النص المفهرس

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 6 - 11
accept truth will still act contrary and hostile even after having seen
the miracle, then, the Divine command to have them destroyed would
stand activated. Since they would be given no respite after that hap-
pens, therefore, they should understand that the fact of not showing
the miracle demanded by them spells out real good for them, without
which they would be nowhere.
The second answer to this problem with them was given in the
fourth verse (9) in a different manner where it was said that people
asking such questions were certainly strange people who were de-
manding that angels should come down to them. This is so because
there are only two ways angels can come down. Firstly, an angel may
come as he is, in his form and state of being. If so, no human being can
stand before his real awe - in fact, he is more likely to die at the never-
imagined sight. The second form in which the angel could come down
is that the angel comes in human shape and form, as Sayyidna Jibra'il
al-Amin has come to the Holy Prophet of several times in the shape of
a human being. In this situation too, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is
told, this questioner will have the same objection against this 'angel'
as he has against you - because he would take him to be nothing but
human.
After having answered all these hostile questions, solace has been
given to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the fifth verse (10) by saying
that this attitude of mockery and injury directed against him by his
people is not something particular to him. Other prophets and mes-
sengers before him had to face similar heart-breaking experiences, but
they did not lose hope. Finally, what happened was that those who
used to mock were overtaken by the punishment which they mocked
at.
In short, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been assured that his
mission is to convey the commandments of Allah. Once he feels he has
done that, let his heart be at rest. Whether someone is affected by the
message or not, that is not for him to worry about - for it is not a part
of his duty as a Messenger of Allah. So, let this concern bring no sor-
row to his heart.

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 12 - 14
Verses 12 - 14
قُلُّ ◌ِنُ قَّافِىِ السَّمُوتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، قُلُ لِلَّهِءُ كَتَبَ عَلى نَفْسِهِ
الرَّحْمَةَ لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيْمَةِ لَاَ رَيْبَ فِيْهِءُ الَّذِيُنَّ
خَسُؤَا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٢) وَلَهُ مَاسَكَنَ فِى الَّبْلِ
وَالنَّهَارِ ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيْعُ الْعَلِيمُ (١٣) قُلُّ اَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ آَتَّخِذُ وَلِيّاً
فَاطِ السَّمُوتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ ﴿ قُلْ إِنَّ أُمِرْتُ
أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَلَا تَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ ﴿١٤﴾
Say, "To whom belongs all that there is in the heavens
and the earth?" Say, "To Allah." He has prescribed for
Himself to be merciful. He will surely gather you to-
wards a day of doom in which there is no doubt. Those
who have brought loss to themselves are not going to
believe. [12]
And to Him belongs what finds rest in the night and the
day. And He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. [13]
Say, "Would I take as guardian someone other than Al-
lah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and He
feeds, and is not fed?" Say, "I have been asked to be the
first to submit." And never be one of those who ascribe
partners to Allah. [14]
Commentary
In the opening verse (12) , ◌ِقُلُ لِّزُ مَّا فِى السَّمُوت ,the disbelievers have been
asked as to who is the Master of the entire universe and all that it con-
tains. Then, Allah Himself gives the answer through the blessed
words of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that Allah is the Master of all.
The reason for answering the question, rather than waiting for the dis-
believers to answer it, is that the answer given was an accepted fact
with the disbelievers of Makkah as well, for they were, though in-
volved with Shirk and idolatry, no deniers of the fact that Allah Al-
mighty was the Master of the heavens and the earth and everything
they contained.
لَيَجُمَعُنَّكُمْ إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيمَةِ :ila (towards) in the next sentence: الى ,The word

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 15 - 21
(He will surely gather you towards a day of doom) has been used either
in the sense of tawaffa meaning to take in full, bring to a finish, or
gather, (as in the translation of the meaning given here), in which
case, it would mean that Allah Ta'ala will gather everyone, from the
beginning to the end, on the day of Qiyamah - or, it could mean 'to
gather in the graves,' in which case, it would mean that human beings
will be kept being gathered into their resting places unto the day of
Qiyamah when they will be raised back to life. (Qurtubi)
As for the sentence: ◌َكَتَبَ عَلى نَفُسِهِ الرَّحْمَة (He has prescribed for Himself
to be merciful) appearing a little earlier in verse 12, a narration from
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah in the Sahih of Muslim reports that the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: When Allah Ta'ala made His creation, He
made a promise to Himself in writing which is with Him, written in
which are the words: ◌ُإِنَّ رَحْمَتِى تَغُلِبُ عَلَى غَضَبِى that is, 'My mercy shall re-
main dominant over My wrath.' (Qurțubi)
The sentence which appears at the end of the verse : Hi Ppes sout
(Those who have brought loss to themselves ... ) indicates that the dep-
rivation of the disbelievers from the universal mercy of Allah Almighty
mentioned earlier was caused by their own deeds, for they did not take
to the way which brings mercy - that is, the way of belief and faith.
(Qurțubi)
The word, 'sukun' appearing in verse 13 :ِوَلَهُ مَاسَكَنَ فِى الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَار (And to
Him belongs what finds rest in the night and the day) could either
mean the state of being still or at rest, in which case, the verse would
mean that Allah is the Master of everything present in the night and
the day. Or, it is also possible that the sense could be that of a com-
bined state of stillness and movement (which would amount to saying -
what tarries and what moves), but what was mentioned here is the
state of sukun or rest only - because, movement which stands in con-
trast to it can be understood as being obvious enough.
Verses 15- 21
قُلُ إِنٌِّ آخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبُِّ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيُمِ ﴿١٥) مَنْ
◌ُّصْرِفُ عَنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدٌ رَحِمَةً، وَذُلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُّبُيُنُ ﴿١٦﴾ وَإِنْ

311
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 15 - 21
◌َّمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضٍُ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَةَ إِلَّ مُوَ، وَإِنُ يَّمُسَسُكَ
·
بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءُ قَدِيْرٌ ﴿١٧) وَهُوَالْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهٍ+
وَهُوَاَ لُكِيُمُ الْخَيْ ﴿١٨) قُلُّ أَىُّ شَمْعُ اَكْبَرُ شَهَادَةً، قُلِ اللَّهُ
شَهِيُدُّ بَيْنِىُ وَبَيْتَكُمْه وَأُوُحِىَ إِلَىَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ لُنْذِرَكُمُ بِ﴾
وَمَنُّ بَلَغَ، أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُوْنَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ أَلِهَةً أُخُرَى قُلُ لَّ
اَشْهَدُهُ قُلُ إِنَّا هُوَإِلَهُ وَّاحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِىٌ بَرِئْىِِّمَا تُشْرَكُونَ ﴿١٩)
الَّذِيْنَ اتَيْتُهُمُ الْكِتُبَ يَعْرِ فُوْنَةُ كَمَا يَغْرِفُوْنَ آَبْنَاءَ هُمْمَّذِينَ
خَسِرُؤْآَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤُمِنُوْنَ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مَّنِ اُفْتَرَى
عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْكَذَّبَ بِأْيِهِ* إِنَّهُ لَايُفْلِحُ الْظُلِّمُونَ ﴿٢١﴾
Say, "If I disobey my Lord, I fear the punishment of a
momentous day." [15] Whoever is spared from it (that
day) is, indeed, blessed with His mercy. And that is
success, open and clear. [16]
And if Allah causes you some harm, no one is there to
remove it except He Himself; and if He causes you some
good, then He is powerful over everything. [17] And He
is Dominant over His slaves, and He is the All-Wise, the
All-Aware. [18]
Say, "What can be the greatest in bearing witness?"
Say, "Allah. He is the witness between me and you.
And this Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I
should thereby warn you, and whomsoever it may
reach. Do you really bear witness that there are other
gods along with Allah?" Say, "I bear no such witness."
Say, "In fact, He is one God. And I have nothing to do
with what you associate (with Him)." [19]
Those to whom We have given the Book recognize him
(the Messenger) as they would recognize their sons.
Those who have brought loss to themselves, they are
not going to believe. [20] And who is more unjust than
the one who coins a lie against Allah or belies His
signs? Beware, the unjust shall not prosper. [21]

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 15 - 21
Commentary
In the previous verses, the command given was to shun Shirk and
believe in the perfect power of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu mentioned there-
in. In the first of the present verses (15), the punishment for the con-
travention of this command has been mentioned in a particularly en-
dearing manner, that is, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been
'commanded' that he should tell the people that should he too (God for-
bid) come to contravene the command of His Lord, then, he too has the
fear of the punishment of the day of Qiyamah. It is obvious that the
noble Messenger of Allah is (Divinely) protected from every sin - so,
the likelihood of disobedience coming from him simply does not exist.
But, by mentioning this hypothetical situation, the purpose is to con-
vey the message to the community that the contravention of the Di-
vine command is so serious a matter that even the greatest prophet
cannot stand excused from it - if not him, who else?
After that, it was said: ◌ًمَنْ يُصْرَفُ عَنُهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدٌ رَحِمَا (Whoever is spared from
it that day is, indeed, blessed with His mercy). It means that the pun-
ishment of the day of Resurrection (al-Mahshar) is extremely horren-
dous and harsh. Whoever finds this removed from him or her should
know that it was great mercy from Allah. This has been further
strengthened by saying :ُوَذَلِكَ الْفَوُزُ المُبيْن (And that is success, open and
clear). The word, Hal : 'al-fawz' (success) means being admitted in Jan-
nah (Paradise). This tells us that deliverance from punishment and
admittance into the Paradise are inseparable from each other.
All Gain and Loss Comes from Allah: A Cardinal Muslim Belief
In the third verse (17), a basic article of faith in Islam has been de-
scribed - that it is Allah, in reality, who is the Master-Dispenser of all
gain and loss. No one can 'really' bring the least benefit to anyone, nor
cause the least harm. As for the outward manifestation of gain or loss,
benefit or harm, seen coming from one person to the other, is no more
than a matter of appearances. Seen in the full flash of reality, this
does not hold out any more than a ready-to-vanish curtain. So suc-
cinctly the idea was put in a Persian couplet:

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 15 - 21
كار زلف تست مشك افشانى اما عاشقاں
مصلحت راتہمتے برآً هوے چیں بسته اند
Spraying Musk is the work of your tresses, but those who love you
Have found it expedient to ascribe the blame to the Chinese deer!
This belief too is one of the revolutionary beliefs of Islam, a belief
which made Muslims shed the dependence on the created and rely on
their Creator alone. It was this belief which put together a large
group of unprecedented charmers of the soul on the map of the world,
who were, despite their meager means and haunting hunger, weighti-
er and worthier than a whole world - for they would not bow their
heads before anyone.
The Holy Qur'an has taken up this subject at many places with
different approaches, out of which, quoted here is a verse from Surah
Fațir:
مَا يَفْتَحِ اللّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ رَّحْمَةٍ فَلَا تُسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمُسِكُ فَلَ مُسِلَ لَهْ مِنْ
بَعْدِهِ
What Allah, out of His mercy, does make open to people, there
is no one to withhold it; and what He does withhold, there is
no one to release it after that - 35:2.
It appears in Sahih Ahadith that the Holy Prophet
used to say
this in his prayers very often:
اَللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِاَ أَعْطَيْتَ وَ لَا مُعْطِقَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ وَلاَ يَنُفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدِّ
"O Allah, there is no withholder of what You have bestowed
and there is no giver of what You have withheld and no status
of a man of status can be of use to him against You.
Under his comments on this verse, Imam al-Baghawi has reported
from Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas that there was an occasion when
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mounted a ride, he asked me to sit be-
hind him. After having covered some distance, he turned towards me
and said, 'You young man.' I said: 'Here I am, Ya Rasul Allah. Can I do
something?' He said: 'You remember Allah. Allah will remember you.
If you will remember Allah, you will find Him before you under all cir-
cumstances. You recognize Allah when you are in peace and comfort,
Allah will recognize you when you are in trouble. When you have to

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 15 - 21
ask, only ask Allah. When you need help, seek help only from Allah.
Whatever is going to happen in this world has already been written by
the writer of destiny. If all those created were to combine and try to
bring a benefit to you in which Allah has kept no share for you, they
would never be able to do that. And if they all come together and try
to inflict a harm on you which is not in your lot, they would never be-
come capable of doing that. If you are sure of being able to act patient-
ly, then, do just that, by all means. If you do not have the strength
and ability to do so, observe patience - because there is great good and
barakah in remaining patient against what does not go well with your
temperament. And understand it very clearly that the help of Allah is
with patience, and comfort with hardship, and prosperity with adversi-
ty.' (This Hadith also appears in Tirmidhi and the Musnad of Ahmad with sound chains of au-
thority)
Alas, despite this clear declaration of the Qur'an and the age long
teachings of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, this Ummah has started
going off course in this critical matter when they have handed out
what lies in the exclusive domain of Allah to His created beings. To-
day, there is a very large number of Muslims who would, rather than
call upon Allah and pray to Him in their hour of distress, cry for help
in all sorts of names, but do not seem to remember the name of Allah.
As for praying to Allah through the spiritual mediation of prophets
and men of Allah, that is a different matter, and that is permissible.
Evidences of which are available within the teachings of the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself. But, calling on or praying to a created
being directly for the removal of one's need or solution of problem is an
open rebellion against this Qur'anic injunction. May Allah keep all
Muslims on the straight path.
At the end of verse 18, it was said :ُوَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الخَيْر (And
He is dominant over His slaves, and He is the All-Wise, the All-
Aware). It means that the mastery of Allah Ta'ala prevails over His
servants in the absolute sense and that everyone remains under His
power and control all the time. This is the reason why no human be-
ing, no matter how great, whether a prophet close to Allah, or the most
powerful ruler of the world, none of them come out successful in every-
thing they do, nor is every wish of theirs granted.

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 15 - 21
And then, He is Wise too, for everything He does is essential Wis-
dom. And then, He is All-Aware too, for He is the One who knows
everything. Thus, by the word, al-Qahir (the Dominant) pointed to is
the perfect power of Allah Ta'ala and, by the word, al-Hakim (the All-
Wise), His all-encompassing knowledge - and the two tell us that per-
fection in knowledge and power are the sole attributes of Almighty Al-
lah and it is only Him that they belong to.
A particular event which is the cause of the revelation of this verse
has been generally reported by commentators. It is said that once a
deputation of the people of Makkah came to the Holy Prophet .
They said: 'You claim to be a Messenger of Allah. Who is your witness
on this? We have yet to see a man who attests to its truth, although
we have tried our best to confirm it from the Jews and Christians.'
Thereupon, the verse: Kus fugi j' which means: You tell them
whose witness could be greater than that of Allah, within whose power
lies the gain and loss of everyone in the world? Then, you tell them
that Allah is the witness between me and you. The witness of Allah
refers to those miracles and signs which Allah Ta'ala made manifest to
confirm the veracity of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet &. There-
اَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُوْنَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللّهِ أَلِهَةً : fore, addressing the people of Makkah, it was said
sel It means: Do you, even after the witness of Allah Ta'ala Himself,
stand to witness against Him by saying that there are other gods too
along with Allah? If that is so, you are responsible for your fate. As
for me, I bear no such witness. Then, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is
asked to tell them: "LES Lij that is, He is one God, the only one
worthy of worship who has no partners, sharers or associates in His
pristine Divinity.
And also said there was: ◌َوَأُوُحِىَ إِلَىَّ هذَا الْقُرَأْن ◌ِأُنْذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ بَلَغ that is, 'and the
Qur'an has been sent to me as the revealed Word of Allah so that I
should warn you of His punishment and also warn all those people to
whom this Qur'an will keep reaching until the day of Qiyamah.
This proves that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is the Last Prophet
and the Qur'an, the Last Book. It will continue to be recited and
taught right through the day of Qiyamah, and people will remain
obliged to follow it.

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 15 - 21
Sayyidna Said ibn Jubayr s Jl , said: To Whomever the Qur'an
has reached, he has become like one who has visited Muhammad .
And it appears in another Hadith: To whomever the Qur'an has
reached, I am his warner ('nadhir').
Therefore, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had asked his Compan-
ions emphatically :ًبَلِفُوا عَنِّىٌ وَلَوُ ابَة that is, convey my instructions and
teachings to people, even if it be one 'Ayah.
And Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud as il ga, reports that the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: May Allah keep that person hale and hearty
who heard a saying of mine, committed it to his memory and then con-
veyed it to my Ummah. This is important because it generally hap-
pens that a person may not himself appreciate the sense of what is
said but which would be understood much better by a person of later
times to whom the first person has conveyed it.
In verse 20, there is a refutation of the saying of those who had said
that they had checked with the Jews and the Christians and none of
them were ready to attest to his truth as a Messenger of Allah. About
that it was said :ْالَّذِيْنَ أَتَيْتُهُمْ الْكِتَبَ يَعُرِفُوْنَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِ فُوْنَ ابْنَاءَهُم That is, as for the Jews
and Christians, they recognize Muhammad al-Mustafa y as they
would recognize their sons.
The reason is that there is, in the Torah and Injil, a full description
of the physical features of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, of his home
city and then his post-emigration place of residence, and of his habits
and morals and achievements - all this in such details that it leaves no
room for doubt in the recognition of his identity. In fact, this is not
limited to the mention of the Holy Prophet وصلى الله عليه وسلم the Torah and
the Injil carry even the detailed description of his noble Şahabah as
well. Therefore, there was no possibility that anyone who recited the
Torah and the Injil and believed in them would be unable to recognize
. صلى الله عليه وسلم the Holy Prophet
At this point, the simile given in the text is that of children - 'as
they would recognize their sons.' Not said here is: as children recog-
nize their parents. The reason is that the recognition of children by
parents is most detailed and certain. Children remain before parents
day and night under all conditions. From infancy to younger years,

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 22 - 26
they are raised in the hands and laps of parents. So, the extent to
which parents can recognize their children, their children cannot rec-
ognize them.
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Salam رضى الله عنه belonged to the Jewish
faith, then he became a Muslim. Sayyidna Faruq al-A'zam Le JI,
asked him: Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'an that you recognize our Ra-
sul as you would recognize your sons. What is the reason for it? Sayy-
idna 'Abdullah ibn Salam said: Yes, we know the Holy Prophet & from
his qualities and features revealed by Allah Almighty through the To-
rah. Therefore, this knowledge of ours is certain and absolute. This is
contrary to our offspring about whom one could doubt whether or not
they were their children.
Sayyidna Zayd ibn Sa'nah who first belonged to the people of the
Book had recognized the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم through the de-
scription of his qualities and features stated in the Torah and the Injil.
There was only one quality which could not be confirmed from earlier
information. So, this he confirmed by testing. That quality was : 'His
forbearance will dominate his anger.' Then, he went to see the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made his test and found him a true bearer of
this quality. He instantly became a Muslim.
In the last verse (21), it was said that these people of the Book who,
despite knowing the true identity of the Holy Prophet وصلى الله عليه وسلم do
not accept Islam were simply ruining themselves at their own hands:
,Those, who have brought loss on themselves) الَّذِيْنَ خَسِرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
they are not going to believe).
Verses 22 -26
وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمُ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِيْنَ أَشُرَكُوَّا أَيْنَ شُرَكَاؤُكُمْ
الَّذِيْنَ كُنْتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ ﴿٢٢) تُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنُ فِتُتَتُهُمُ إِلََّ آنُ قَالُؤْا
وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِيْنَ ﴿٢٢) أُنْظُرُ كَيُفَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى
آَنْفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ ﴿٢٤﴾ وَمِنُهُمْ مَّنُ
يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ وَجَعَلُنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ آَكِنَّةٌ آَنْ يَفْقَهُوُهُ وَفِى

318
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 22 - 26
أَذَانِهِمْ وَفُرًّا ، وَإِنُ بَّرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَّا يُؤْ مِنُوا بِهَاءُ حَثَى إِذَا
جَاءُكَ يُجَادِ لُونَكَ يَقُوْلُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّ أَسَارِيُرُ
الْأَوَّلِيْنَ ﴿٢٥﴾ وَهُمُ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْكَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّ ◌ُّهُلِكُوْنَ إِلَّ
39,9%
أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشُعُرُونَ ﴿٢٦﴾
And (forget not) the Day We shall gather them together,
then We shall say to those who associated partners
with Allah, "Where are those you claimed to be part-
ners of Allah?" [22] Then, their fallacy will lead them to
nothing but that they will say, "By Allah, our Lord, we
ascribed no partners to Allah." [23] See how they lied
about themselves - and lost to them was all that they
used to coin. [24]
And there are those among them who listen to you, but
We have put coverings on their hearts, so that they do
not understand, and heaviness in their ears. And if
they were to see all the signs, they will still not believe
in them. So much so that, when they come to quarrel
with you, the disbelievers say, "It is nothing but tales of
the ancients." [25]
And from it they prevent and from it they keep away,
and they ruin none but themselves, and they do not re-
alize. [26]
Commentary
Mentioned in the previous verse (21) was that the unjust and the
deniers of truth will not receive salvation. Details appear in the
present verses. The first (22) and the second (23) verses talk about the
great trial to be held on the day of Resurrection before the Lord of all.
It was said: وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمُ جَمِيعًا (And [forget not] the Day We shall gather
them together), that is, 'gather all disbelievers and their self-made ob-
ثُمَّ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِيْنَ اشْرَ كُوًّا ابن شُرَ كَاؤُكُم :jects of worship together.' After that, it is said
32523 35 (then We shall say to those who associated partners with
Allah, "Where are those you claimed to be partners of Allah?"), that is,
'ask them about the objects of worship they had taken to as partners of
Allah, and resolvers of their problems, and why would they not come
to help them in their hour of trial.'

319
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 22 - 26
The word, " :'thumma' (then, after that), used here denotes delay,
which tells us that the trial of answering fateful questions will not
start soon after having been gathered on the Day of Resurrection. In-
stead, they shall keep standing in that state of wonder and perplexity
for a long period of time. It will be a passage of time in between when
the reckoning will commence.
In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been reported to
have said: What would happen to you when Allah Ta'ala will gather
you on the plains of Resurrection as arrows are gathered in the quiver
- and you shall be in that state for fifty thousand years. And it ap-
pears in another narration that everyone will tarry in the dark on that
Day for one thousand years - not being able to even talk to each other.
(This narration has been reported by Hakim in Al-Mustadrak, and by Al-Baihaqi)
The difference of fifty thousand and ten thousand in this narration
also appears in two verses of the Holy Qur'an as well. In Surah Al-
Mafarij, it is said :ٍكَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِيْنَ اَلُفَ سَنَة [a Day] the measure whereof is
[as] fifty thousand years - 70:4.' In Surah Al-Hajj, it is said: a,a, up 5)
t :'A Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your
reckoning - 22:47.' The reason for this difference is that this day will be
long in terms of the severity of pain and the levels of pain will be dif-
ferent. Therefore, this day will seem to be that of fifty thousand years
for some and that of one thousand years for others.
In short, on this venue of the great trial, a long period of time will
pass for the trial to begin, so much so, that these people will wish that
reckoning comes so that they can be relieved from their state of uncer-
tainty, no matter what happens in the end. It is to indicate this length
of stay that, as indicated earlier, the word, " (then) was prefixed to -
Ja (then We shall say). Similarly, the answer given by the disbelievers
mentioned in the second verse (23) also appears with the word, $ (then),
which indicates that they too will come up with their answer after
having deliberated over it for a long period of time, in which they will
say: as, i! tu uy dil; (By Allah, our Lord, we ascribed no partners to Al-
lah). In this verse, their answer has been identified as: & : 'fitnah'
which could mean 'trial' or 'infatuation.' Both meanings can be taken
here. In the first case, the answer given by the disbelievers becomes a
trial by itself; while, in the second case, it would mean that these peo-

320
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 22 - 26
ple were infatuated with idols and other self-made objects of worship,
even made sacrifices for them, but all that infatuation was gone on
this day when they had no choice but to declare their total disassocia-
tion from them.
There is something very astonishing in their answer. That was a
nerve-shattering time with the day being the Day of Retribution with
the awesome manifestations of the power and authority of their Lord
all there, yet they had the courage to lie before their very Lord, and
that too, with such shamelessness that they are swearing by His great
name and saying that they were no disbelievers!
Most commentators explain this answer given by the disbelievers
as something not based on foresight or hindsight. In fact, it was
caused by the heat of surrounding awe and the loss of personal nerves,
a condition in which one utters what is not intended. But, by giving
some thought to the general happenings and conditions of the Day of
Resurrection, it could be said that Allah Ta'ala had given them the
freedom to say things as they used to say in their life of the mortal
world so that everyone present on the Day of Resurrection could see
their full profile and get to know that these people did not stop at dis-
belief and polytheism, but that they were also unmatched as liars, for
they would not desist from lying at least on an occasion so horrifying.
Another verse of the Qur'an (Surah Al-Mujadalah) :ُفَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُم (then
they will swear to Him as they swear to you - 58:18) gives a hint in this.
direction which means that very much in the manner they swear false-
ly before Muslims, they would not hesitate in swearing as falsely be-
fore the Lord of all the worlds Himself.
When these people have become sworn deniers of their Shirk and
Kufr (attribution of partners to Allah and disbelief) on the day of Res-
urrection, that will be the time when Allah, in His absolute power, will
have their mouths sealed with silence. His command will then go to
the limbs of their bodies - 'now, you speak as witnesses to everything
they did' - then, will come the proof that their own hands and feet and
eyes and ears were all some kind of secret service agents who had been
with them all along. They will tell, and tell everything they did. About
اَلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمْنَاَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشُهَدُ : that, it has been said in Surah Ya-Sin
That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But) اَرُجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسُبُونَ

321
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 22 - 26
their hands will speak to Us, and their feet bear witness, to all that
they did - 36:65). After having witnessed this demonstration of unimag-
inable power, no one will, then, dare conceal anything or lie about it.
At another place in the Holy Qur'an, it is said: uns din ský, (And
they shall not conceal anything from Allah - 4:42). Explaining its mean-
ing, this is what Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas had said: That is, they
would first lie as much as they could, even swear falsely, but once
their own hands and feet shall testify against them, they will not have
the courage to say anything wrong after that.
So, we see that a wrong-doer shall be given full freedom to put his
statement on record in the court of the Judge of judges. If he choses to
lie, as he did in his mortal life, his right to do that will not be snatched
away from him - because Allah will Himself, in His absolute power, de-
molish the facade of his lie through the testimony of his own body
parts.
This is why telling lies after death will not work. Think of an en-
trance examination or an admission test. After death, man's first test
will be given by angels, Munkar and Nakir. Says the Hadith: When
Munkar and Nakir will ask a Kafir (disbeliever): a&, , at&s (Who is
your Lord and what is your religion?), the Kafir will say: &311 .U .u. (Oh
O, I do not know). In contrast a true Muslim will answer by saying: Es
Kur zus, i (Allah is my Lord and Islam is my religion). It appears no
one will have the courage to lie in this test, otherwise a Kafir could
have given the same answer as was given by a Muslim. The reason is
that the test will be taken by angels who do not have the knowledge of
the unseen, nor are they capable of making hands and feet give wit-
ness. If man had the choice of lying there, the angels would have sim-
ply acted in accordance with the answer given, but this would have
disturbed the system. This is contrary to the test of the day of Resur-
rection where questions will be asked and answers given before Al-
mighty Allah which means that no lie will work there even if resorted
to
Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit and Mazhari report from some elders that
the people denying their Shirk on oaths will be those who did not
openly declare a created being to be God or His deputy, but as for their
deed, they had assigned all powers of Godhood to His created beings,

322
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 22 - 26
and from them sought answers to their needs, in their name they
would make offerings, and from them they would ask sustenance,
health, children and everything they wished to have. These people did
not consider themselves as Mushriks. Therefore, on the day of Resur-
rection they would swear to it that they were not Mushriks. Ultimate-
ly, Allah Almighty will expose their disgrace.
Another question which arises in this verse is about what has been
said in some verses of the Qur'an - that Allah Almighty will not speak
to the disbelievers and sinners - while, the present verse seems to be
indicating clearly that such address will come to pass.
The answer is that such address or speech will not be in the form
of honouring them or accepting their prayers. As for the negation of
an address based on admonition, that is not intended in this verse. It
could also be said that the address mentioned in this verse may be
through the angels. As for the verse where Divine speech or address
has been negated, it refers to an indirect address.
In verse 24, it was said: ◌َأُنْظُرُ كَيْفَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمُ مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُون (See
how they lied about themselves - and lost to them was all that they
صلى الله عليه وسلم used to coin). The address here is to the Holy Prophet
who has been asked to see how these people have lied against their
own selves, and whatever they used to forge and fabricate against Al-
lah (their idols and so-called partners to Allah) is lost to them. The ex-
pression translated as 'lied about themselves' means that the curse of
this lie is going to fall on their own selves while the word, .Iel translat-
ed as 'used to coin' may also mean that ascribing partners to Allah was
a fabrication in the mortal world the reality of which was exposed on
the day of Resurrection. And it is also possible that 'iftira' or fabrica-
tion could be referring to the false oath taken on the day of Resurrec-
tion following which the witness of the limbs of the body exposed their
lie.
Some commentators say that 'iftira' or fabrication refers to inter-
pretations they used to put on their false objects of worship in the mor-
tal world, for example:مَاتَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّ لِيُقَرّبُوْنَا إِلَى اللَّهِ رُلُفى which means that We do
not worship them taking them to be God but only do it so that they
would intercede on our behalf with Allah and bring us closer to Him -
39:3.' This fabrication of theirs got exposed on the day of Resurrection
1

323
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 22 - 26
when no one interceded on their behalf in their hour of trial, nor any
one did anything to bring about a reduction in their punishment.
This bring us to a question, for the verse seems to indicate that at
the time of trial featuring these questions and answers, all false ob-
jects of worship will not be present there, but a verse of the Qur'an
says: ◌َأُحْتُرُوا الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَهُوًا وَأَزْوَاجَهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْبُدُون (gather up those who have been un-
just, and their partners, and what they used to worship - 37:22). This
seems to indicate that the false objects of worship will also be present
on the day of Resurrection.
The answer is that the sense of their being absent from the plains
of Resurrection, as it emerges from this verse, is limited to their being
unavailable as partners, sharers or intercessors. Thus, though they
would be unable to help their clients in any way but, they would be
present there. So, there remains no contradiction between the two
verses. Then, it is also possible that all of them could be gathered to-
gether at one time and place, then be separated and the question is
asked after the separation.
In these two verses, it should be particularly borne in mind that
the choice of free speech given to disbelievers on the day of Resurrec-
tion which they utilized by denying on false oath that they had any-
thing to do with Shirk, is not without its implications. Perhaps, it car-
ries a hint that the habit of telling lies is an evil habit which is never
easy to shake off. So much so that these people, who used to swear
falsely before Muslims during their life in the mortal world, were un-
able to stop lying even on the fateful day of Resurrection which put
them to disgrace before the entire creation of Allah. Therefore, lying
has been strongly condemned in the Qur'an and Hadith which give se-
rious warning to those who tell lies. At many places in the Qur'an
liars have been cursed. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Stay
away from lying because a lie is the accomplice of sins, and a lie and a
sin will both go to Jahannam. (Ibn Hibban in his Sahih)
The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked what deed could take one
to Hell. He said: A lie [the Musnad of Ahmad]. And on the night of the
Miraj (the Ascent to Heaven), the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saw a
man having the corners of his mouth being slit apart which then fall
back into their place and become as they were, and again they are slit .

324
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 27 - 32
apart ... something to keep happening to him throughout the day of
Qiyamah. He asked the angel, Jibra'il al-Amin: "Who is he?" Angel Ji-
bra'îl said: "He is a liar."
And it appears in a narration from the Musnad of Ahmad that the
Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: One cannot become a complete Muslim
unless he gives up lying altogether, to the extent that he would not lie
even by way of joke or fun.
In addition to that, it appears in Al-Baihaqi and others, all on
sound authority, that the character of a Muslim may have other bad
traits - but, not breach of trust and lying. Yet another Hadith says
that lying decreases one's Rizq (sustenance).
The verse: 26 3344%; (And from it they prevent - 26), according to
early commentators Dahhak, Qatadah and Muhammad ibn Hanafiyah,
was revealed about the common disbelievers of Makkah who prevent-
ed people from listening to the Qur'an and following it - and saw to it
that they themselves stayed away from it. It has also been reported
from Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas that this verse concerns the Holy
Prophet's respected uncle, Abu Talib, as well as other uncles who
stopped people from causing pain to him, even supported him, but
would not believe in the Qur'an nor follow it. If so, the pronoun in 3322
.and not to the Qur'an صلى الله عليه وسلم will revert to the Holy Prophet عَنْهُ
(Mazharī with narration by Ibn Abi al-Hatim from Said ibn Abī Hilal)
Verses 27 - 32
وَلَوْ تَى إِذْ وُقِفُوا عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُؤْا يَلَيْتَنَا ◌ُرٌَّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ
بِيْتِ رَيِّنَا وَنَكُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُؤُمِنِيْنَ ﴿٢٧) بَلُ بَدَا لَهُمْ تَمَّا كَانُوا
يُخُفُونَ مِنْ قَبْلُ﴿ وَلَوْ مُرُّوا لَعَادُوا لِمَنْهُوْا عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَذِبُونَ
﴿٢٨﴾ وَقَالُاْ إِنَّ هِىَ إِلَّ حَيَاتُنَا الُّنْيَا وَمَا نَحُنُ بِبُهُ ثِيُنَ
﴿٢٩) وَلَوْ تَزَّى إِذْ وُقِفُوا عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ، قَالَ آَلَيْسَ هُذَا بِالْحَقِّء
قَالُوا بَلَى وَرَيِّنَاء قَالَ فَلُقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَّا كُنْهُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ
﴿ ٣﴾ قَدْ خَسِرَ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَُّوا بِقَاءِ اللهُِّ حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ تُهُمُ
1

325
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 27 - 32
السّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً قَالُؤُاَ يُحَسْرَتَنَا عَلَى مَا فَرَّطُنَا فِيْهَا" وَهُمْ
يَحُمِلُوُنَ اوْزَارَهُمْ عَلِى ظُهُوُرِهِمْء اَلَ سَأَءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
وَمَا الْحَيُوَةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّ لَعِبُّ وَّ لَّهْ، وَلَكَّارُ الْأَخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذَيْنَ
◌َّقُونَ* أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٣٢)
And if you were to see when they would be made to
stand at the Fire and they will say, "Would that we
were sent back, then we would not belie the signs of
our Lord, and would join the believers." [27] In fact,
what they were concealing before would become clear
to them. And if they were sent back, they would again
go for what they were forbidden from, as they are noth-
ing but liars. [28]
And they say, "What does exist is nothing but this
worldly life of ours, and we are not going to be raised
again." [29]
And if you were to see when they will be made to stay
before their Lord! He will say, "Is this not true?" They
will say, "Of course, by our Lord, it is." He will say,
"Then, taste the punishment, for you used to disbe-
lieve." [30]
Losers indeed are those who deny that they will ever
face Allah, yet when the Hour will come upon them
suddenly, they will say, "Alas! we have been negligent
about it." And they shall be carrying their burdens on
their backs. Beware, evil is the burden they carry! [31]
And the worldly life is nothing but a game and play.
And the last abode is surely good for those who fear Al-
lah. Would you still not understand? [32]
Commentary
There are three basic principles of Islam: Tauhid (Oneness of Al-
lah), Risalah (Prophethood) and 'Akhirah (Belief in the Hereafter). All
other articles of faith fall under these three. These are principles
which tell human beings who they are and what is the purpose of their
life. This understanding brings a revolution in their lives by showing
them the straight path. Out of these, the Belief in the 'Akhirah, the be-

326
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 27 - 32
lief that there is a reckoning of deeds to come when good shall be re-
warded and evil punished, has pragmatically the most revolutionary
effects, as it channels every human deed into a particular direction.
This is the reason why all subjects dealt with in the Qur'an revolve
around these three. In the verses appearing here, special emphasis
has been laid on the reckoning of the 'Akhirah, its rewards and punish-
ments, and the true nature of the mortal world.
In the first verse, portrayed is the condition of wrong-doers and de-
niers of truth who, when made to stand by the edges of the Hell, and to
observe the horrifying punishment far beyond their imagination,
would wish that they were sent back into the world where now they
would never falsify the signs and commands of their Lord, would be-
lieve in them and would be the true believers.
In the second verse (28), Almighty Allah, who is All-Knowing and
All-Aware, exposes the reality of their wish, which would be nothing
but the compulsion of circumstances, by making it clear that these
people have always been addicted to lying and that they were liars
even in their present wish under trial. The root of the problem with
them was that they did not relish the realities brought before them by
the prophets of Allah. They knew that the prophets were true, yet
they raised dust to keep such realities unmanifested either because of
their chronic obstinacy or worldly greed. But, in the Hereafter, every-
thing came out in the open. They saw the power of Allah with their
own eyes. They realized that the prophets had told the truth. Even,
the life after death, something they had denied all along was before
them, really and physically. Then, they became direct witnesses to re-
ward and punishment and Hell. After that, they were left with no ar-
gument to continue their attitude of denial and opposition. So, when
they wished to be returned to the mortal world, that was mere absence
of choice.
Then, their All-Knowing, All-Aware Master said that this was
what they were saying for now, but if they were to be sent back into
the mortal world once again, they would simply forget all about their
promises and resolutions and will revert to doing what they have been
doing before, and would start getting involved once again with the un-
lawful from which they were stopped. Therefore, what they were say-

327
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 27 - 32
ing now was also a lie and a ploy for deception.
That their present statement has been called a lie could also be
based on their ultimate deed, that is, their promising not to lie if re-
turned to the world was not true, for this would never happen because
they would still do nothing but keep lying when they go there. This lie
could also mean that whatever they were saying at that time was not
prompted by true intention. They were doing so simply to buy time
and avoid punishment while in the heart of their hearts, they still
have no intention of doing it.
As for the statement in the third verse (29) :وَقَالُوا إِنْ هِيَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا (And
they say, "There is nothing real but this worldly life of ours"), it re-
verts back to the word, l'u ('adu : would again go for) in verse 28.
Thus, it means that should they be returned to the world, then, once
they reach there, they will still say that they do not accept any life oth-
er than the life of this world. Life here is the life and they were not go-
ing to be raised again.
A question arises here: When they have seen their return to life on
the day of Qiyamah - and reckoning and accounting and reward and
punishment - how can it be possible that they would deny it once they
have been sent back into the world?
The answer is that denial does not make it necessary that, in reali-
ty, they remain uncertain about these events and facts. Instead, it
would be very much like our contemporary disbelievers and wrong-
doers who, despite their knowledge of Islamic realities, keep sticking
to their denial and falsification simply because of their hostility, that
these people, once they are returned to the world, and despite having
personal certainty of the realities of the day of Qiyamah, of rising to
life back again, and of what would happen in the Hereafter, they
would still resort to their old habit of belying and falsification simply
because of their wickedness or hostility. This is what the Qur'an has
said about some disbelievers within this present life:
وَجَحَدُوْا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتُهَا أَنْفُهُمْ ظُلُمًا وَعُلُوَّا
They are striving hard to deny Our signs - while in them-
selves being certain of their truth - (only) unjustly, and out of
pride - 27:14.