About the Surah

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

       All praise and thanks are due to Allah (Alone), to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And all praise and thanks are for Him (Alone) in the Hereafter, and He is the All-Wise, the Well-Acquainted (with all things).

       He knows that which goes into the earth (e.g. rainwater) and that which comes out of the earth (e.g. trees, vegetations etc), and that which comes down from the heavens (e.g. angels which go up and down in heavens) and that which ascends to the heavens (e.g. good deeds). And Allah is the Most Merciful, the Very-Forgiving.

       And the disbelievers say: “The Day of Judgement will not come to us.” Say: “Yes, indeed, by my Creator, the All-Knower of the Unseen, it will come to you. Even the most tiny particle in the heavens and in the earth is not hidden from Him; everything even smaller or bigger than this (is recorded) in the clear book (Al-Lawh al-Mahfuz).

       So that He may reward those who believe and do good deeds. There is forgiveness for them and a generous provision (i.e. Paradise).

       And those who strive hard against Our revelations to defeat (their purpose), there will be a severe painful torment for them.

       And those who have been given the knowledge (of Scripture) see (and verify) that what is revealed to you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] from your Creator is the truth, and that it guides to the Path of the Mighty, the Owner of all praise.

       The disbelievers say: “Shall we inform you about a person [Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] who gives you this (strange) news that when you become  very tiny particles and dispersed, then you will be created again as a new (person)?”

       (We cannot say) has he [Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] coined a lie against Allah or has he madness? In fact, those who disbelieve in the Hereafter are in a torment and they have strayed far away.

       Don’t they see what is before them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth? If We will, We shall sink them into the earth or make some pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Indeed, there is a sign (of the Power of Allah) in that for the person who turns to Allah in repentance. (Signs are there but those who do not pay attention to them will be deprived of the benefit).

       And, indeed, We bestowed Our Grace on Dawud ( )   (saying): “O mountains! Glorify (Allah) with him [Dawud ( )  ], and you birds (too)! And We made the iron soft for him.”

       (Saying:) “Make full-size (metallic) cloaks for battle and keep a good balance in the links, and you do good deeds (to thank for my Favours upon you, since if more Favours are there, more thanks should be there). Indeed, I am All-Seer of what you do.”

       And We put the wind under the control of Sulaiman ( )  . Its morning stride was equivalent to a month’s journey and its evening stride was equivalent to a month’s journey. And We made a fountain of (molten) copper to flow for him and there were jinn which worked in front of him, by the Leave of Allah. And whosoever disobeyed Our Command, We shall make him taste the torment of the blazing Fire.

       The jinn prepared for Sulaiman ( )   whatever he desired. (For example) lofty forts, statues, basins as large as reservoirs, and huge (cooking) pots fixed (in their places). O family of Dawud ( )  : “Do good deeds, to thank (for these favours).” But few of My slaves are truly thankful.

       Then when We sent the command for the death of Sulaiman ( )  , they (the jinns) did not come to know about it except after a little worm of the earth had eaten away Sulaiman’s ( )   stick (on which he was resting). So when Sulaiman ( )   fell down, the jinn clearly understood that if they had known the Unseen, they would not have suffered this humiliating torment.

       Indeed, there was a sign (of the Power) of Allah for the people of Saba in their place of residence. There were two (rows of) gardens (on each road), one on the right and the other on the left. (These gardens provided shade, plenty of food and income). (And it was said to them through Prophets): “Eat of the provision of your Creator and thank Him (for it). (Here is a reminder of two Favours of Allah for them) a nice city (as a worldly Favour) and Very-Forgiving Creator (a Favour for the Hereafter).

       So they turned away (from the obedience of Allah). Hence, We released against them water flood from a dam, and We changed their two-rows of gardens into two gardens having only bitter fruits, (plenty of) tamarisks and a few lote-trees.

       Thus We repaid them for their ungratefulness (i.e. disbelieving). We punish like this none except those who are (highly) ungrateful (disbelievers).

       And (another sign of Allah’s Power is) We placed, between them and the towns which We had blessed, additional towns which were easily visible (and accessible during the journey). We fixed (easy) stages of their journey (from town to town). (Saying): “Travel in them with safety (and comfort), by night or day.”

       But they said: “Our Creator! Make the stages of our journey longer.” And since they wronged themselves (by disobeying Allah), thus We made them as tales (of the past), and We broke them into groups and dispersed them all over (the world). Indeed, there are signs in it for every patient and grateful person.

       And Satan did prove his thinking about them true since all of them obeyed Satan except a group of (true) believers.

       And Satan had no authority over them except that We intended to let those be known who believed in the Hereafter and those who were in doubt about it. And your Creator is watchful over everything.

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “Call (all) those whom you consider gods besides Allah. They don’t have even a tiny bit of authority in the heavens or in the earth, nor have they any share in them, nor is any of them a helper (of Allah).” 

       And no intercession with Allah will be useful except for him whom He permits. (When Allah commands about something in heavens, the angels tremble with fear – Ibn-Kathir) when fear is removed from their hearts (i.e. from the nearest angels to Allah), they ask other angels: “What is it that your Creator has said?” They say: “The truth. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Also see Surah Al-Baqarah:255).

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “Who gives you provision from the heavens and the earth (by rainfall and growing vegetation)?” (Since the answer is obvious, hence you [Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] Say: “Allah.” (And also say regarding the Oneness of Allah) indeed, either we or you are on the Right Path or in plain error (clearly the believers of the Oneness of Allah are on the Right Path).

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “You will not be asked about our sins, nor shall we be asked about what you do.”

       Say: “Our Creator will gather us all together (on the Day of Resurrection), then He will make a just judgement between us. And He is the (Just) Judge, the All-Knower.” (Ibn-Kathir)

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “Show me those whom you have made partners with Allah. None at all. In fact, Allah (Alone) is, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”

       And We have not sent you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] except as a conveyer of glad tidings and a warner to the whole mankind, but most of the people don’t know. (Also see Surah Al-Araf:158)

       And they say: “When will this promise (of the Day of Resurrection) be fulfilled, if you are truthful?”

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “The promised Day is fixed for you and you cannot move it an hour forward or backward (i.e. It will definitely occur at an appointed time. In fact you are asking about it simply to deny it).” (Also see Surah Nuh:4)

       And the disbelievers say: “We don’t believe in this Quran nor the Scriptures before it.” But if you could see when the wrong-doers will be made to stand before their Creator blaming each other. The weaker people will say to the arrogant people: “If you were not there, we would have been believers.”

       The arrogant people will say to the weak people: “Did we stop you from seeking the guidance when it had reached you? In fact, you were criminals.”

       And the weak people will say to the arrogant people: “In fact, it was by your hatching plots day and night and commanding us to disbelieve in Allah and make partners in worship with Him, that resulted in our disbelief.” And they will conceal their regrets when they view the torment. And We shall put iron collars around the necks of the disbelievers (and throw them in Hell-Fire). Are they not repaid except according to what they used to do?

       And whenever We sent a war-ner to a community, the affluent people among them always said: “We do not believe in (the revela-tions) with which you have been sent.”

       And they also said: “We are more in wealth and children (than you), and we are not going to be punished.”

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “Indeed, my Creator gives provision in abundance to whom He wills and limits it for whom He wills (there is wisdom in it) but most of the people don’t understand it.”

       And it is not your wealth nor your children that bring you nearer to Us (Allah), rather it is your belief and good deeds (which bring nearer to Allah). So there is double reward for such good-doers, and they will reside in lofty palaces (in Paradise) with peace and security.

       And those who strive hard against Our revelations to defeat (their purpose), they will be forced into the torment.

       Say: “Indeed, my Creator gives provision in abundance to whom He wills from His slaves and limits for whom He wills. And whatsoever you spend (in the Cause of Allah), He will reward you for it fully (Here or in the Hereafter). And He is the Best of  providers.”

       And (remember) the Day when Allah will gather them all together, then He will say to the angels: “Did these people worship you?”

       The angels will say: “Glorified You are! Indeed, You are our Protector instead of them. In fact, they used to worship jinn; most of them were believers in them.”

       So none will be able to benefit or harm one another this Day (of Resurrection). And We shall say to those who did wrong: “Taste the torment of the Fire which you used to deny.”

       And when Our clear Verses are recited to them, they say: “This man [Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] is nothing except one who wishes to stop you from that which your forefathers used to worship.” And they say: “This (i.e. the Quran) is nothing except an invented lie.” The disbelievers say about the truth (i.e. the Quran) when it has come to them: “This is nothing but an obvious magic (after seeing its effectiveness).”

       And We have not sent to them (i.e. the people of Makkah) any Scriptures (before the Quran) which they could study. And We have not sent to them any warners before you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] (They used to wish to have a Messenger and Scripture. When it came to them, they denied it).

       And the people before them also denied (the Prophets and the revelations). And the disbelievers (of Makkah) did not reach even one tenth (of riches) which We gave the people before them. So they denied My messengers. Hence, how terrible was My (punishment) for their denial.

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say to them: “Indeed, I advice you about just a single thing (quit your stubbornness). Stand up for Allah’s sake in pairs or singly to reflect sincerely that your companion (who has lived with you and you know his full history) has no sign of madness. He is only a warner to you against a severe torment confronting you.”

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “Whatever reward I might have asked from you, it is yours. My reward is from Allah only, and He is a witness over all things.”

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “Indeed, my Creator sends down the truth (i.e. true revelations) the All-Knower of the Unseen.” (Also see Surah Ghafir:15)

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “The truth (i.e. the Quran) has come. Falsehood can neither create anything nor resurrect anything.” (Also see Surah Al-Anbiya:18)

       Say: “In case I go astray then, I shall stray only to my own loss. And if I remain guided (to the Right Path), then it is due to the Revelations which my Creator has sent to me. Indeed, He is All-Hearer, Very Near (to everything).”

       And if you could see how the disbelievers will be terrified (on the Day of Resurrection) with no escape in sight and they will be seized from a nearby place (right away).

       And they will say (in the Hereafter): “We do believe in it (i.e. the Quran)”, but how can they have (their Faith and repentance) in a place which is far away from the world (since the world is the place for repentance). 

       And, indeed, they disbelieved in it before (in the world) and used to utter things from their guesswork from a far place.

       And a barrier will be placed between them and their wish (for repentance), as was done in the past with similar people. Indeed, they have been in grave doubt.