About the Surah

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

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

The Romans have been defeat-ed (by the Persians).

In the nearby land [i.e.(i) which is nearer to Arabia than Persia and (ii) in the city of Basra in Syria which was under the Roman empire]. And they, after their defeat, will soon dominate them,

In a few years (i.e. within three to nine years). Their earlier (defeat) and their later (victory) are due to Allah’s decision. And on that day the believers will re-joice (at the victory of the Romans against the Persians),

With the help of Allah. Allah helps whom He wills. And He is the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

It is a promise of Allah and Allah does not break His promise, but people don’t know (the Decisions of Allah).

They only know the apparent (circumstances) of this worldly life but they are totally heedless about the Hereafter.

Do they not ponder deep in their hearts that Allah has created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them (e.g. plasma), with wisdom and for a fixed term? And, indeed, most of the people deny their meeting with their Crea-tor. (Also see 15:85, 19:65, 20:6, 21:16, 25:59, 29:8, 32:4) 

Do they not travel in the land, and observe what the end of those (disbeliev-ers) was before them? They were much more powerful, and they tilled the land and populated (or built upon) it more than them (the residents of Makkah) and their messengers came to them with clear proofs. In fact, Allah did not wrong them, but they used to wrong themselves.

Then evil was the end of those who committed evil since they not only de-nied Allah’s revelations but also mocked at them (mocking is the worst kind of denial). 

Allah (Alone) created every-thing initially, then He shall create it again (on the Day of Resurrection) then you will be returned to Him (for the accountabil-ity).

And when the Day of Judgement will occur, the criminals will despair (with deep regrets).

And they will have no intercessor from those whom they used to make part-ner in worship with Allah and they will deny their partners.

And when the Day of Judgement will occur, all the people will be divided into separate groups (i.e. believers, disbelievers).

So those who believed and did good deeds shall be made to enjoy in a Gar-den of Delight (Paradise).

And those who disbelieved and denied Our revelations and Meeting of the Here-after shall be brought to the torment (in the Hell-Fire). 

Hence, glorify Allah (all the time but especially) in the evening (during Magrib and Isha prayers) and in the morning (during Fajr prayer).

And all praise and thanks in the heavens and the earth are for Him (alone). And (glorify Allah) in the afternoon (during the Asr prayer) and when the day begins to decline (during the Zuhr prayer). (Ibn Abbas said: “These are the times of obligatory prayers mentioned in the Quran” – Tabari).

He brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the liv-ing (e.g. from egg, a living being and from bird, an egg), and He revives the dead land after its death. Thus you shall be brought out (of your grave on the Day of Resurrection).

And one of the signs (of His Power) is that He created you from dust [i.e. (i) created Adam from dust and you are his children or (ii) semen is created by the nutrients in the food grown from the earth], and then you become men scattered all over.

And one of the signs (of His Power) is that He created your wives for you from your own kind so that you may enjoy peace in their company and He has put mutual love and mercy between them (the spouses). Indeed, there are signs in it for the people who reflect.

And among His signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Indeed, there are signs in it for the learned people.

And among His signs is your sleep during the night and during the day and also in your seeking of His Bounty. Indeed, there are signs in it for the people who listen (to reasoning attentively).

And among His signs is that He shows you the lightning (at the time of rain) there is fear (of its striking someone) and also hope (of rain) in it. And He sends down the rainwater from the sky and revives the earth after its death. Indeed, there are signs in it for the sensible people.

And one of the signs (of His Power) is that the heaven and the earth are holding (firm) due to His Command. And when He will call you, by only a sin-gle call, then you will come out from the earth suddenly.

And (it is clear from the above signs of His power) whatever is in the heav-ens and the earth belongs to Allah. All (creatures) are obedient to Him.

And He initially created all the creatures and He will repeat it (on the Day of Resurrection). And that is much easier for Him (than the initial creation). And His is the best and the highest description in the heavens and the earth (i.e. there is nothing like him – Surah Ash-Shura:11). And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

He describes an example for you from your own selves. Do you have your slaves as your partners in the wealth which We have given you so that both of you attain the same status? (How can servants of Allah, angels and human beings, be equal to their Master, Allah?) Do you fear your slaves as you fear your other partners (in business)? Thus We explain the Verses in detail for the people who have sense.

In fact, the wrong-doers follow their vain desires without any proof. Then who will guide him whom Allah has sent astray? And they will have no support-er.

So set your face exclusively for the (Islamic) religion which is the natural instinct on which Allah has created mankind. Do not change what Allah has cre-ated (e.g. give proper training to children to follow Islam). That is the Straight religion (to which the natural instinct directs), but most of the people do not know it.

(You should follow this reli-gion) turning in repentance to Allah, and fear Him, perform Salat and don’t be from the idolaters.

Those who divided their religion into many sects, while each sect is rejoicing in what it follows.

And when distress falls upon the people, they pray to their Creator turning to Him in repentance, but when He showers His Mercy on them, a group of them starts associating partners in worship with their Creator,

In order to be ungrateful to what We have given them. Well, have fun for a short while, so soon you will come to know (the result of it).

Or have We sent down to them an authority (i.e. Scripture) which speaks of that which they are associating as partners with Him?

And when We shower Our Mercy on mankind, they are delighted with it. And when distress falls upon them because of the evil deeds, they have sent forth, and then suddenly they are in despair!

Don’t they see that Allah gives provision in abundance to whom He wills and limits it (for whom He wills). Indeed, there are signs in it for the people who believe.

So give to your relatives their rights, and to the needy, and to the travellers. That is best for those who desire to see Allah’s Countenance (in Paradise), and it is they who will be successful.

And that which you give as a gift with the intention that you will get bigger return, there is no reward for it from Allah (Ibn-Kathir). And that which you give as Zakat seeking Allah’s Countenance, so its reward shall be multiplied. (e.g. Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The reward of the charity of one piece of date will be multiplied and will become equal to the mountain Uhud. – Muslim).

Allah created you, then provided sustenance for you, then will cause you to die, then He will give you life (on the Day of Resurrection). Is there any of your (named) partners (of Allah) that do any of these things? Glorified is He! And He is above all that they associate (with Him).

Evil has appeared on land and sea due to (evil) deeds of the people, so that Allah may make them taste (the punishment) for some of that which they did in order that they may stop their evil (activities).

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “Trav-el in the land to see what the end of those before (you) was. Most of them were idolaters.”

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Hence, al-ways keep your face in the direction of this true and straight religion (i.e. obey the commands of this religion), before there comes from Allah a Day which none can avert. On that Day people will be divided (into believers and disbelievers).

Whosoever disbelieves will suffer because of his disbelief, and whosoever does good deeds, so they will be preparing a residence for themselves (i.e. Para-dise). 

That He may reward those who believe and do good deeds, from His Bounty. Indeed, He does not like the disbelievers.

And among His signs is that He sends the winds as glad tidings (of rain), and that you may taste the (fruits) of His Mercy (i.e. benefits of rain), and that the ships may sail with His Command, and that you may seek His Bounty, and in order that you may be thankful (to Him for all these favours).

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)! Don’t be sad by their disbelief]. And, indeed, We sent messengers before you to their people. They came to them with clear proofs, then We took revenge from those who committed crimes and it was obligatory for us to help the believers.

And Allah sends the winds which carry clouds with them, then Allah makes the clouds spread in the sky in the fashion He wills, then He (sometimes) breaks the clouds into various parts, then you see the rain drops falling from them! So when He makes this rain fall on whom of His slaves as He wills, they become sponta-neously happy. – (Here Allah described the water cycle which we discovered re-cently. Also see 39:21 and 23:18)

And, indeed, before that rain was sent down upon them, they were in des-pair!

So look at the results of Allah’s Mercy (i.e. rainfall), how Allah revives the earth after its death. That (Allah) shall, indeed, raise the dead (people on the Day of Resurrection), and He is Able to do all things.

And if We send a (violent) wind and they see their (crops) turn yellow, then they (the disbelievers) would become ungrateful. (How-ever, the believers are patient even in adversity).

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Indeed, you cannot make the dead (i.e. disbelievers) to hear, nor you can make the deaf hear the call, especially when they turn their backs and walk away (from you).

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] And you cannot guide the blind person from his ignorance; you can make to hear only those who believe in Our revelations, hence only they submit themselves (to Al-lah) as Muslims.

 Allah created you in (a state of) weakness, then granted you strength after weakness, then after strength gave (you) weakness, and old age. He creates what He wills. And He is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.

And when the Day of Resurrection will occur, the criminals will swear that they did not stay (in the world) except an hour or so. Thus they remained turned away (from the truth in the worldly life).

And those who have the (bene-ficial) knowledge and faith will say: “Indeed, you have stayed there, according to the Decree of Allah, until the Day of Resur-rection. So this is the Day of Resurrection but you did not believe in it (you used to demand it by mocking at it).”

Hence, on that Day, no excuse of the wrong-doers will benefit them, and nor will they be allowed to seek Allah’s Pleasure through repentance.

Indeed, We have described in the Quran all kinds of examples. [O Muham-mad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Whatever sign (from the Quran or their demanded miracles) you bring to them, the disbelievers will surely say: “You are a plain liar.” 

Thus Allah has put a seal on the hearts of those who are not keen to know (the proofs).

[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] So be pa-tient. Indeed, the Promise of Allah is true, and let not the disbelievers make you somewhat impatient (i.e. remain patient even if they make you angry).