciousness of moral responsibility: and this
failure amounts, as the sequence shows, to a denial of God's blessings and of His unceasing care
for all His creatures.
81 Lit., "has made [or "provided"] for you mates out of yourselves". The term zawj denotes not only
"a pair" or "a couple" but also - as in this instance - "one of a pair" or "a mate" of the opposite
sex; hence, with reference to human beings, the plural azwaj signifies both "husbands" and "wives".
82 Lit., "they", i.e., those who deny the truth of God's existence and/or oneness.
83 For the comprehensive meaning embodied in the term rizq, see the first sentence of note 4 on 2:3.
16:74
Hence, do not coin any similitudes for God!84 Verily, God knows [all], whereas you have no [real] knowledge.
16:75
God propounds [to you] the parable of [two men -] a man enslaved, unable to do anything of his own accord, and a [free] man upon whom We have bestowed goodly sustenance [as a gift] from Ourselves, so that he can spend thereof [at will, both] secretly and openly. Can these [two] be deemed equal?85
All praise is due to God [alone]: but most of them do not understand it.
16:76
And God propounds [to you] the parable of two [other] men - one of them dumb,86 unable to do anything of his own accord, and a sheer burden on his master: to whichever task the latter directs him,87 he accomplishes no good. Can such a one be considered the equal of [a wise man] who enjoins the doing of what is right and himself follows a straight way?88
84 I.e., "do not blaspheme against God by regarding anyone or anything as comparable with Him, or by
trying to define Him in any terms whatsoever" - since "definition" is, in the last resort, equivalent
to a delimitation of the qualities of the object thus to be defined in relation to, or in comparison
with, another object or objects: God, however, is "sublimely exalted above anything that men may
devise by way of definition" (see last sentence of 6:100, and the corresponding note 88).
85 The obvious answer is that they cannot. The implication is equally clear: if even these two kinds
of man cannot be deemed equal, how could any created being, with its intrinsic, utter dependence
on other created beings, or any force of nature conceivable or imaginable by man, be thought of
as possessing powers comparable with those of God, who is almighty, limitless, unconceivable -
the self-sufficient fount of all that exists? (This argument is continued and further elaborated
in the subsequent parable.)
86 The term abkam signifies "dumb" both in the literal, physiological sense and (as in colloquial
English) in the sense of being "unable to speak properly" on account of intellectual weakness:
i.e., "dull-witted" or "stupid". Both these meanings are contained in the above Qur'anic description.
87 Or: "wherever he sends him".
88 I.e., who is not only wise and righteous but also has the strength and authority to enjoin a
righteous way of living upon others. Thus, while in the first parable the main issue is the contrast
between freedom and bondage or - more generally - between dependence and independence, in the
second parable we are given the antithesis of dumbness and incompetence, on the one hand, and
wisdom, justice and competence, on the other; and in both parables the implication is the same
(see note 85 above).
16:77
And89, God's [alone] is the knowledge of the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth.90 And so, the advent of the Last Hour will but manifest itself [in a single moment,] like the twinkling of an eye, or closer still:91 for, behold, God has the power to will anything.
16:78
And God has brought you forth from your mothers' wombs knowing nothing - but He has endowed you with hearing, and sight, and minds, so that you might have cause to be grateful. (16:79) Have, then, they [who deny the truth] never considered the birds, enabled [by God] to fly in mid-air,92 with none but God holding them aloft? In this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who will believe!
16:80
And God has given you [the ability to build] your houses as places of rest, and has endowed you with [the skill to make] dwellings out of the skins of animals93 - easy for you to handle when you travel and when you camp - and [to make] furnishings and goods for temporary use of their [rough] wool and their soft, furry wool94 and their hair.
16:81
And among the many objects of His creation,95 God has appointed for you [various] means of protection:96 thus, He has given you in the mountains places of shelter, and has endowed you with [the ability to make] garments to protect you from heat [and cold],97 as well as such garments as might protect you from your [mutual] violence.98
In this way does He bestow the full measure of His blessings on you, so that you might surrender yourselves unto Him.
89 This passage connects with the second sentence of verse 74 - "Verily, God knows [all], whereas
you have no [real] knowledge."
90 As may be inferred from the sequence, the term ghayb - rendered here as the "hidden reality" -
alludes in this context to the coming of the Last Hour, the time whereof is known to God alone
(Zamakhshari). Parallel with this, it may also relate to God's Own existence, which cannot be
directly established by the testimony of our senses (Baydawi) but, as the Qur'an consistently
points out, may be inferred from the observable effects of His creativeness.
91 Lit., "the case (i.e., the manifestation] of the [Last] Hour will be like...", etc. - implying
that it will be characterized by utter suddenness and unpredictability, both of them an outcome
of the absence of any time-interval between God's decreeing it and its materialization: and this
explains the phrase "or closer still" at the end of the above sentence.
92 Lit., "subservient [to God's laws] in the air of the sky".
93 The term julud (sing. jild) denotes, literally, "skins", but apparently comprises here also the
wool which grows on the skins of domesticated animals. It is to be noted that in Arabian usage
the noun bayt ("house") signifies not only a solid building but also a "tent" - in brief, every
kind of dwelling, whether permanent or temporary.
94 Wabar (here given in its plural, awbar) is the soft wool growing on the shoulders of camels
("camel-hair"), used in the weaving of fine cloths and sometimes also of bedouin tents.
95 Lit., "out of that which He has created".
96. Lit., "shades (zilal. sing. zill). Metonymically, this term is occasionally used to describe
anything that "shades" one in the sense of protecting him; and since the sequence clearly refers
to means of protection, I believe that this derivative meaning of zilal is here preferable to
the literal.
97 According to almost all the classical commentators, the mention of "heat" implies here its opposite
as well, namely "cold"; hence my interpolation.
98 According to most of the commentators, the second incidence of the term "garments" (sarabil)
in this verse is to be understood as "coats of mail" or "armour", in which case it would allude
to wars and other instances of mutual violence. But although this interpretation cannot be ruled
out, it seems to me that the second mention of "garments" can be understood in a much wider sense,
perhaps metonymically denoting all manner of "coverings" (i.e., devices meant to protect the body)
which man may be constrained to use in dangerous situations of his own making: hence the stress
on "your violence" (ba'sakum).
16:82
BUT IF they turn away [from thee, O Prophet, remember that] thy only duty is a clear delivery of the message [entrusted to thee]. (16:83) They [who turn away from it] are fully aware of God's blessings, but none the less they refuse to acknowledge them [as such], since most of them are given to denying the truth.99
16:84
But one Day We shall raise up a witness out of every community,100 whereupon they who were bent on denying the truth will not be allowed to plead [ignorance],101 and neither will they be allowed to make amends. (16:85) And when they who were bent on evildoing behold the suffering [that awaits them, they will realize that] it will not be lightened for them [by virtue of their pleading]; and neither will they be granted respite.
16:86
(86) And when they who were wont to ascribe divinity to beings other than God behold [on Judgment Day] those beings to whom they were wont to ascribe a share in His divinity,102 they will exclaim: "O our Sustainer! These are the beings to whom we ascribed a share in Thy divinity, and whom we were wont to invoke instead of Thee!"103 - whereupon [those beings] will fling at them the retort: "Behold, you have indeed been lying [to yourselves]!"104
99 I.e., although they are aware of the many blessings which man enjoys, they refuse to attribute
them to God's creative activity, thus implicitly denying the truth of His existence. My rendering
of al-kafirun as "[such as] are given to denying the truth" is conditioned by the definite article
al which, in the above construction, is meant to stress the quality of deliberate intent.
100 An allusion to the Day of Judgment, when the prophets whom God has called forth within every
community - or, in the wider sense of the term ummah, within every civilization or cultural period -
will symbolically bear witness to the fact that they had delivered God's message to their people
and explained to them the meaning of right and wrong, thus depriving them of any subsequent excuse.
101 According to Zamakhshari, their being "refused permission" to plead is a metonym for their having
no valid argument or excuse to proffer. (Cf. also 77:35-36.)
102 Cf. 6:22 and the corresponding note 15.
103 The Qur'an states in many places that every sinner who dies without repentance will be endowed on
Judgment Day with a clear, objectified vision of his sins, every one of which will have assumed for
him the status of an independent reality bearing witness against him and forcing him to acknowledge
his now irremediable guilt. It is to be remembered in this connection that the Qur'an describes
every act of sinning - whether it be an offence against the concept of God's oneness and uniqueness
or a wrong done to any of His creatures - as, primarily, one's "wronging oneself" or "sinning
against oneself".
104 Cf. 6:23-24 and the corresponding notes 16 and 17.
16:87
And on that Day will they [who had thus been sinning, belatedly] proffer their surrender to God; and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.
16:88
Upon all who were bent on denying the truth and who turned others away from the path of God will We heap suffering upon suffering in return for all the corruption that they wrought: (16:89) for one Day We shall raise up within every community a witness against them from among themselves.105
And thee [too, O Prophet,] have We brought forth to bear witness regarding those [whom thy message may have reached],106 inasmuch as We have bestowed from on high upon thee, step by step, this divine writ, to make everything clear,107 and to provide guidance and grace and a glad tiding unto all who have surrendered themselves to God.
16:90
BEHOLD, God enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards [one's] fellow-men;108 and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs counter to reason,109 as well as envy; [and] He exhorts you [repeatedly] so that you might bear [all this] in mind.
105 See note 100 above.
106 Although the Arabian contemporaries of the Prophet were, naturally, the first to whom his
revelation was conveyed - a fact that gave a particular weight to the manner in which they responded
to it - the Qur'anic message as such is addressed to all mankind (see in this connection, in particular,
7:158 and 21:107, as well as the corresponding notes).
107 I.e., everything that pertains to the knowledge of good and evil, in both the individual and social
senses of these terms. - Regarding my rendering of nazzalna, it should be borne in mind that this
particular grammatical form is often used in the Qur'an to bring out the fact that it was revealed
gradually ("step by step") over a considerable period of time, and not in one piece.
108 Lit., "the giving to [one's] kinsfolk (dhu 'l-qurba)". The latter term usually denotes "relatives",
either by blood or by marriage; but since it occurs here in the context of a comprehensive ethical
exhortation, it obviously alludes to man's "kinsfolk" in the widest sense of the term, namely, to
his "fellow-men".
109 The term al-munkar (rendered by me in other places as "that which is wrong") has here its original
meaning of "that which the mind [or the moral sense] rejects", respectively "ought to reject".
Zamakshari is more specific, and explais this term as signifying in the above context "that which
[men's] intellects disown" or "declare to be untrue" (ma tunkiruhu al-'uqul): in other words,
all that runs counter to reason and good sense (which, obviously, must not be confused with that
which is beyond man's comprehension). This eminently convincing explanation relates not merely to
intellectually unacceptable propositions (in the abstract sense of the term) but also to grossly
unreasonable and, therefore, reprehensible actions or attitudes and is, thus, fully in tune with
the rational approach of the Qur'an to questions of ethics as well as with its insistence on
reasonableness and moderation in man's behaviour. Hence my rendering - of al-munkar, in this and
in similar instances, as "all that runs counter to reason".
16:91
And be true to your bond with God whenever you bind yourselves by a pledge,110 and do not break [your] oaths after having [freely] confirmed them111 and having called upon God to be witness to your good faith:112 behold, God knows all that you do.
16:92
Hence, be not like her who breaks and completely untwists the yarn which she [herself] has spun and made strong - [be not like this by] using your oaths as a means of deceiving one another,113 simply because some of you may be more powerful than others.114
By all this, God but puts you to a test - and [He does it] so that on Resurrection Day He might make clear unto you all that on which you were wont to differ.115 (16:93) For, had God so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community;116 however, He lets go astray him that wills [to go astray], and guides aright him that wills [to be guided];117 and you will surely be called to account for all that you ever did!118
110 Regarding the expression "bond with God" ('ahd Allah), see surah 2, note 19. The clause "whenever
you bind yourselves by a pledge" has a twofold meaning: in the first instance (as in 13:20) it refers
to the spiritual, moral and social obligations arising from one's faith in God; and, secondly, it
applies to all pledges or promises given by one person to another - for, as Razi points out, every
pledge given by man to man represents, in its essence, a pledge to God. It is to this second aspect
of man's "bond with God" that the sequence refers.
111 I.e., as distinct from oaths "uttered without thought" (see 2:225).
112 Lit., "and having made God [or "named God as"] your guarantor (kafil)". 113 Lit., "as a [means
of] deception (dakhalan) among yourselves".
114 Lit., "because there are people (ummah) more powerful than [other] people": relating to
declarations and false promises made out of fear.
115 As is evident from the preceding passage as well as from the sequence, the differences alluded
to here relate to ethical and moral values, regarding the truth and relevance of which people of
various communities and persuasions hold most divergent views. See also surah 2, note 94.
116 I.e., bound by mutually agreed-upon moral values. See in this connection 10:19 and the
corresponding notes, especially note 29. For an elucidation of the concept of ummah wahidah
("one single community") and its further implications, see surah 2, notes 197 and 198.
117 Or: "He lets go astray whomever He wills, and guides aright whomever He wills". Regarding the
problem of free will versus predestination, seemingly implied in the concept of God's "letting man
go [or "causing him to go"] astray" or, alternatively, "guiding him aright", see sdrah 14, note 4.
118 Alluding to the erroneous idea that man's good or evil actions - and therefore also his
propensities and resulting attitudes - are "predetermined" by God and not really an outcome of
free choice, Zamakhshari rounds off his views on this problem (quoted by me in surah 14, note 4)
in these words: "If [it were true that] God compels [men] to astray or, alternatively, to follow
His guidance - why should He have postulated their deeds as something for which they will be held
responsible?"
16:94
And do not use your oaths as a means of deceiving one another - or else [your] foot will slip after having been firm,119 and then you will have to taste the evil [consequences]120 of your having turned away from the path of God, with tremendous suffering awaiting you [in the life to come].
16:95
Hence, do not barter away your bond with God for a trifling gain!
Verily, that which is with God is by far the best for you, if you but knew it: (16:96) all that is with you is bound to come to an end, whereas that which is with God is everlasting.
And most certainly shall We grant unto those who are patient in adversity their reward in accordance with the best that they ever did.
16:97
As for anyone - be it man or woman - who does righteous deeds, and is a believer withal - him shall We most certainly cause to live a good life121 and most certainly shall We grant unto such as these their reward in accordance with the best that they ever did.
16:98
NOW whenever thou happen to read this Qur'an, seek refuge with God from Satan, the accursed.122 (16:99) Behold, he has no power over those who have attained to faith and in their Sustainer place their trust: (16:100) he has power only over those who are willing to follow him,123 and who [thus] ascribe to him a share in God's divinity.124
119 I.e., "you will offend against God after having attained to faith", seeing that - as has been
pointed out in note 110 above - every pledge given by man to man is synonymous with a pledge to God.
120 I.e., in this world (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Baydawi), inasmuch as the breaking of pledges unavoidably
leads to a gradual disappearance of all mutual trust and, thus, to the decomposition of the social
fabric.
121 This may relate either to life in this world - inasmuch as a true believer invariably finds
happiness in his God-consciousness - or to the happiness which awaits him in the hereafter, or
to both.
122 The present passage (verses 98-105) evidently connects with the broad ethical exhortation given
in verse 90 above and, thus, with the statement (in verse 89) that the Qur'an is meant "to make
everything clear and to provide guidance and grace and a glad tiding unto all who have surrendered
themselves to God" - which, in its turn, implies that the Qur'an is the ultimate source of all
God-willed ethical and moral values, and thus an unchanging criterion of good and evil. But since man
is always, by virtue of his nature, prone to question the very validity of the moral standards
established through revelation, the believer is now called upon to seek, whenever he reads or meditates
on this divine writ, God's spiritual aid against the whisperings of what the Qur'an describes as
"Satan, the accursed" - that is, all the evil forces, both within man's own soul and within his
social environment, which tend to undermine his moral convictions and to lead him away from God.
123 Or: "who make him their master". Cf. in this connection 14:22 and the corresponding note 31.
124 I.e., inasmuch as they pay an almost worshipful reverence to such blandishments as wealth,
power, social position, etc.
16:101
And now that We replace one message by another125 - since God is fully aware of what He bestows from on high, step by step126 - they [who deny the truth] are wont to say, "Thou but inventest it!" Nay, but most of them do not understand it!127
16:102
Say: "Holy inspiration128 has brought it down from thy Sustainer by stages, setting forth the truth, so that it might give firmness unto those who have attained to faith, and provide guidance and a glad tiding unto all who have surrendered themselves to God."
16:103
And, indeed, full well do We know that they say, "It is but a human being that imparts [all] this to him!"129 - [notwithstanding that] the tongue of him to whom they so maliciously point is wholly outlandish,130 whereas this is Arabic speech, clear [in itself] and clearly showing the truth [of its source].131
125 I.e., by substituting the message of the Qur'an for the earlier dispensations - and not, as
some Muslim scholars maintain, "abrogating" one Qur'anic verse and replacing it by another.
(Regarding the untenable "doctrine of abrogation", in the latter sense, see 2:106 and the
corresponding note 87; see also note 35 on 41:42.)
126 I.e., the gradualness of revelation (implied in the verbal form yunazzil) corresponds to God's
plan, according to which He has gradually unfolded His will to man, substituting one dispensation
for another in the measure of mankind's intellectual and social development, bringing it to its
culmination in the message of the Qur'an.
127 I.e., they do not understand the necessity of a new dispensation and, therefore, do not really
understand the Qur'an.
128 As in the three other places in which the expression ruh al-qudus occurs (2:87 and 253, and
5:110),1 am rendering it here, too, as "holy inspiration" (see surah 2, note 71), a term which,
to my mind, is a Qur'anic synonym for "divine revelation". However, a literal rendering-"spirit
of holiness" - is also possible if one applies this term to the angel who communicates God's
revelations to the prophets. (See also verse 2 of this surah and the corresponding note 2.)
129 I.e., to Muhammad - thus insinuating that his claim to divine revelation was false.
130 Whereas some of the pagan Quraysh regarded the ideas expressed in the Qur'an as "invented" by
Muhammad, others thought that they must have been imparted to him by a foreigner - perhaps a
Christian - who lived in Mecca at that time, or whom the Prophet was supposed to have encountered
at an earlier period of his life. Various conjectures have been advanced - both by early Muslim
commentators and by modern orientalists - as to the "identity" of the person or persons whom
the suspicious Meccans might have had in mind in this connection; but all these conjectures are
purely speculative and, therefore, of no historical value whatever. The suspicion of the pagan
Meccans implies no more than the historical fact that those of the Prophet's opponents who were
unwilling to pay him the compliment of having "invented" the Qur'an (the profundity of which they
were unable to deny) conveniently attributed its authorship or at least its inspiration - to a
mythical non-Arab "teacher" of the Prophet.
131 For an explanation of this composite rendering of the descriptive term mubin, see surah 12,
note 2. 'the term is used here to stress the fact that no human being - and certainly no
non-Arab - could ever have produced the flawless, exalted Arabic diction in which the Qur'an
is expressed.
16:104
Verily, as for those who will not believe in God's messages, God does not guide them aright; and grievous suffering will be their lot [in the life to come]. (16:105) It is but they who will not believe in God's messages that invent this falsehood;132 and it is they, they who are lying!
16:106
As for anyone who denies God after having once attained to faith - and this, to be sure, does not apply to133 one who does it under duress, the while his heart remains true to his faith,134 but [only, to] him who willingly opens up his heart to a denial of the truth -: upon all such [falls] God's condemnation, and tremendous suffering awaits them: (16:107) all this, because they hold this world's life in greater esteem than the life to come, and because God does not bestow His guidance upon people who deny the truth.
16:108
They whose hearts and whose hearing and whose sight God has sealed - it is they, they who are heedless!135 (16:109) Truly it is they, they who in the life to come shall be the losers! (16:110) And yet, behold, thy Sustainer [grants His forgiveness] unto those who forsake the domain of evil after having succumbed to its temptation,136 and who thenceforth strive hard [in God's cause] and are patient in adversity: behold, after such [repentance] thy Sustainer is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!
16:111
[Be conscious, then, of] the Day when every human being shall come to plead for himself [alone], and every human being shall be repaid in full for whatever he has done, and none shall be wronged.
132 I.e., the scurrilous allegation referred to in verse 103. Although this statement alludes, in the
first instance, to the hostile contemporaries of the Prophet, it extends, by obvious implication,
to people of all times who refuse to believe in the reality of Muhammad's revelations, and try to
explain them away as obsessive illusions or even as deliberate fabrications.
133 Lit., "except" - but the Arabic construction of the sentence that follows makes it necessary to
render the simple particle ills in the manner adopted by me ("and this, to be sure, does not
apply to ..., etc.).
134 Lit., "one who is coerced, the while his heart is at rest in [his] faith". This relates to
believers who, under torture or threat of death, ostensibly "recant" in order to save themselves.
Although the Qur'an makes it clear in several places that martyrdom in the cause of faith is
highly meritorious, "God does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear"
(cf. 2:233 and 286, 6:152, 7:42, 23:62, and many other Qur'anic statements to the same effect).
135 Sc., "of what is good and what is bad for them". - For an explanation of God's "sealing" the
hearts of those who are bent on denying the truth, see 2:7 and the corresponding note.
136 For an explanation of the concept of fitnah (appearing here in the verbal form futinu) and of
my rendering it as "temptation to evil", see surah 8, note 25. As regards the expression alladhina
hajaru in its spiritual connotation, see surah 2, note 203 and surah 4, note 124.
16:112
AND GOD propounds [to you] a parable: [Imagine] a town which was [once] secure and at ease, with its sustenance coming to it abundantly from all quarters, and which thereupon blasphemously refused to show gratitude for God's blessings: and therefore God caused it to taste the all-embracing misery137 of hunger and fear in result of all [the evil] that its people had so persistently wrought.138
16:113
And indeed, there had come unto them an apostle from among themselves - but they gave him the lie; and therefore suffering overwhelmed them while they were thus doing wrong [to themselves].
16:114
AND SO, partake of all the lawful, good things which God has provided for you as sustenance, and render thanks unto God for His blessings, if it is [truly] Him that you worship.139
16:115
He has forbidden to you only carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any name other than God's has been invoked; but if one is driven [to it] by necessity - neither coveting it nor exceeding his immediate need - verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.140
16:116
Hence, do not utter falsehoods by letting your tongues determine [at your own discretion], "This is lawful and that is forbidden", thus attributing your own lying inventions to God:141 for, behold, they who attribute their own lying inventions to God will never attain to a happy state! (16:117) A brief enjoyment [may be theirs in this world] - but grievous suffering awaits them [in the life to come]!
137 Lit., "the garment" (libas)- idiomatically used in classical Arabic to describe the utmost degree
of misfortune which "envelops man like a garment" (Taj al-'Arus, with specific reference to the
above verse).
138 This parable is meant to show that deliberate ingratitude for the manifold blessings which God
bestows upon man - in other words, a deliberate refusal to submit to His guidance - is bound, in
the long run and in the context of aggregate social life, to have disastrous consequences not only
in the hereafter but in this world as well, inasmuch as no society may expect to live in security
and ease unless it conforms to the ethical and social standards inherent in the concept of man's
"bond with God" (as explained in surah 2, note 19