النص المفهرس

396
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 33 - 44
This refutes the theory that the sun has no movement at all. The findings
of the latest research have also refuted this presumption.
The text now turns to: ◌ِوَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرُنَاهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَى عَادَ كَالْعُرُجُوُنِ الْقَدِيم (And for the
moon, We have appointed measured phases, until it turned [pale, curved
and fine] like an old branch of date-palm .- 36:39). The dried bough of a
date tree that gets bent like a bow is called: 2 ('urjun).
The stages of the moon
The word: Jju (manazil) is the plural of: Ja (manzil) and denotes the
place one arrives at. Allah Ta'ala has bound the movement of the sun and
the moon both with particular points, each of which is known as a Manzil
or stage. Since the moon completes its orbit in one month, therefore, it has
thirty or twenty-nine stages. But, as the moon disappears at least for a
day during every month, therefore, its stages are generally taken to be
twenty-eight. Astronomers have given these stages particular names in
congruence with the stars that are found in the frontal proximity of these
stages. Even during the days of Arabs of Jahiliyyah, stages were
determined by these very names. The Holy Qur'an is far above these
technical names. What it means to communicate are only the distances
the moon traverses during particular days.
Relevant details have appeared in the commentary on Surah Yunus.
It can be seen in Ma'ariful-Qur'an, English, Volume IV, pages: 515-520. In
this verse of Surah Yunus 10:5, the stages of the sun and the moon both
have been mentioned: ◌َجَعَلَ الشَّمُسَ ضِيَاءً وَّالْقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِل :"[He is the One
who] has made the sun a glow and the moon a light, and determined for
it the stages - 10:5". The only difference is that the stages of the moon are
identified through observation, while the stages of the sun are calculated
mathematically. By saying: ◌ِحَتّى عَادَ كَالْعُرُجُونِ الْقَدِيم (until it turned [pale,
curved and fine] like an old branch of date-palm .- 36:39), described there
is the state of the moon towards the end of the month when it recedes
from the stage of the full moon to the extent that it transforms into the
shape of a dried old bough bent like a bow. It is in consonance with the
Arab surrounding that it has been likened to a dried bough of the date
tree that assumes the shape of a crescent.
In verse 40, it was said: ◌َوَكُلٍّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَّسُبَحُون (And each one is floating in
an orbit - 40). Literally, the word: SU (falak) does not mean the sky.

397
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 33 - 44
Instead, it means the orbit in which some star moves. This verse has also
appeared earlier in Surah Al-Anbiya' (21:33). It tells us that the moon is
not contained within some sky as presumed by the astronomical theory of
Ptolemy. Instead, it moves in a particular orbit in the space lower than it.
Then, there are recent investigations as well as the human access to the
moon that have made it certain.
وَآيَةٌ لَّهُمُ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمُ فِى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُوُن وَخَلَقْنَا : In verse 41 and 42, it was said
And a sign for them is that We boarded their children at) لَهُمُ مِّنٌ مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرُكَبُونَ
the loaded ship, and created for them things similar to it on which they
ride.). Mentioned earlier to these verses were manifestations of Divine
power and wisdom in what was created on the earth and in the heavens
in that order. In the present verses, Divine power over the sea and its
adjuncts has been mentioned. It was said that Allah Ta'ala has made
heavily laden boats and ships capable of sailing on the surface of the
waters and reach distant places without getting drowned in route. Then,
it was said in the verse that "We boarded their children at the loaded
ship" - although, those who embarked the Ark were these very people.
Perhaps, children were mentioned for the reason that one's children and
family place a great burden of responsibility on parents, particularly
when unable to move around. Thus, the sense of the verse is to emphasize
that it is not only they who were riding the boat, but there also were
young children and aged men and women and their belongings with
them. The boat carried both, people and their things. In the verse
following immediately (42), it was said:َخَلَقُنَا لَهُمُ مِّنٌ مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُون (and created
for them things similar to it on which they ride .- 36:42). It means that
human beings have not only been provided with boats and ships that
serve as rides for themselves and carry their things, but Allah has also
created other rides like the boat. From this, people of Arabia have taken it
to mean the ride of camels as habitually familiar to them, particularly so,
because the camel is a carrier of things. It takes heavy loads across
countries, therefore, the Arab called camels: The Boat of the L.ind.
No wonder if the Qur'an is alluding to the aeroplane!
But, it is obvious that the Qur'an has not specifically named a camel
or some other particular mode of conveyance at this place. This includes
every such means of transportation that carries people and their baggage,
accompanied or unaccompanied, right up to their desired destination. Ir

398
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 45 - 47
our time, the invention of aeroplanes has made it amply clear that
aeroplanes are the greatest substantiation of the Qur'anic statement: .
a' (mim-mithlihi: things similar to it). Then, its similarity with boat or
ship is strongly supportive of it, because the way the ship of the sea sails
on the surface of the water, and the mass of water does not make it
drown, similarly, the airplane sails or flies over the bed of air and it does
not throw it down. No wonder if the Qur'an may have left the statement:
mim-mithliht ma yarkabun: things similar to it that they) مِنُ مِّثْلِهِ مَايَرُكَبُون
ride) ambiguous, so that all modes of conveyance and transportation that
continue to be invented right through the last Day of Qiyamah get to be
included therein. And Allah knows best.
Verses 45 - 47
وَإِذَا قِيْلَ لَهُمُ اتَّقُوا مَابَيْنَ آَيْدِيْكُمُ وَمَا خَلْفَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرُحَمُوْنَ
﴿٤٥﴾ وَمَا تَأْتِيُهِمُ مِّنْ آيَةٍ مِّنُ انْتِ رَبِّهِمُ إِلَّا كَانُوا عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِيْنَ
﴿٤٦﴾ وَإِذَا قِيْلَ لَهُمُ أَنْفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللهُ" قَالَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا
لِلَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا أَنْطْعِمُ مَنْ لَّوْيَشَآءُ اللَّهُ أَطْعَمَةً ◌ٌ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّ فِىُ ضَللٍ
مُبَيْنٍ ﴿٤٧)
And (they pay no heed) when it is said to them, " Save
yourselves from that (punishment ) which is before you
(in this world) and that which will come after you (die),
so that you may receive mercy". [45] And there comes to
them no sign from the signs of your Lord, but they turn
averse to it. [46] And when it is said to them, " Spend (to
the needy) from the provision Allah has given to you",
the disbelievers say to the believers, " Shall we feed
those whom Allah could have fed , if Allah so willed ?
You are but in the open error." [47]
Commentary
In the previous verses, through a description of Divine manifestations
of power and wisdom in the creation of the heavens and the earth, people
were invited to recognize their creator and believe that He alone is worthy
of worship and, on the acceptance of this invitation, a promise of
everlasting blessings was made along with a warning of severe

399
Surah Ya Sĩn : 36 : 45 - 47
punishment on its rejection. In the present verses and in the verses
following these, there is a description of the disbelieving people of Makkah
who were their direct addressees and who remained unmoved and
unaffected either when persuaded to do something reward worthy, or
when warned against some likely punishment.
In this connection, two dialogues between believers and disbelievers
have been narrated. Believers invite them to fear the punishment of
Allah that can come before them even in this mortal world while, after
their death, it has to come to them in the Hereafter after all. If they, it is
said to them, were to believe in fear of this punishment, it would be better
for them. But, the disbelievers show their aversion despite having heard
all that. This aversion of theirs has not been expressly mentioned here in
the words of the Qur'an, because the 'I'rad' or aversion mentioned in the
next verse automatically proves their aversion here too. And in
accordance with the rule of syntax, the apodosis or principal clause of the
condition: " 's Is! (idha qila lahum: When it is said to them) remains
elided. The word of the next verse (46) bear witness to this elision, that is,
whenever a verse or sign from their Lord comes to them, they show
nothing but their aversion to it. (And that is why the words "they pay no
heed" are added in brackets in the translation of this verse above.)
The wisdom behind some people receiving their sustenance
indirectly
In the second dialogue, believers exhort the disbelievers to help the
poor and needy and feed the hungry and prompt them to give to the
destitute from what Allah had given to them. In their sarcastic response,
the disbelievers say: You say that Allah is the provider and sustainer of
the entire creation, yet He did not give them anything. Why should we?
As for your words of advice to us that we should provide for them, this is
nothing but that you have gone astray. Do you want to make us their
Razzaq: Provider? These disbelievers too confessed that Allah Ta'ala was
وَلَئِنُ سَأَلْتَهُمُ مَّنُ نَّزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءٍ فَأَحْيَابِهِ الْأَرْضَ مِنْ بَعْدِ :the Provider as in the Qur'an
And if you ask them "as to who sends down water from the). مَوْتِهَا لَيَقُوُلُنَّ اللّهُ
sky, then revives the land with it, they will certainly say, "Allah". -
Al-'Ankabūt, 29:63)
This tells us that they too regarded Allah Ta'ala as the ultimate
Razzaq or Provider, but when in confrontation with believers, they

400
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 48 - 68
sarcastically remarked: When Allah is the Razzaq, the Provider, let Him
provide for them too - why should we? This was as if these dim-witted
people thought that giving in the way of Allah and providing for the poor
was contrary to Allah's attribute in being the Master-Provider of all
sustenance! They just did not understand that as the absolute Giver and
Provider, He has His own wise law operating in this world. By giving to
one person, He makes that person a conduit for others and thus gives
them indirectly - although, he is perfectly and certainly capable of having
everyone's sustenance delivered personally and directly, as is the case
with animals and insects where everyone in that kingdom receives
sustenance directly. There is no one rich and no one, poor. No one gives to
anyone. Everyone dines from nature's own food spread. But, human
beings are different. It is to make their system of social living just and to
inculcate in them the spirit of mutual help and cooperation, that He
makes some of them the medium of delivering sustenance to some others,
so that the one who spends gets its reward, and the one who receives
becomes grateful to the giver. The reason is that this whole phenomenon
of mutual human cooperation and help on which depends the entire
functional order of the world can survive only when one person needs the
other. A poor person needs the money a rich person has, and a rich person
needs the labor of a poor person. Neither of the two is free of the need for
the other - and a little reflection would reveal that nobody is doing a favor
to anybody. Whatever a person gives to the other person gives, in the
ultimate analysis, in one's own interest and for one's own good.
Now, there remains the question: On which basis, did the believers
ask the disbelievers to spend in the way of Allah, particularly when they
simply did not have the very faith in Allah and, as the jurists maintain,
they were no addressees of the subsidiary injunctions of the Shari'ah?
The answer to that is clear. When the believers said that, they had no
intention to have disbelievers implement some religious injunction, it was
said on the basis of the accepted norm of human good will, sympathy and
gentleness.
Verses 48-68
وَيَقُوْلُوْنَ مَتَى هذَا الْوَعُدُ إِنْ كُنْتُمُ صدِقِيْنَ ﴿٤٨) مَا يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا

401
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 48 - 68
صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً تَأْخُذُهُمُ وَهُمْ يَخِصِّمُونَ ﴿٤٩﴾ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيُّعُونَ
تَوْصِيَةً وَّلَا إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ﴿٥٠﴾ وَنُفِخَ فِى الصُّوْرِ فَإِذَاهُمُ مِّنَ
الْأَجُدَاثِ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ يَنْسِلُونَ ﴿٥١﴾ قَالُوا يَوَيْلَنَا مَنْ بَعَثَنَا مِنْ
مَّرُقَدِنَا سَ لهَذَا مَا وَعَدَ الرَّحُمُنُ وَصَدَقَ الْمُرُسَلُونَ ﴿٢﴾ إِنْ كَانَتُ
إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَاهُمُ جَمِيْعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ ﴿٥٣﴾ فَالْيَوْمَ
لَا تُظُلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا وَلَا تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَاكُنْتُمُ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٥٤) إِنَّ
أَصْخِبَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِىُ شُغُلٍ فَكِهُوْنَ ﴿٥٥) هُمُ وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ فِىُ ظِلٍ
عَلَى الْآَرَآئِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ ﴿٥٦) لَهُمْ فِيْهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَّلَهُمُ مَّا يَدَّعُونَ ﴿١٥٧
سَلْمٌ فَهْ قَوْلًا مِّنُ رَّبٍّ رَّحِيمٍ ﴿٥٨﴾ وَامْتَازُوا الْيَوْمَ أَيُّهَا الْمُجْرِمُونَ
﴿٥٩﴾ أَلَمُ أَعْهَدُ إِلَيْكُمُ يَنِىِّ ادَمَ أَنْ لَّا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطْنَ ◌َ إِنَّهُ لَكُمُ
عَدُوٌّ مُّبِيْنٌ ﴿.٦) وَاَنِ اعْبُدُوْنِىُُّ هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ ﴿٦١﴾ وَلَقَدْ
أَضَلَّ مِنْكُمُ جِبِلًّا كَثِيرًا * أَفَلَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٦٢﴾ هذِهٍ جَهَنَّمُ
الَّتِىُ كُنْتُمْ تُوْعَدُونَ ﴿٦٣﴾ إِصْلَوُهَا الْيَوْمَ بِمَاكُنْتُمْ تَكُفُرُونَ ﴿٦٤﴾
اَلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ ◌َيْدِيْهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ اَرُجُلُهُمُ بِمَا
كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾ وَلَوْنَشَآءُ لَطَمَسُنَا عَلَى أَعْيُنِهِمُ فَاسْتَبَقُوا
الصِّرَاطَ فَتَّى يُبْصِرُونَ ﴿٦٦﴾ وَلَوْنَشَآءُ لَمَسَخْنُهُمْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِهِمُ
فَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا مُضِيًّا وَّلَا يَرْجِعُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾ وَمَنْ نُعَمِّرُهُ نُنَكِسُهُ فِى
الْخَلْقِ ◌ُ أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٦٨﴾
And they say, "When will this promise come true, if you
are truthful? " [48] They are looking for nothing but for
a single Cry that will seize them when they will be
quarreling. [49] So they will not be able to make a
bequest, nor will they return to their household. [50]
And the Horn will be blown, and suddenly they will be
rushing from their graves towards their Lord. [51] They

402
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 48 - 68
will say, " Woe to us! Who has raised us from our
sleeping place? " This is what the Rahman had
promised, and the messengers had told the truth. [52] It
will be no more than a single Cry, and in no time they
will all be arraigned before Us. [53] Then, nobody will
be subjected to injustice in the least, and you will not
be recompensed but for what you used to do. [54] The
people of the Paradise are engaged today in (their)
activities, happily enjoying (them). [55] They and their
spouses are in pleasant shades, reclining on couches.
[56] For them there are fruits, and for them there is
whatever they ask for. [57] "Salam"(Peace upon you ) is
the word ( they receive ) from Merciful Lord. [57] "And
get apart (from the believers) today O the guilty ones.
[58] Did I not direct you, O children of 'Adam, that you
must not worship the Satan, (because) he is an open
enemy for you, [60] and that you must worship Me,
(because) this is the straight path? [61] And he had
misguided lot many people from among you. So, did you
not have sense? [62] (Now) this is the Jahannam of
which you were consistently warned. [63] Enter it today
, because you have been persistently denying (the
truth)." [64] Today We will set a seal on their mouths,
and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will
bear witness about what they used to do. [65] And had
We willed, We would have wiped out their eyes, and
they would have been racing towards the way, but how
would they see? [66] And had we willed, We would have
disfigured them at their places, and they would have
not been able to move , nor would they return. [67] And
whomsoever We give long life, we reverse him in
creation. So, do they not have sense? [68]
Commentary
They are looking for nothing but for a single Cry) مَايَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَّاحِدَةً
that will seize them - 36:49). The question of the disbelievers quoted here
is the one they used to'ask the Muslims by way of mockery, and the real
purpose was to deny the Day of Judgment. It was not asked for finding
out the truth, nor as a serious effort to reach the reality. It was simply a
way of taunting the Muslims and making fun of them. And even if it were
for finding out the true nature of the event, then, the mercy of the Lord of
the universe requires that the full and precise knowledge of the year and
day of the coming of Qiyamah should not be given to anyone, so much so
that it was not given even to any one from among His noble prophets and

403
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 48 - 68
messengers. Even if this question asked by these dimwit people was no
more than a fact-finding exercise on their part, it was patently absurd.
Therefore, rather than tell them, in response, the time when Qiyamah
will come, they were admonished. They were told that reasonable people,
once they become aware of something that is bound to come in all
certainty, should start making necessary preparations ahead of it, and not
go about wasting precious time in trying to find out its precise hour and
day. Common sense required that, once they had heard the foreboding of
Qiyamah, they should have believed and did what it takes to achieve
success in that life to come. But, so entangled they are in their
heedlessness that they virtually seem to be waiting for nothing short of
the time when the day of Qiyamah comes before them - and then, they
would think about it. Therefore, it was said that these people were
waiting for the Qiyamah - while, Qiyamah will have a scenario of its own,
for it would be just one terrible sound of the Horn (Sur) that will seize
everyone all of a sudden in a way that people will be busy in their
businesses settling their disputes and they all, in this very condition, will
lie dead.
It appears in Hadith that two men will be engaged in their activity of
buying and selling cloth. Stretched before them will be the yardage of the
cloth pieces while, of a sudden, Qiyamah will come - and they would be
unable to complete their deal of cloth. Then, there will be someone else
busy plastering his water tank who will fall dead in the same state
(reported by Abu Nu aym from Sayyidnā Abu Hurairahe - al-Qurtubi).
In verse 50, it was said : ◌َفَلا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ تَوُصِيَةً وَّلَا إِلَّى اَهُلِهِمْ يَرْجِعُون (So they will
not be able to make a bequest, nor will they return to their household.),
that is, people who are gathered there will not have the respite to make a
will among themselves to do something on their behalf, and those who are
still outside their houses will not find the respite even to go into their
houses. They will lie dead in the very state in which they would be at that
time. This is a description of the first blowing of the Horn of the day of
Qiyamah as a result of which the entire gamut of the earth and heavens
will be destroyed.
After that, it was said : ◌َوَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّوْرِ فَإِذَاهُمُ مِّنَ الْأَجْدَاثِ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ يَنُسِلُون (And the
Horn will be blown, and suddenly they will be rushing from their graves
towards their Lord. (36:51). Here, the word: Sizi (ajdath) is the plural

404
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 48 - 68
form of: جَدَث (jadath) which means a grave. And: ◌َيَنْسِلُون (yansilun) is a
derivation from: www. (nasalan) which means to walk swiftly as it appears
in another verse: يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ الْأَجُدَاثِ سِرَاعًا (they will come out of their graves
in haste - Al-Ma'arij, 71:43). As for what is said in another verse: 4 50
3334 (and suddenly, they will stand up, looking around - Az-Zumar, 39:68),
it is not contrary to that, for first came the instant of standing up in
wonder and then came the act of racing toward the plains of the
Resurrection. There is no contradiction in between these two. Then, as it
is already proved from the verses of the Qur'an that the angels will call
them to come to the plains of the Resurrection, it becomes clear that the
presence of disbelievers on the plain of the Resurrection will not be out of
their pleasure, rather, it would be out of compulsion whereby the call of
the angels will prompt them to come hastening toward it.
In verse 52, it was said : قَالُوا يَاوَيُلَنَا مَنْ بَعَثَنَا مِنُ مَّرْقَدِنَا (They will say, "Woe to
us! Who has raised us from our sleeping place?"). Though the disbelievers
were already having their punishment in their graves with no sign of any
relief, yet this punishment will appear as nothing when compared with
the punishing circumstances of the day of Qiyamah, therefore, they will
cry out as to why they had to be taken out of their graves, for it would
have been better if they had stayed right there. A response to this will
come from either the angels or the common believers.
هذا مَا وَعَدَ الرَّحْمنُ:52 This response appears immediately next in verse
This is what the Rahman had promised, and the") وَصَدَقَ الْمُرْسَلُونَ
messengers had told the truth.) - to which they paid no attention. At this
place, a choice has been made in using the word: , (Rahman: The
Most Merciful) out of the many attributes of Allah. It serves as an
indicator - as for Him, He had already made elaborate arrangements, in
His mercy, that you remain safe from this punishment, and that His act
of alerting you in advance through His promise and through His Books
and Prophets was, in fact, but a dictate of His attribute of mercy.
Then, in verse 55, it was said : ◌َإِنَّ أَصُحبَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِىُ شُغُلٍ فَاكِهُون (The people
of the Paradise are engaged today in (their) activities, happily enjoying
[them]) - 36:55). After having mentioned the worries of the people of
Jahannam, described here is the state of the people of Paradise on the
day of Qiyamah that they will be enjoying themselves. The word: 33450
(fakihun) is the plural form of: 'Su (fakih). It signifies happiness of the

405
Surah Ya Sĩn : 36 : 48 - 68
heart as well as happiness out of one's surroundings. As for the
expression: Jis (fi shugul) appearing before it, it could also mean that
they will be totally unaffected by the misfortunes afflicting the people of
Jahannam (as said by some commentators).
And then it is also possible that, at this place, this expression: Jusi (fi
shugul) has been added to remove the thought - when, in Jannah, there
will be no religious duty like obligatory or necessary worship, nor the job
of earning one's livelihood, would this lack of activity not leave one
uptight or bored? - hence, it was said that their enjoyment itself will be
their principal activity, and the question of any boredom simply does not
arise.
Next, in verse 56, it was said: 55 (They and their spouses ... ).
The word: aufj (azwaj) as used here includes the Hurs of Jannah as well
as wives of the mortal world.
The word:يَدَّعُون (yadda un) appearing in verse 57:َوَلَهُمُ مَّا يَدَّعُون (wa
lahum mā yadda un) is a derivation from: isso (da'wah) which means to
call, that is, the thing the people of Jannah will call or wish to have, will
come to them. The Qur'an has not used the word: Sten (yas'alun: they
ask) at this place, because having something after having asked for it is
also a sort of exertion, something the Jannah will be free from, in fact, it
will be a place where everything needed will be ready and present.
In verse 58, it was said: ◌َوَامُتَازُوا الْيَوْمَ أَيُّهَا الْمُجْرِمُون (And get apart (from the
believers) today O the guilty ones .- 36:58) On the plains of the
Resurrection, initially when people rise from their graves, they will be
scattered all mixed up as said in the Qur'an:ٌكَانَهُمُ جَرَادٌ مُّنْتَشِر (kaannahum
jaradum-muntashir: as if they are scattered locusts - Al-Qamar, 54:7). But,
later on, group by group, they will be separated in terms of their deeds -
disbelievers at one place and the believers, at another, and sinners at one
place and the righteous and the accepted, at another - as it has been
stated elsewhere: ◌ْوَإِذَا النَّفُوُسُ زُوّجَت (And when the persons will be divided
into pairs- at-Takwir, 81:7) In the said verse, this same distinction to be
made has been described.
In verse 60, it was said : ◌َآلَمُ أَعُهَدُ إِلَيْكُمُ يَبَنِىٌّ آدَمَ أَنْ لَّاتَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطن (Did I not direct
you, O children of 'Adam, that you must not worship the Satan, (because)
he is an open enemy for you,- 36:60). In other words, this would be said on

406
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 48 - 68
the day of Qiyamah to all human beings, (even to the Jinn). But, the
question remains that the disbelievers did not generally worship the
Satan. They worshipped idols or other things. Therefore, how does this
blame fall on them? The answer is that submitting before some entity in
the absolute sense and to obey that entity in word and deed in everything
and under all conditions is nothing but worship. Since these people
always followed Satanic teachings, therefore, they were called the
worshipers of the Satan - as said in Hadith that a person who, driven by
love for money or spouse, starts doing everything that would increase
wealth or please the spouse, even at the cost of the displeasure of Allah, is
an obedient servant of the silver coin and the obedient servant of the
spouse ('Abd-ud-dirham, 'Abd-uz-zawjah).
In verse 65, it was said: ◌ْالْيَومَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَقْوَاهِهِم (Today We will set a seal on
their mouths). On the day of Resurrection, when comes the time to
account for deeds, everyone will be free to offer any excuse one has. But,
Mushriks, the practitioners of shirk, those who associate partners in the
pristine divinity of Allah Ta'ala, will declare on oaths that they never had
anything to do with shirk and hufr: ◌َوَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِين (By Allah, our Lord,
we ascribed no partners to Allah - Al-An'am, 6:23).
And some of them will also say that they were free of whatever the
angels had written down in their book of deeds. At that time, Allah Ta'ala
will put a seal on their mouths, so that they would not speak. Then, He
will give power of speech to their own body parts, the hands and the feet,
who will testify to all their deeds as court witnesses against them. As for
the present verse, it mention's the speaking of hands and feet only. In
another verse, mentioned there is the speaking of one's ear, eye and skin:
their ears and their eyes and their skins will) شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمُ سَمُعُهُمُ وَاَبْصَارُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُمْ
testify against them - 41:20). As for what has been said at one place: 1;&
and their tongues will testify against them - An-Nur, 24:24), it is) عَلَيْهِمْ اَلْسِنَتُهُمُ
not contrary to 'putting a seal on their mouths' because putting a seal
means that they will be unable to say anything out of their own volition.
Their tongue will speak counter to their personal choice and will testify to
the truth.
As for the question how these parts of the body would acquire power
of speech, the Qur'an has already answered that by saying: Su wals
Why did you testify against us? - 41:20) that is, these parts of) أَنْطَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ

407
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 48 - 68
the body will say that Allah, who has given power of speech to all things
endowed with the ability to speak, has also enabled us to speak.
وَمَنْ تُعَمِّرُهُ نُنَكِسُهُ فِى الْخَلْقِ آَفَلًا :In the last of the verses cited above, it was said
Slax (And whomsoever We give long life, we reverse him in creation. Do
they then not have sense ?). The word: & (nu'ammir: We give a long
life) in this verse has been derived from: 5 (ta'mir) which means to
prolong years of life. And the word: LES (nunakkishu) is a derivation
from: J'5 (tankis) which means to reverse, invert or turn upside down.
In this verse, Allah Ta'ala has described yet another manifestation of His
perfect power and eloquent wisdom in that every living being lies under
the free will of Allah Ta'ala all the time. The process of nature is going on.
The thing started from a lifeless drop. Wrapped with three layers of
darkness in the womb of the mother, that which came to be was this
essence of the universe, and a small world in its own right. Countless was
the number of most delicate mechanisms that were embedded into its life
form. Then it was made to come alive with the infusion of the spirit. After
having been nourished and grown for nine months inside the womb of
the mother, a perfect human being came into this world. Of course,
perfect it was, but the body it had was weak. Nature took care of that by
placing in the breast of the mother food that would suit an infant's
physical requirement. This gave it the gradual supply of needed energy.
From that time to the time of youth, passed many stages and then came a
strong body at its total bloom. Then came claims of the power thus
acquired and rose the desire to defeat every conceivable adversary.
But, that was not the end. When the creator and master of this new
aspirant into the world decided otherwise, all these strengths started
waning. Even the decline was not sudden. It took time. There were
countless stages. Finally, came the fag end of the years of life. Once there,
just imagine, has this person not reached back into the stage of one's
childhood. Habits started changing. Reflexes became different. Things
that used to be the dearest started appearing hateful. What was comfort
once turned into suffering. This is what the Qur'an calls "tankis," that is,
being turned upside down. One trusts what one sees with one's own eyes
and what one hears with one's own ears in the life of this world. This too
does not remain trustworthy during the later years of old age. Clearly
understanding what is being said becomes difficult because one becomes

408
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 69 - 75
hard of hearing. The same thing happens to the sense of sight that
becomes weak. One cannot see well enough. The classical Arab poet,
al-Mutanabbi has said:
..... » ...... على عينه حتّى يرى صدقها كذبا
ومن صحب الدّنيا طويلا تقلَّبَتُ.
And for one who lives long in the world, it will turn upside down
right before his eyes to the extent that what he saw as truth
will start appearing to be a lie.
Not only that this major change in man's frame of existence is a
standing manifestation of the unique power of Allah Ta'ala, it is also a
great favor to him. Is it not that all strengths the supreme Creator has
placed in the living presence of man are, in reality, the God-given
functional devices issued to him with the clarification that they were
neither his property nor were they everlasting and that, finally, they will
be taken back from him. This obviously required that, once came the time
of such take over, all such strengths should have been taken back
simultaneously. But, the most merciful and sublime Lord has not elected
to do that. Instead, He has allowed that these strengths be taken back in
installments that too are prominently long and spaced apart. Thus, these
are taken back gradually, bit by bit, so that one gets alerted and starts
getting ready to embark on the ultimate journey of the Hereafter. And
Allah knows best.
Verses 69 - 75
وَمَا عَلَّمُنُهُ الشِّعُرَ وَمَا يَنْبَغِىُ لَهُ﴿ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّ ذِكُرٌ وَّقُرْانٌ مُّبِيْنٌ ﴿٦٩)
لِيُنْذِرَ مَنْ كَانَ حَيَّ وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكُفِرِيْنَ ﴿٧٠﴾ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا
خَلَقْنَا لَهُمُ مِّمَّا عَمِلَتُ أَيْدِيْنَآ أَنْعَامًا فَهُمُ لَهَا مَلِكُونَ ﴿٧١﴾ وَذَلِّلُتْهَا
لَهُمْ فَمِنْهَا رَكُوْبُهُمُ وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُوْنَ ﴿٧٢﴾ وَلَهُمُ فِيْهَا مَنَافِعُ
وَمَشَارِبُ ﴿ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٧٣﴾ وَاتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّهِ الِهَةً لَّعَلَّهُمُ
يُنْصَرُونَ ﴿١٤﴾ لَا يَسْتَطِيْعُوْنَ نَصُرَهُمُ " وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُنُدٌ مُّحْضَرُوْنَ

409
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 69 - 75
And We did not teach him (the Holy Prophet) poetry,
and it is not proper for him. It is nothing (of that sort)
but (it is) an advice and a readable book that explains
(the truth ), [69] so that it warns him who is alive ( to
listen to the truth ), and so that the word may prove
true against the disbelievers. [70] Did they not see that
We have created for them cattle, among things made
(directly) by Our hands, then they are their owners? [71]
And We have brought them under their control, so as
some of them are their means of transport, and some of
them they eat. [72] And for them there are (other)
benefits in them and things to drink. So, would they not
be grateful? [73] And they have adopted other gods than
Allah, so that they may be helped (by them). [74] They
cannot help them, rather they (the disbelievers
themselves) are (like) an army brought forth for
(protecting) them (the so-called co-gods) [75]
Commentary
In the first verse cited here, it was said: "وَمَا عَلَّمُنَاهُ الشِّعُرَ وَمَا يَنْبَغِى لَه (And We
did not teach him poetry and it is not proper for him.) Since the deniers of
the appearance of a prophet and messenger with a mission could not deny
the unique effectiveness of the Qur'an and its ability to move hearts that
was a matter of common experience, therefore, they invented convenient
excuses. At times, they would call this Divine Word, some magic and the
Holy Prophet g, a magician. Then, on other occasions, they would say
that this Word was poetry and he was a poet. By saying that, they
wanted to prove that this unique effectiveness did not come out of the
Divine Word as such, instead, they were either words of magic or sorcery
that made an impression on hearts, or it is poetic speech for that too
affects hearts.
In this verse, Allah Ta'ala said that He did not teach His prophet the
art of poetry, nor was it appropriate to his station and saying that he was
a poet, is false and wrong.
Here, we have a question. Is it not that Arabs are a people who have
poetry in their blood? Even their women and children would compose
impromptu lines of poetry. They knew poetry and its reality. How could
they say that the Qur'an was poetry and the Holy Prophet
was a poet?
On what basis could this be because neither is the Qur'an restricted by
the compulsion of poetic meter, nor of radif (the unchanging word that

410
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 69 - 75
appears at the end of the hemistich) and qafiyah (the changing rhymed
word that appears before the radif) anywhere in the text? Not even
someone who is pathetically ignorant of the mores of poetry would think
of calling this poetry.
To answer this, it can be said that, essentially, poetry is composed of
self-structured imaginary subjects, whether in poetry or prose. By calling
the Qur'an, poetry and the Holy Prophet , a poet their purpose was to
tell him that the Divine Word he claims to have brought, is no more than
imaginary tales. Or, may be, they called him a poet in terms of the well
recognized meaning of poetry with a certain congruity in mind, that is,
the effect produced by the Qur'an is similar to the effect produced by
poetic compositions.
Quoting his own chain of authority, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas has
reported that someone asked Sayyidah 'A'ishah رضى الله عنها if the Holy
Prophet & used to recite some verse of poetry once in a while. To that,
she said, "No, however, he once did recite a verse of Ibn Tarfah:
· ويأتيك بالاخبار من لم تزوّد
ستبدی لک الايام ماكنت جاهلًا.
"The time will reveal to you that which you did not know, and
the news will be brought to you by one whom you did not
appointed to do so.
But the holy Prophet
recited this as: وزن شعرى in a manner that
broke the poetic measure. Sayyidna Abu Bakr 4% submitted, 'Ya
Rasulallah, this verse is not like that.' He said, 'I am not a poet, nor is
poetry appropriate for me.""
Ibn Kathir has reported this narration in his Tafsir, and at-Tirmidhi,
an-Nasa'i and Imam Ahmad have also reported it. This tells us that he
simply did not consider reciting verses of poetry composed by others as
appropriate for him. That he would compose it himself was unthinkable.
As for some sentences having the resonance of poetic measure reported
from the Holy Prophet
himself, they did not issue forth from him with
the intention of composing formal poetry. They were casual, and should
some one or two lines issue forth from a person that fall into poetic
measure, these do not make him a poet. But, from this natural condition
of the Holy Prophet
that was based on great considerations of wisdom,
it does not become necessary that poetry should be taken as blameworthy

411
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 69 - 75
in any absolute sense - as explained under the details of injunctions
relating to poetry in our commentary on verse 224 of Surah Ash-Shu'ara'
(26) appearing at its end in Volume VI of Ma'ariful-Qur'an, English. Those
interested may see it there.
أَوَلَمُ يَرَوْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُمُ مِّمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِيْنَآ أَنْعَامًا فَهُمُ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ : In verse 71, it was said
(Did they not see that We have created for them cattle, among things
made (directly) by Our hands, then they are their owners?). Along with
the mention of the Divine novelty and beneficence in the creation of the
cattle in this verse, yet another great favor of Allah Ta'ala has been
identified. It has been said that man has played no role in the creation of
these cattle. Allah Ta'ala made them, exclusively, by His own hands, so to
say. Then, He not only let human beings benefit from these cattle with
His permission, but also made them their owners, so that they could
dispose them off in any manner they chose - use them to their advantage
or sell them off and use the money thus acquired.
Gift of God - not capital or labor - is the real wisdom behind the
ownership of things
In our day, debate is still going on between various economic theories
as to the basis of production of things and their ownership. Is it wealth, or
is it labor? The votaries of the capitalist economic system declare capital
and wealth as its basis. The protagonists of the socialist and communist
system support labor as the real reason or justification behind production
of things and their ownership. This decree of the Qur'an tells us that none
of these two has any role to play in the creation of things and their
ownership. The creation of anything does not rest in the possession or
control of human beings. That is an act of Allah Ta'ala, directly. Then,
reason demands that the one who creates something should also be its
owner. Therefore, when it comes to things of this world, the essential and
real ownership is that of Allah Ta'ala. The ownership of human beings in
anything whatsoever can take effect only when Allah Ta'ala passes it on
to them in His mercy. Allah Ta'ala has already revealed the law of the
proof and transfer of ownership through his prophets. Counter to this
law, no one can become the owner of anything.
In verse 72: Juuls, (And We have brought them under their
control), yet another favor and blessing has been pointed to. If one were
to look at the camel, horse, elephant, ox and other animals, it will be

412
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 76 - 83
realized that they are seemingly far stronger than human beings. Man is
weak as compared to them - as a result of which, it should have not been
possible for him to tame and control them. But, Allah Ta'ala had it
arranged in His own way. The way He created these animals and gifted
them to human beings, in the same way, He made these free animals
naturally subservient to man. A boy reins a strong horse and rides on its
back to anywhere he likes to go. This thing too is no achievement of man.
This comes from Allah Ta'ala as His grace, a blessing that is given to man
without asking.
In the last verse cited above (75), it was said: ◌َوَهُمْ لَهُمُ جُنُدٌ مُحْضَرُون (rather
they are an army brought forth for them). One sense of this verse is to
take the word: . (army) in the text to mean an opponent or adversary
and take the verse to mean that the things they have made their objects
of worship in the mortal world will turn against them on the Day of
Judgment and also bear witness against them.
And according to a Tafsir reported from Hasan and Qatadah alla,
it means that these people had taken to idols as gods in the hope that they
would help them. But, the reality on the ground proved to be that they
were already incapable of helping them. As a result, the very people who
used to worship them as their servants and soldiers are now guarding
them to the extent that they would take their side and fight against
anyone who opposes them (al-Qurtubi). The translation given in the text
(with brackets) is based on this interpretation.
Verses 76 - 83
فَلَا يَحْزُنْكَ قَوْلُهُمْ إِنَّا نَعُلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّوْنَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ﴿٧٦﴾ أَوَلَمُ يَرَ
الْإِنْسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنْهُ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيْمٌ مُّبِيْنٌ ﴿٧٧﴾ وَضَرَبَ لَنَا
مَثَلاً وَّنَسِىَ خَلْقَةُ قَالَ مَنْ يُّحْيِ الْعِظَامَ وَهِىَ رَمِيُمٌ ﴿٧٨﴾ قُلُ
يُحْيِيُهَا الَّذِى أَنْشَاهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍُ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٧٩﴾ إِلَّذِىُ
جَعَلَ لَكُمُ مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الْأَخْضَرِ نَارًا فَإِذَا أَنْتُمُ مِنْهُ تُوُقِدُونَ ﴿٨٠﴾
أَوَلَيْسَ الَّذِىُ خَلَقَ السَّمُوتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِقْدِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يَّخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمُ

413
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 76 - 83
بَلَىءَ وَهُوَ الْخَلَّقُ الْعَلِيُمُ ﴿٨١﴾ إِنَّمَآ أَمُرُهٍ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَنْ يَّقُوُلَ لَهُ"
كُنْ فَيَكُونُ ﴿٨٢﴾ فَسُبُخْنَ الَّذِىُّ بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوُتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَّإِلَيْهِ
تُرُجَعُونَ ﴿٨٣﴾
So, their remarks must not grieve you. Surely We know
what they conceal and what they disclose. [76] And did
man not see that We have created him from a drop of
semen? Then suddenly he stood as an open adversary
(to Us). [77] And he has set up an argument about Us
and forgot his creation. He said, "Who will give life to
the bones when they are decayed?" [78] Say, "These will
be revived by the same One who had created them for
the first time, and who is fully aware about every
creation, [79] - the One who created for you fire from
the green tree, and in no time you kindle from it." [80] Is
it that the One who has created the heavens and the
earth has no power to create ones like them? Why not?
And He is the Supreme Creator, the All-Knowing. [81]
His practice, when He intends to do something, is no
more than He says, "Be", and it comes to be. [82] So, pure
(from every fault) is the One in whose hand is the
dominion of all things. And towards Him you are to be
returned . [83]
Commentary
The last five verses of Surah Ya Sin were revealed in the background
of a particular event. This event has been attributed to Ubayy Ibn Khalaf
in some narrations, and to 'As ibn Wa'il in some others. And there is no
improbability in that such an event came to pass with both of them. The
first narration was reported by al-Baihaqi in Shu'abul-'Iman, and the
other reported by Ibn Abi Haatim from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas des says that
'Aş Ibn Wa'il picked up a bone from the sandy and pebble-strewn valley
of Makkah and after breaking it with his hands rubbed it into a handful
of bone meal and then said to the Holy Prophet g, "Will Allah revive this
bone you are seeing in my hands?" The Holy Prophet 25 said, "Yes, Allah
Ta'ala will put you to death, then bring you back to life and then He will
put you in Hell." (Ibn Kathir)
The expression: Jus tes (an open adversary) in verse 77 means that
this man was created from a lowly drop, yet he has the audacity to

414
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 76 - 83
challenge Allah, and refuse to accept His power. In verse 78, it was said:
And he has set up an argument about Us). Here, the) ضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً
expression refers to the event described above, that is, while smashing
and rubbing the bone into bone meal, its revival was considered
improbable. After that, it was said: وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَه (and forgot his own creation).
It means while he was giving that example, he forgot the example of his
own creation as to how he himself was created by infusing life in a lowly,
impure and lifeless drop - a bland anatomy of his creation indeed. Had he
not forgotten his real genetic origin, he would have never come up with
such examples and would have never dared saying no to Divine power.
In verse 80, it was said: جَعَلَ لَكُمُ مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الْأَخْضَرِ نَارًا (the One who created
for you fire from the green tree .). Two trees used to be well known in
'Arabia - Markh (Cynanchum Vinimale) and 'Afar. The Arabs were
accustomed to cutting two twigs from these two trees as they did with
siwak or miswak. These twigs would be solid, green, and full of fresh
water inside. By rubbing one on the other, it worked like firestone. They
could strike fire out of these. This is what has been alluded to in striking
fire out of the green tree. (Qurtubi) And if we were to consider the ultimate
fate of trees, every green tree that flourishes initially, then, later on, once
dried, it becomes a source of fuel and fire. Seen from this angle, every tree
can be meant here - as seems to be the sense in the following verse of the
noble Qur'an : ◌َأَفَرَءَ يُتُمُ النَّارَ الَّتِى تُوُرُونَ ءَ آَنْتُمُ أَنْشَأْ تُمُ شَجَرَتَهَا أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنُشِئُون (Now tell Me
about the fire you kindle: Is it you who have originated its tree, are We
the Orginiator? - 56:71, 72).
But, in the present verse, since the quality of the 'shajar' or tree has
also been mentioned as being 'akhdar' or green, therefore, here it seems
that meant here are those particular trees that used to be a source of fire
despite being green and moisturized.
In verse 82, it was said : ◌ُإِنَّمَآ أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنُ فَيَكُون (His practice,
when He intends to do something, is no more than He says, "Be", and it
comes to be.). In other words, the verse means that when Allah Ta'ala
intends to create something, He has no need to follow the way things are
made by human beings who have to collect raw materials, assemble
technicians and work for a certain period of time until the thing is ready.
His way, to use an understatement, is different. Whenever, He intends to
create something, for Him it is sufficient to give the command: "Be." Right

415
Surah Ya Sin : 36 : 76 - 83
then, the thing so commanded comes into existence. From this, it does not
necessarily follow that the creation of everything should invariably be
instant. Instead, when the creation of something instantly under the
dictate of the wisdom of the Creator is expedient, it stands created on the
beam without any gradual mode or respite. And when the creation of
something is decreed to be appropriate only as gradual due to some wise
consideration, it comes into existence gradually - whether it is destined to
be created along with a particular gradual mode in the very first decree,
or it is addressed with a separate command of 'kun' or 'be' at each gradual
stage. والله سبحانه وتعالى أعلم (And Allah, the Pure, the High knows best).
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Ya Sin
Ends here