About the Surah

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Alif-Lam-Meem (Allah, Alone, knows their meanings)

Do people think that they will be left alone because they say (verbally): “We believe,” and they will not be tested? (Not at all).

And We, indeed, tested those who were before them. So Allah will certainly let it be known those who are truthful and let it be known those who are liars (for the benefit of the people since Allah already knows it). 

Or, do those who commit sins, think that they can escape (Our punishment)? What an evil judgement they are making!

Whoever hopes for the Meeting with Allah, so indeed, the appointed time of Allah will definitely occur, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

And whosoever strives, he strives only for his own benefit. Indeed, Allah is All-Rich (free of all needs) from mankind, jinn and all that exists. (Also Surah Al-Jathiyah:15)

Those who believe and do good deeds, We shall remove their sins and We shall give them fantastic reward for their good deeds. 

And We have commanded people to be good to their parents, and if they insist on you to make partners in worship with Me, for whom you have no knowledge or proof, then don’t obey them. You will return to Me, then I shall inform you what you used to do.

And those who believe and do good deeds, We shall surely make them join the righteous people (in the Paradise).

Some of the men say (verbally): “We believe in Allah.” But if they experi-ence a hardship in the path of Allah, they consider the torture from the people like Allah’s punishment. And if a victory comes from your Creator, they (the hypocrites) will certainly say: “Indeed, we were with you (supporting you).” Is not Allah fully Aware of what is hidden in the hearts of mankind and jinn?

Indeed, Allah will make known those who (sincerely) believe, and will cer-tainly expose the hypocrites. (Also Surah Aal-Imran:179)

And the disbelievers say to the believers: “Follow our way and we will, surely, bear your sins.” (In fact) they are not going to bear any of their sins. In-deed, they are liars. (Also Surah Fatir:18)

And they shall, surely, bear the loads of their own sins and additional loads (of the people whom they made to commit sins) along with their loads. And they shall, surely, be questioned on the Day of Resurrection about that which they used to fabricate.

And, indeed, We sent Nuh ( )  to his people and he stayed among them nine hundred and fifty years so a storm seized them and they were wrong-doers.

Then We saved him and those with him in the boat. And We made this (event) a lesson for mankind and jinn.

And (remember) Ibrahim ( )  when he said to his people: “Worship Allah (Alone) and fear Him, which is better for you if you have some sense.

“Indeed, you worship besides Allah only idols and you invent falsehood (against Allah). Indeed, those whom you worship besides Allah have no power to give you any sustenance. So seek your sustenance from Allah, and worship Him (Alone), and be thankful to Him. You will be brought back to Him.

“And if you deny me, so many nations before you have denied (their mes-sengers). And the duty of the messenger is only to convey (the message) clearly.”

Don’t they see how Allah originally created His creatures (out of nothing)? He shall create them again (in fact, creating second time is easier than the first creation). Indeed, this is easy for Allah. (Note this is an intellectual logic).

Say: “Travel in the land and see how (Allah) originates the creation, then Allah will make you rise again too. Indeed, Allah is Able to do all things.”

He punishes whom He wills and showers His Mercy on whom He wills, and you will be returned to Him.

And you cannot escape in the earth or in the skies (from Allah). And you have neither any protector, nor any helper besides Allah.

And those who disbelieve in the revelations of Allah and also disbelieve the Meeting with Him (in the Hereafter), they should not have any hope of My Mer-cy and they will have a painful torment. (Also Surah Al-Araf:156)

So Ibrahim’s ( )  people had no (reasonable) answer for him except that they said: “Kill him or burn him.” Then Allah saved him from the fire. Indeed, in this are the signs for the people who believe.

And Ibrahim ( )  said: “You are, indeed, worshipping idols instead of Allah due to your mutual worldly friendship. On the Day of Res-urrection you will disown each other and shall curse each other. Your residence is the Fire, and you shall have no helper”.

So Lut ( )  believed in Ibrahim ( ) . And Ibrahim ( )  [or Lut ( ) ] said: “I will migrate for the sake of my Creator. Indeed, He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (He will protect me and reward me).

And We granted him [Ibrahim ( ) ], Ishaq ( peace be up-on him )  (as his son) and Yaqub ( )  (as his grandson). And We kept the Prophethood and Book in his children. And We granted him the re-ward in this world and he will be, indeed, among the righteous people in the Hereafter. (Also Surah An-Nahl:122)

And (remember) Lut ( ) , when he said to his people: “You engage in an obscene activity (i.e. sodomy) which none has committed be-fore you among mankind and jinn.

“Do you satisfy your sexual lust with men and you rob the travellers and practice obscene activities in your gatherings?” So his people did not have any answer except they said: “Bring Allah’s torment upon us if you are one of the truthful.”

Lut ( )  said: “My Creator! Help me against the people who are mischief-makers.”

And when Our messengers (i.e. angels) came to Ibrahim ( )  with the glad tidings [of Ishaq ( )  and Yaqub ( ) ], they also said: “Indeed, we are going to destroy the people of this town, since its residents are wrong-doers.”

Ibrahim ( )  said: “But there is Lut ( )  in it.” They said: “We do know who is there. We will, surely, save Lut ( )  and his family except his wife. She will be of those who remain behind.”

And when Our messengers (i.e. angels) came to Lut ( )  (in the form of handsome young men), Lut ( )  felt grieved because of them and felt stress in his heart. And the angels said: “Don’t fear (an-ything), nor should you grieve (since we are not men but we are angels to punish the mischief-makers). Indeed, we shall save you and your family, except your wife, she shall be of those who remain behind.

“Indeed, We are going to inflict a torment from the sky upon the people of this town, because they have been the mischief makers.”

And, indeed, We have left a lesson in this for the people who have sense.

And to the people of Madyan, We sent their brother Shuaib ( ) . So he said: “O my people! Worship Allah (Alone), and hope for (the suc-cess in) the Hereafter. (Since those who forget the Hereafter, commit sins more boldly, as is the case of the Muslims these days), and don’t go around the land spreading  mischief.”

But they denied Shuaib ( ) , hence the earthquake seized them and they lay dead on their knees while sitting in their homes.

And (similarly) A’d and Thamud (people were destroyed). And, indeed, (their destruction) is clearly apparent to you from their (ruined) houses (seen by the people of Makkah during their journey to Syria). (Their mental situation was such that) Satan made for them their (evil) deeds very attractive and tempting and, hindered them from the (Right) Path, though they were very intelligent people (but they did not make proper use of their intelligence).

And (We also destroyed) Qarun, Firaun, and Hamaan. And, indeed, Musa ( )  came to them with clear proofs, but they were arrogant in the land. And they could not escape (Our) punishment.

So We punished all of them due to their sins. For some of them We sent a strong wind with stones, some of them were seized by an awful cry, some of them We caused the earth to swallow, and some of them We drowned. It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves.

The example of those who make others their protector instead of Allah is the likeness of a spider who builds (for itself) a house, but indeed, the house of the spider is the most fragile house, if they understand it.

Indeed, Allah knows all those things which they worship instead of Him. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

And We describe these exam-ples in the Quran for mankind (for their under-standing). But none will understand them except those who have knowledge (of Allah and His signs).

(Here is a reason for worship-ping Allah Alone). Allah (Alone) created the heavens and the earth with grand wisdom (and for our benefits). Indeed, there is a sign in this for those who believe.

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Recite to the people the Book (i.e. the Quran) which has been revealed to you (for verbal preaching). And (demonstrate it by practice) by performing the Salat regularly since Salat prevents from obscene and forbidden activities. And the remembrance of Allah is even more beneficial (in preventing obscene and forbidden activities). And Allah knows what you do. (As you sow so shall you reap).

And don’t argue with the People of the Scripture but in a decent and cul-tured way with the exception of those who are cruel among them. And say to them: “We believe in that which has been sent to us and sent to you and our God and your God is one (i.e. Allah), and we have submitted to Him (as Muslims).”

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] And thus We have sent down this Book to you (just as We sent to earlier Prophets). So those whom We gave the Scripture, (some of them) believe in it (i.e. Abdullah bin Salam). And there are others (fair minded) people (of Makkah) who also be-lieve in the Quran. And only the disbelievers deny Our revelations.

(Here is an intellectual proof of your Prophethood.) [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] And you did neither read any Book before this (the Quran), nor did you write with your right hand. In that case, the followers of falsehood might have doubted.

In fact, the Quran has very clear Verses which are fully preserved in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge. And only the wrong-doers deny Our revelations.

And the disbelievers say: “Why are not (our demanded) miracles sent down to him from his Creator?” Say: “The miracles are only from Allah. (I have no control over them). I am only a clear warner (against the punishment of Allah).”

Is it not sufficient for them that We have sent down to you this Quran (as a unique miracle) which is (always) recited to them? Indeed, there is mercy and reminder in the Quran for the people who believe.

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “Allah is sufficient witness between me and you. He knows what is in the heavens and on the earth.” And those who believe in false deities and disbelieve in Allah will truly be the losers.

And they ask you to hasten the torment (for them). If the appointed time for it was not prefixed, the torment would certainly have come to them. And surely, it will come to them suddenly while they are unaware of it.

They ask you to hasten the torment (for them). And, indeed, Hell will encir-cle the disbelievers.

On that Day, the torment shall cover them from above them and from below their feet, and it will be said: “Taste (the evil deeds) which you used to do.”

O My slaves who believe! Indeed, My earth is spacious (if you cannot wor-ship Me here, then emigrate). So, (in all circumstances) worship Me (Alone).

Every living creature shall taste death. Then you shall be returned to Us.

And those who believe and do good deeds, We shall surely give them lofty dwellings in Paradise, beneath which rivers flow, to reside there forever. What an excellent reward for the good-doers!

Those who were patient and they put their complete trust in their Creator (Allah).

And there are many (living) creatures that don’t have their own provision (stored)! Allah does provide for them and for you too and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

And if you were to ask them: “Who has created the heavens and the earth and who controls (the performance of) the sun and the moon?” They will surely say: “Allah.” How are they then turning away (from the truth)?

Allah provides sustenance in abundance for whom He wills and limits it for whom (He wills). Indeed, Allah is Knower of every-thing.

And if you were to ask them: “Who sends down rainwater from the sky and re-vives the land with water after its death?” They will surely say: “Allah.” Say: “All praise and thanks are due to Allah (since their confession is a proof against them).” In fact, most of them have no sense.

And this worldly life is only fun and play! And, indeed, the real life is that of the Hereafter, if they only knew.

So when they ride on a boat, they pray to Allah with sincere Faith, but when Allah brings them safely to land, they, suddenly, start making partners in worship with Allah.

So that they may be ungrateful for which We have given them while they continue benefiting from that, so they shall soon come to know (the result of it).

Have they not seen that We have made Haram (Makkah) a place of peace and security and people (and their belongings) are being snatched away from all around them? (Hence, it is a great favour of Allah that you are living in a peace-ful place), do they still believe in the falsehood and deny the Favours of Allah? 

And who is more unjust than he who coins a lie against Allah (without proof) or denies the truth [i.e. Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and his teachings] when it has come to him (with proofs). Will such disbelievers not have a residence in Hell?

As for those who bear hard-ships in Allah’s Cause, We will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e. Allah’s Religion). And, indeed, Allah is with the good-doers (in this world and in the Hereafter).