About the Surah

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

              [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn listened to (this Quran). Then they said (to their community): ‘We have heard a wonderful (recitation of) the Quran

‘It guides to the Right Path, hence we have believed in it, and we shall never join any partners (in worship) with Allah.’

‘And that the Majesty of Our Creator is supreme and He has not taken a wife or a son.’

‘And that the foolish among us (i.e. followers of Satan) used to coin enormous lies against Allah.’

‘And, indeed, we used to think that men and jinn would not (dare) to utter a lie against Allah (since it is a great rudeness on their part).’

‘And that there were men among mankind who took refuge with males among the jinn, and in this way, it enhanced the trans-gres-sion of jinn.’

‘And that they (i.e. men) also thought like you (i.e. jinn) that Allah will not send (any messenger), or Allah will not resurrect anybody (both meanings are possible).’

‘And that we searched the sky all over, but we found it filled with tough guards and strong flames of fire.’

‘And that we used to sit in sitting places in the sky to overhear (conversation of the angels), but anyone who tries to listen now will find a flaming fire ready to hit him.’

‘And that we don’t know whether an evil is intended for those on the earth (e.g. a torment) or whether their Creator intends for them some good (e.g. send a messenger).’

‘And that some of us are righteous and some are not. We are divided into various (religious) groups or sects.

‘And that we have understood that we cannot escape (the punish-ment of) Allah in the earth, nor can we defeat Him by fleeing away.’

‘And that when we have heard the guidance (this Quran), we readily believed in it. So whosoever believes in his Creator shall have no fear of loss (i.e. of decreasing his reward) or wrong done to him (by increasing his sins).’

‘And that some of us are Muslims and others are unjust people. So whosoever em-braced Islam, then they have chosen the right Path.’

‘And the unjust people will be fuel for Hell.’” (Here the speech of the jinn ends).

(And it is also revealed to me that) if they (the disbelievers of Makkah) would have adhered to the Right Path, We would have given them plenty of water (i.e. worldly prosperity), (Also see Surah Al-Araf:96)

So that We might test them with it (whether they are thankful or not). And whosoever turns away from the Reminder (i.e. the Quran) of his Creator, He will make him enter into an ever-growing torment (i.e. Hell).

And the Masajid are for Allah Alone (i.e. only Allah should be worshipped there). Hence, don’t worship anyone along with Allah.

And when the slave of Allah [i.e. Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] stood up to worship Allah, they crowded around him as if they were about to attack him (i.e. jinn and mankind intended to put off this light of Allah – Ibn Kathir).

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “I worship my Creator only (and don’t care about your opposition), and I don’t ascribe any partner in worship with Him.”

Say: “I don’t have power to cause you any harm or to bring you to the Right Path. (I am only a bringer of the message of Allah).”

Say: “(If I disobey Allah and He intends to punish me, then) none can protect me from Allah’s punishment, nor can I find any refuge except in Him.”

(My duty is) nothing but to convey (the truth) from Allah and His message (to the people). And whosoever will disobey Allah and His Messenger, then, indeed, for him is the Hell-Fire, he shall reside there forever.

(They will only realize) until when they see that which they have been promised, so they would soon know whose helper is weaker and whose group is lesser in number (i.e. less important).

([O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “I don’t know whether (the punishment or the Day of Resurrection) which you are promised is nearby or my Creator has fixed a distant time for it.”

“(Since) Allah Alone is the All-Knower of the Unseen and He does not reveal the Unseen to anybody.”

Except to a messenger whom He has chosen (He informs Him of the unseen as much as He likes). Then He appoints security guards (i.e. angels) in front of him and behind him (lest Satan overhears the revelation).

(Allah protects the messengers by sending angels) to let it be known that the messengers have conveyed the (exact) message of their Creator (since Allah already knows it). And Allah encompasses all things around them, and He keeps count of all things.