النص المفهرس

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Surah Al-Hujurat : 49 : 12
person's Negro slave." Sayyidna Maimun 4ge said: "By God, I did not do
that." The caller replied: "Yes, you did: you listened to people backbiting
him and remained silent as if you were in agreement with them." After
this dream, Sayyidna Maimun
e composed himself and he himself
stopped backbiting and he did not allow anyone else in his presence to
backbite.
In a narration of Sayyidna Anas Ibn Malik
relating to Holy
Prophet's
experience of Mi'raj , the Messenger of Allah said: "When I
was taken up to the heaven, I passed by people who had fingernails of
copper and were scratching their faces and breasts violently. I asked
Jibra'il : 'Who are these people?' He replied: "They are those people who
were given to backbiting their brothers and who aspersed their honour.'
[transmitted by al-Baghawi as cited in Mazharī]. Sayyidna Abu Said and Jabir
report that the Holy Prophet
¿ has said:
"Backbiting is worse than adultery. The noble Companions
inquired: 'How so, Messenger of Allah?' He replied: 'A person
may commit fornication, repent of it and his sin is forgiven. But
the sin of backbiting is not forgiven unless the injured party
forgives." [Transmitted by Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud, as cited in
Mazhari].
This hadith indicates that backbiting is not only a violation of the
Divine right, but also a violation of human right. Therefore, it is
necessary to seek the forgiveness of the injured party. Some of the
scholars express the view that backbiting does not become a human right
unless the injured party comes to know about it. Therefore, seeking his
pardon is not necessary [Quoted in Ruh-ul-Ma'ani from Hasan, Al-Khayyați,
Ibn-uş-sabbagh, An-Nawawi, Ibn-us-salah, Az-Zarakshi, Ibn 'Abd-ul-Barr from
Ibn-ul-Mubarak]. This is quoted in Bayan-ul-Qur'an and explained as
follows: If the victim of backbiting is not aware that someone has spoken
ill of him, it might not be necessary for the backbiter to beg pardon of the
victim, but it is necessary that he falsifies himself before the person whom
he addressed when backbiting, or at least confesses his guilt before him. If
the victim is dead or has disappeared, the atonement is recorded in a
narration of Sayyidna Anas 4
e where the Holy Prophet
has said:
ان من كفّارة الغيبة ان يستغفر لمن اغتابه تقول اللّهمّ اغفرلنا وله
"The atonement of backbiting is to invoke forgiveness of Allah

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Surah Al-Hujurat : 49 : 12
for the victim in the following words: O Allah, forgive our sins
and his sins". [Transmitted by Baihaqi and cited in Mazhari].
Ruling [1]
It is prohibited to backbite children, insane and non-Muslim citizens of
an Islamic state, because hurting them is prohibited. Hurting harbi
infidels who are the inhabitants of Dar-ul-Harb [hostile country] is not
prohibited. However, backbiting them, on account of wastage of time, is
makrüh, and reprehensible.
Ruling [2]
Backbiting does not only connote speaking ill of a person behind his
back, but it also connotes an action or pointed reference to him, as for
instance if someone imitates the limp or uneven walking of a lame person
to make fun of him, it is not permitted.
Ruling [3]
Some narrations show that the general prohibition of backbiting in
the verse is subject to exceptions in special cases and specific
circumstances. It is permitted if the need for backbiting is real and
genuine from the Shari ah point of view. Examples are as follows:
[a] Complaining against a tyrant before a person who can relieve him
from the tyranny and injustice.
[b] Complaining about the wife and children to the father and husband
who can put them right.
[c] Giving a full account of the case in order to obtain a fatwa (ruling of
Shari'ah)
[d] Warning the Muslims of the mischief of a mischief-monger so that
they may ward off the evil.
[e] When someone consults another person in any matter, it is obligatory
for him to apprise him of all aspects, including weaknesses, so that he
is not deceived because of ignorance.
[f] If a person commits sins openly and publishes his ungodly behaviour
himself, it is not prohibited to make mention of his bad deeds.
However, it is abominable and reprehensible to indulge in it on
account of wastage of time [Bayan-ul-Qur'an with reference to

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Surah Al-Hujurat : 49 : 13
Rūņ-ul-Ma'ani].
But the necessary condition for invoking these exceptions is that
speaking ill of someone is not with the intention of insulting or disgracing
him, but only to fulfill a genuine need.
Verse 13
يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَكُمْ مِّنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأَنْعِى وَجَعَلْنَكُمْ شُعُوْبًا وَّقَبَآئِلَ
لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمُ عِنْدَ اللهِ أَتْقُكُمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١٣﴾
O mankind, We have created you from a male and a
female and made you into races and tribes, so that you
may identify each other. Surely the noblest of you, in
Allah's sight, is the one who is most pious of you.
Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. [13]
عليهما السلام 'All of Mankind are the Children of 'Adam and Hawwa
In the preceding verses, six social evils in connection with human and
Islamic rights were prohibited, and principles of good manners were laid
down to be observed in social life. The current verse proceeds to set down
the basis of an all-comprehensive and all-pervading principle of human
equality. It has firmly laid the axe at the false and foolish notions of
superiority, born of racial arrogance or national conceit. All men have
been created from a single male ['Adam Sel] and a single female
[Hawwa'] as human beings. Therefore, all people are the descendants of
'Adam and Hawwa' X JI Logle and have been declared equal in the sight
of Allah. No one is allowed to take pride nor to degrade others on the basis
of pigment of his skin, the amount of wealth he possesses or by his rank
or by his social status, descent or pedigree, but by his moral uprightness
and the way he discharges his obligations to Allah and man. The entire
human race is but one family. Division into nations, tribes and sub-tribes
of all sizes, and races is meant only to give a better identification of one
another.
Circumstances of Revelation
This verse was revealed on the occasion of the conquest of Makkah.
When it was time for prayer, the Holy Prophet
asked Sayyidna Bilal
to call the adhan. One of the pagan Quraish cynically remarked:

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Surah Al-Hujurat : 49 : 13
Thank God that my father died before this happened, and he did not
have to see this bad day. Harith Ibn Hisham remarked: Could
Muhammad not find anyone better than this black crow to sound the
adhan in the Sacred Mosque! Abu Sufyan said: I do not wish to utter
anything for fear that the master of the heavens will inform him. Thus
Jibra'il & came down and informed the Holy Prophet
about this
conversation. The Holy Prophet
called them and asked them about it.
They admitted. At this, the current verse was revealed.
Taqwa of Allah is the basis of Honour
This verse made it plain that human beings can earn honour on
account of their faith and righteousness. The immediate application of the
verse was to Sayyidna Bilal 4de, and therefore the Holy Prophet & said to
those people: "You are empty (i.e. you have no moral leg to stand on.)
Sayyidna Bilal 4%, on the other hand, is equipped (with high moral
qualities); and he is better and more honourable than any of you."
[Baghawi, as cited in Mazharī]. Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar 4ee reports
that on the day when Makkah was conquered, the Holy Prophet
performed tawaf (circumambulation of Ka'bah) in the state of riding on
his she-camel, [so that all the people could see him]. Then having
completed his tawaf, he delivered a sermon in which he said:
الحمد لله الذى اذهب عنكم عبّية الجاهلية وتكبّرها. الناس رجلان برّ تقىّ كريم
على الله وفاجر شقى هين على الله ثم تلا: يَأيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقُنْكُمُ (ترمدى وبغوى)
"O people! Allah has removed from you the pride of Jahiliyyah
and its arrogance. People are of two types: a man who is
righteous, fearful of Allah and he is honourable to Allah; or a
man who is sinful, wretched, and he is disgraced and little to
Allah [Timidhi and Baghawi]."
Then he recited the current verse.
Sayyidna Ibn-'Abbas 4
says: For people "honour" lies in wealth,
whilst in the sight of Allah it lies in righteousness.
Analysis of Important Words in the Verse
The word (''s Shu'ub is the plural of Sha'b which refers to a large
group of persons of the same origin, (like a nation). Then it consists of
clans and tribes. The largest group in this arrangement is called sa'b, and
the smallest is called 'ashirah. Abu Ruwaq says that the words Shu'ub

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Surah Al-Hujurat : 49 : 14 - 18
and Sha'b refer to non-Arab nations whose lineage is not preserved,
whilst qabail refers to Arabs whose lineage is well-preserved. The word
asbat is used to refer to the children of Israel.
Lineal, National and Linguistic Division of Mankind:
The Underlying Divine Wisdom is identification
The Qur'an in this verse has made it clear that Allah has created all
mankind from a single mother and a single father, and made them into a
single brotherhood. But he has divided them into different tribes, nations,
races, lineage and language-speakers/linguistic groups. The underlying
Divine wisdom in such a division is mutual identification. For example, if
there are two persons bearing the same name, they could be
differentiated by family name. It can also show the near and remote
relations. Their Shar'i rights can be fulfilled on the basis of near and
distant lineage. It is incumbent to determine the near and remote agnate
heirs when applying the law of succession or dividing the estate of a
deceased. In short, reference to one's lineage for the purpose of
identification is not deemed to be pride and conceit.
Verses 14 - 18
قَالَتِ الْأَعُرَابُ آمَنَّاء قُلُ لَّمُ تُؤُمِنُوا وَلِكِنُ قُوْلُوًا أَسْلَمُنَا وَلَمَّا
يَدُخُلِ الْإِيْمَانُ فِىْ قُلُوبِكُمْ ، وَإِنْ تُطِيعُوا اللّهَ وَرَسُوْلَةُ لَا يَلِتْكُمُ مِّنْ
أَعْمَالِكُمُ شَيْئًا إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٤﴾ إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ الَّذِيْنَ
آَمَنُوا بِاللهِ وَرَسُوْلِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا وَجَاهَدُوْا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِى
سَبِيْلِ اللهِ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الصُّدِقُوْنَ ﴿١٥﴾ قُلُ أَتْعَلِّمُوْنَ اللّهَ بِدِيْنِكُمْ،
﴿ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ
وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى السَّمْوَتِ وَمَا فِى الْآَرْضِ ط.
عَلِيمٌ ﴿١٦) يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوْاءُ قُلُ لَّا تَمُنُّوا عَلَىَّ إِسْلَامَكُمُ:
بَلِ اللهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدُكُمُ لِلْإِيْمَانِ إِنْ كُنْتُمُ ضْدِقِيْنَ ﴿١٧﴾ إِنَّ
اللهَ يَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمُوْتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ، وَاللهُ بَصِيْرٌ بِمَا تَعُمَلُونَ ﴿١٨﴾
The Bedouins say, "We have come to believe." Say, "You
have not come to believe; instead you (should) say, 'We

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Surah Al-Hujurat : 49 : 14 - 18
have surrendered' and the belief has not entered your
hearts so far. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger,
He will not curtail (the reward of) any of your deeds in
the least. Surely Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.
[14] Believers, in fact, are those who believe in Allah
and His Messenger, then have no doubt, and struggle,
with their riches and their lives, in the way of Allah.
Those are the truthful. [15] Say, "Would you apprise
Allah of your religion, while Allah knows all that is in
the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is
All-Knowing about every thing?" [16] They oblige you
that they have accepted Islam, (as if it was a favour
shown to you). Say, "Do not oblige me for your
accepting Islam. Rather, Allah makes you obliged for
His having guided you to the Faith, if you are truthful.
[17] Surely Allah knows the Unseen of the heavens and
the earth, and Allah keeps in sight whatever you do. [18]
Sequence of Verses in the Surah
In the preceding verses of the Surah it was stated that the basis of
honour in the sight of Allah is righteousness which is an inner quality,
and Allah alone knows it. It is improper for any man to claim
self-sanctification. In the current set of verses, it is stated, on account of a
particular incident, that the real basis of faith is the inner acceptance of
the heart. Mere lip-service to faith does not count the person as a faithful
believer. In the entire Surah, first the rights of the Prophet were set out
and then the rules of how to respect and honour him. Next the individual
and collective rights and rules of mannerism were set down to be applied
in social life. Now at the conclusion of the Surah it is reiterated that in the
Hereafter good deeds will be accepted and rewarded on the basis of faith,
sincere belief of the heart and obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
Circumstances of Revelation
According to Imam Baghawi, this verse was revealed in connection
with the tribe of Banu Asad. A few members of that tribe came up to the
Holy Prophet
in Madinah during a severe drought. These people were
not sincere believers. They had expressed their Islam merely to demand
financial help from the Muslim Sadaqat funds. As they were not believers
in the real sense of the word, they were unaware of Islamic injunctions
and manners. They spread filth and excrement on the streets of Madinah.
In the marketplaces they increased the prices of necessary items. First
they made a false claim of faith in the presence of the Holy Prophet 5;

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Surah Al-Hujurat : 49 : 14 - 18
second they wanted to deceive him; and third they regarded their Islam
as a favour to him. They said: "We embraced Islam without any conflict:
we did not fight against you as did other tribes for a length of time and
then they became Muslims; therefore you should value us." This was a
sort of disrespect to the Messenger , because they considered their Islam
as a favour to him. Their sole purpose was to derive financial aid from the
Muslim Sadaqat funds, enrich themselves and eradicate their poverty.
True and sincere faith is the most precious possession of a Muslim. By
accepting Islam, he does no show a favour to anybody; on the contrary, it
is a favour of Allah that he is guided to the Truth. On this occasion, the
current set of verses was revealed in which their false claim is refuted and
they have been taken to task for boasting of their so-called kindness and
favour conferred upon the Holy Prophet
Say, "We have surrendered'- 49:14). They had not ... ١) وَلكِنُ قُوُلُوا أَسُلَمُنَا
achieved the reality of faith. Thus they were claiming falsely to be
Muslims on the basis of their outward actions. The Qur'an first negates
their false claim of faith: You cannot claim "amanna" ['We have come to
believe']; the most you can say is "aslamna" ['We have surrendered'],
because the literal meaning of Islam is to recite the kalimah of Islam,
enter the fold of the religion and surrender. Obviously, being devoid of
the true spirit, this kind of Islam is mere superficial, not real and total. As
far as faith is concerned, it is related to the real belief by heart. Therefore,
mere verbal claim or lip-profession is meaningless, if it is not supported by
the heart.
Lexical and Technical Analysis of the Concepts "Islam" and
"Īman"
The foregoing discussion clarifies that the term "Islam" in this verse
bears the literal meaning of outward submission and not the technical
sense. Therefore, the verse does not show the technical difference between
the terms "Islam" and "'Iman". The two terms, technically, connote
different senses. "Iman", in the technical sense of Shari'ah, refers to the
belief by heart and thus connotes a firm and unshakable belief in the
Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger. "Islam", on the other hand,
stands for complete surrender and obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
However, "Islam" and "'Iman" of a person need to complement each other.
In Shari'ah, the belief of the heart must manifest itself by performing

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Surah Al-Hujurat : 49 : 14 - 18
deeds outwardly, the least degree of which is to proclaim the kalimah of
Islam verbally. But the outward performance of deeds is not recognised by
Shari'ah unless the faith goes deep down into his heart. Otherwise it
would be hypocrisy. Thus in the original and final analysis "Islam" and
"'Iman" are different concepts. "Iman" is the inner quality of the heart
and manifests outwardly whilst "Islam" starts out in outward actions and
culminates in the inner sincere affirmation of the heart. But in terms of
their goal, they are mutually necessary and complementary in that
"'Iman" without "Islam" is not possible, nor is "Islam" possible without
"'Iman". Hence, it is not true to say that "Muslim" and "Mu'min" are
antonyms and mutually contradictory concepts. In Shari'ah, it is not
possible for a person to be a "Muslim" but not a "Mu'min" or be a
"Mu'min" but not a "Muslim". However, this is possible only lexically, as is
the case of all hypocrites who used to be treated like Muslims, because of
their outward obedience of Islamic injunctions, but their hearts were
devoid of sincere faith, belief and affirmation. They were not believers.
Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best.
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Al-Hujurat
Ends here

149
Surah Qaf : 50 : 1 - 15
Surah Qaf
This Surah Qaf is Makki. It contains 45 verses and 3 sections
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful
Verses 1 - 15
قَ فَّ وَ الْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيْدِ ﴿٢﴾ بَلُ عَجِبُوْآ أَنْ جَآءَ هُمْ مُّنْذِرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ
الْكُفِرُوْنَ هَذَا شَىْءٌ عَجِيبٌ ﴿٤)﴾ ◌َ إِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابَاءَ ذلِكَ رَجْعٌ)
بَعِيدٌ ﴿٣﴾ قَدُ عَلِمُنَا مَا تَنْقُصُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْهُمُ وَعِنْدَنَا كِتْبٌ حَفِيظٌ
﴿٤﴾ بَلُ كَذَّبُوا بِالْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَ هُمْ فَهُمُ فِىٌّ أَمْرٍ مَّرِيُجٍ ﴿٥﴾ أَفَلَمُ
يَنْظُرُوْآ إِلَى السَّمَآءِ فَوْقَهُمُ كَيْفَ بَنَيْنُهَا وَزَيَنْهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِنْ فُرُوُجِ
وَالْأَرْضَ مَدَدُنْهَا وَاَلْقَيْنَا فِيْهَا رَوَاسِىَ وَاَنْبَتْنَا فِيُّهَا مِنْ كُلِّ
زَوْجِ بَهِيُجٍ ﴿٢﴾ تَبْصِرَةً وَّذِكْرِى لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُنِيْبٍ ﴿٨﴾ وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ
السَّمَآءِ مَآءَّ مُّبْرَكًا فَأَنْبَتْنَا بِهِ جَنْتٍ وَحَبَّ الْحَصِيْدِ ﴿﴾ وَالنَّخُلَ
بِسِقْتٍ لَّهَا طَلْعٌ نَضِيْدٌ ﴿٢﴾ رِزْقًّا لِلْعِبَادِ ) وَأَحْبَيْنَا بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَّيْتًاُ
كَذلِكَ الْخُرُوُجُ ﴿١١) كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمُ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَأَصُحبُ الرَّسِ
وَثَّمُوُدُ ﴿١٢﴾ وَعَادٌ وَّفِرُعَوْنُ وَإِخْوَانُ لُوطٍ ﴿٢٣﴾ وَأَصُحِبُ الْآَيْكَةِ
وَ قَوْمُ تُبَّعِ دُ كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيْدِ ﴿١٤﴾ أَفَعَيِيْنَا بِالْخَلْقِ
الْأَوَّلِ * بَلْ هُمْ فِىْ لَبْسٍ مِّنْ خَلْقٍ جَدِيْدٍ ﴿١٥﴾

150
Surah Qaf : 50 : 1 - 15
Qaf. (I swear) by the glorious Qur'an, (you are sent as a
messenger.) [1] But they wonder that a warner has come
to them from among themselves, so the disbelievers
said, "This is something strange. [2] Is it when we die
and become dust (that we will be brought to life again?)
That is a return, far (from understanding)." [3] We know
very well how much of them is diminished by the earth,
and We have a Book that records every thing. [4] Rather,
they rejected the truth when it came to them; so they
are in a confused state. [5] Did they not, then, look to
the sky above them, how We have built it and beautified
it, and it has no cracks? [6] And the earth-We have
spread it out, and cast on it firm hills, and caused to
grow therein every kind of delightful things, [7] as a
source of vision and as a lesson to every slave (of Allah)
who turns (to Him for guidance). [8] And We sent down
blessed water from the sky, and caused to grow
therewith gardens and grain of harvest, [9] and towering
date palms that have spadices, put one upon another,
[10] as a provision to the slaves (of Allah). And We gave
life with it to a dead land. Similar will be the exit (of
the dead from their graves). [11] It (resurrection) was
rejected prior to them by the people of Nuh, and the
people of Rass and Thamud, [12] and 'Ad, and Fir'aun,
and the brothers of Lut, [13] and dwellers of Aykah, and
the people of Tubba'. Each one of them rejected the
messengers; so My threat came true. [14] Is it then that
We were worn out by the first creation? No, but they
are in confusion about the new creation. [15]
Linkage with the preceding Surah
This Surah mostly contains subjects relating to the Day of Judgment,
Resurrection, the Reckoning, Paradise, the Fire, Allah's reward and
punishment etc. Thus this Surah is linked with Surah Al-Hujurat
because the concluding part of the latter Surah dealt with these subjects.
Characteristics and Virtues of Surah Qaf
It is reported in Muslim, as cited in Qurtubi, that Umm Hisham Bint
Harithah Ibn Nu'man La Jl , said: "For around two years, or a year
and a part of another year, we shared one single oven with the Holy
Prophet . I memorized Surah Qaf from the Holy Prophet & who used
to recite it every Friday while standing on the pulpit delivering the Friday
sermon to the people."
Sayyidna 'Umar Ibn-ul-Khattab 400 asked Abu Waqid Al-Laithi:

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Surah Qaf : 50 : 1 - 15
"What did the Holy Prophet
recite during the 'Id prayers?" He replied:
"Surah Qaf and Surah Qamar." Sayyidna Jabir 4ee reports that the Holy
Prophet
É used to recite Surah Qaf often in the morning prayer. (Despite
that this Surah is rather long,) the prayer was felt light (Qurtubi). It was
the special trait of the recitation of the Holy Prophet that praying
behind him caused no stress, even when he recited the long Surahs.
Is it Possible to Observe the Heaven?
- ?Did they not, then, look to the sky above them) أَفَلَمْ يَنْظُرُوا إِلَى السَّمَآءِ
50:6). Apparently this sentence indicates that it is possible to see the sky,
while the general impression is that the blue colour that we see above is
the colour of the atmosphere, and not that of the heaven. However, there
is no proof for non-existence of the sky, nor of the presumption that the
colour of the heaven is not blue. Besides, the word nazar (seeing) used in
the verse could mean perceiving through reason, that is, thinking,
pondering etc. (Bayan-ul-Qur'an)
Removal of a Doubt relating to Resurrection
We know very well how much of them is) قَدُ عَلِمُنَا مَا تَنْقُصُ الْأَرُضُ مِنْهُمُ
diminished by the earth, ... 50:4). The disbelievers wondered at the idea
that when they are dead and reduced to broken bones and particles of
dust and scattered all over the world, whether it is possible that, on the
Day of Resurrection, they will be raised up again. They thought that it
was impossible when they are dead, disintegrated, with their organs torn
apart that they will be brought back to their original shape and bodies.
The verse refutes the disbelievers' objection: Allah says that He knows
that which the earth takes of them, meaning He knows what the earth
consumes of their dead bodies; where and how the bodies disintegrated,
what they turned into and how they have become. Man's knowledge is
limited and narrow in scope which should not be compared to Allah's vast,
unlimited and encompassing knowledge - even the particles of objects
which the earth disintegrates are well preserved in Allah's infinite
knowledge. And a little reflection may reveal that even the body of a
living person is composed of innumerable particles that have been joined
together by Allah from different places. Whatever a person intakes in the
form of food or medicine is derived from different parts of the earth, and
all this forms part of his body. Then why should it be difficult for Him if
He recollects all these parts after they are disintegrated? Not only this, he
had a perfect and full knowledge of every man's destiny even before

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creating him as to what transformation will come about in every moment
of his life and what phases he will go through after his death. All this is
precisely recorded in the Preserved Tablet.
It is astonishing indeed that the disbelievers wonder at Him whose
knowledge is so perfect, full, complete and encompassing and whose
power is so infinite and discount the possibility of Resurrection!
This interpretation of 'diminishing by earth' is reported from Sayyidna
Ibn 'Abbas 4
, Mujahid and majority of the interpreters (Al-Bahr-ul-Muhit).
(so they are in a confused state ... 5). The word Marij,
(translated above as 'confused') means something mixed up with different
elements. Such a thing generally becomes corrupt or spoiled. Therefore,
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah
translates the word marij as "corrupt".
Sayyidna Dahhak, Qatadah
, Hasan Basri رحمه الله تعالى and others
interpret the word marij to mean "in disarray, in a confused state". This is
the state of those who deny the prophethood of the Holy Prophet
whatever they say and utter is no more than confusion. They are not
even consistent in their claims. Sometimes they call the Holy Prophet
a
sorcerer, at other times a poet; and yet at other times they refer to him as
a soothsayer or an astrologer. They were so confused that they could not
extricate themselves from their perplexity.
After mentioning the confused state of the infidels, Allah draws man's
attention to His infinite power which He demonstrated by creating what
is bigger than that which they wondered about and whose possibility they
discounted. Referring to the heaven, the Qur'an says: وَمَالَهَا مِنْ فُرُوْج ( ... and
it has no cracks ... 50:6). Lexically, the word furuj is the plural of farj which
means a crack, or an opening. This and the following few verses draw
attention to the marvels of Allah's creation, the wonderful design in the
universe, and to the flawless celestial firmament. If this was made by man
there would have been patches, cracks, clefts or rifts. But no one can find
any sort of patchwork or stitching in the sky. This, however, does not
negate the existence of doors in the heaven. A door is not referred to as a
crack:
Consoling the Holy Prophet
It [resurrection] was rejected prior to them) كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَأَصُحِبُ الرَّسِ
by the people of Nuh, and the people of Rass - 50:12). It was mentioned in
the preceding verses that the infidels rejected the Prophethood of

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Sayyidna Muhammad % and the Hereafter. This obviously perturbed
and upset him. In this verse Allah comforts him by narrating the stories
of the previous prophets and their communities. Every community in the
past persecuted their respective prophets. This was the behavior pattern
of all disbelieving nations against their prophets throughout history.
Thus the Holy Prophet
g is consoled that he should not be disheartened
by this behavior. The story of the people of Nuh & is repeated several
times in the Qur'an in that the Holy Prophet Nuh Be
preached to his
people for 950 years but in response they not only rejected him but also
subjected him to various hardships.
Who are people of Rass?
Lexically, the word rass in Arabic has several meanings. Most
prominently it refers to a well that has not been built by bricks or stones.
People of Rass were the remnants of Thamud who had remained alive
after the punishment. Dahhak 4ee and other commentators narrate their
story that follows. When the people of Salih & were destroyed by
Allah's punishment, a remnant [about 4000] of them escaped it, because
they had reposed faith in him and obeyed him. They left their original
place and took shelter in Hadramaut (a city in Yemen). Holy Prophet
Salih Me was with them. They went to a well and stayed there. Salih
passed away here; therefore this place is called Hadara Maut [death
overcame] and the people settled there permanently.
Later their descendants took to idol-worship, to whom a prophet was
sent to preach and reform, but they killed him. The community was
annihilated by Divine punishment. Their well, on which their lives
depended, was rendered useless; and their buildings and dwellings were
فَهِىَ خَاوِيَّةٌ عَلى ,desolated. The Qur'an has described it in the following words
At 44; "So, there they are, fallen down on heir roofs, and Chow many
a deserted well ane well-built castle!" (22:45). For discerning eyes the
abandoned well and desolate lofty palaces are sufficient to judge and
decide on the consequences of one's deeds ..
Thamud
These are the people of the Prophet Salih Sua whose story has been
repeated several times in the Qur'an.
'Ad
The nation of 'Ad was proverbial in their size, physical strength and
power as well as the strength that came to them in the wake of their

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increased wealth and children. Holy Prophet Hud das was sent to them.
Eventually, they were annihilated by the Divine punishment of a wind
storm.
Fir'aun
This is the title of the Egyptian king (The Pharaoh) notorious for his
tyranny.
Brothers of Lut
It means the community of the Prophet Lut Sel, whose story is
narrated several times in the Qur'an.
Dwellers of Aikah
Aikah means a dense bush; wood; forest; jungle, These people resided
in such a place. Holy Prophet Shuaib due was sent to this nation. They
disobeyed him and were destroyed by Divine punishment.
People of Tubba'
Tubba' was the title of the king of Yemen. The necessary explanation
has been given in volume seven in Surah Ad-Dukhan under [44:37].
Verses 16 - 29
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسُوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهْ جٌ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ
إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيْدِ ﴿١٦) إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيْنِ عَنِ الْيَمِيْنِ وَعَنِ
الشِّمَالِ قَعِيْدٌ ﴿١٧﴾ مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلَّ لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيْدٌ ﴿١٨)
وَجَآءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنْتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيْدُ ﴿١٩)
وَنُفِخَ فِى الصُّوُرِ ﴿ ذلِكَ يَوُمُ الْوَعِيْدِ ﴿٢٠﴾ وَجَآءَتُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ
مَّعَهَا سَآئِقٌ وَّشَهِيْدٌ ﴿٢١﴾ لَقَدْ كُنْتَ فِىُ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَذَا فَكَشَفْنَا
عَنْكَ غِطَاءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيْدٌ ﴿٢٢) وَقَالَ قَرِيْنُهُ هَذَا مَا لَدَىَّ
عَتِيدٌ ﴿٢ٌ﴾ الْقِيَا فِىُ جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيْدٍ ﴿٧٤) مَّنَّاعِ لِلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ
مُّرِيْبٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّذِىُ جَعَلَ مَعَ اللهِ إِلَّهًا آخَرَ فَلْقِيَهُ فِى الْعَذَابِ
الشَّدِيْدِ ﴿٢٦﴾ قَالَ قَرِيِّنُهُ رَبَّنَا مَآ أَطْغَيْتُهُ وَلَكِنُ كَانَ فِىُ ضَللٍ، بَعِيْدٍ

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Surah Qaf : 50 : 16 - 29
﴿٢٧ ﴾ قَالَ لَا تَخْتَصِمُوا لَدَىَّ وَقَدْ قَدَّمُتُ إِلَيْكُمُ بِالْوَعِيدِ ﴿٢٨) مَا
ع
يُبَدَّلُ الْقَوْلُ لَدَىَّ وَمَآ أَنَا بِظَلَّامِ لِلْعَبِيْدِ ﴿٢٩﴾
And indeed We have created man, and We know
whatever thoughts his inner self develops, and We are
closer to him than (his) jugular vein, [16] when the two
receiving angels receive (every human act to record it),
seated (one) on the right and (one) on the left. [17] Not a
single word is uttered by one, but there is a watcher
near him, ready (to record). [18] And the daze of death
has (to) come with truth. That is what you tried to
escape. [19] And the Horn will be blown. That will be
the day of (which) threat (was given). [20] And
everybody will come, along with one (angel) to drive
(him to the field of reckoning) and one (angel) to testify
(about his deeds). [21] "You were heedless of this. Now
We have removed your veil from you; so your sight
today is sharp." [22] And his companion (i.e. the angel
who recorded his deeds) will say, "This is what I have
with me, ready (to be presented as his record of deeds)."
[23] (Then it will be said,) "Cast, both of you (O angels,)
into Jahannam (hell) every stubborn disbeliever [24]
who used to prevent (others) from good, who
transgressed all bounds, who cast doubts (in true
faith), [25] who set up another god along with Allah. So
cast him (O angels) in the painful punishment." [26] His
(evil) companion (i.e. the Satan) will say, "O our Lord, I
did not cause him to rebel, but he was himself
(involved) in straying far from the track. [27] He (Allah)
will say, "Do not quarrel before Me, while I had sent to
you My threat well in advance. [28] The Word is not
changed with Me, and I Am not a wrongdoer to My
slaves." [29]
Linkage
The preceding verses purported to quell the doubt of those who denied
the possibility of Resurrection and who thought that raising the dead was
inconceivable. As a result, the unbelievers drew a false analogy between
their finite knowledge and power and the infinite knowledge and power of
Allah. Therefore, the perplexity arose in their mind: 'after we die,
disintegrate, with our organs torn apart, our bodies reduced to particles of
dust and scattered or spread all over the world, how is it possible to gather
them together and recompose them back into our original shape and

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Surah Qaf : 50 : 16 - 29
bodies?'
The preceding verses responded that the Divine knowledge is
all-encompassing and He knows every single particle of the universe, and
therefore it is not difficult for Him to recollect these particles. The same
subject has been further elaborated in the present verses by declaring
that Allah not only has the complete knowledge of man's scattered
particles, but He also has the full knowledge of all thoughts that cross the
mind of man. The verse explains the reason for that: Allah is nearer to
him than his jugular vein, on which is dependent his very life. Therefore,
He knows man's conditions and circumstances more than man himself.
Allah is Nearer to Man than his Jugular Vein: An Analysis
The concluding part of verse [16] says: ◌ِنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيُد (We are
closer to him than [his] jugular vein). The 'closeness' in the verse, by
consensus of scholars, refers to "nearness in terms of all-encompassing
knowledge" not in terms of physical closeness. In this manner, the verse
means that Allah's power and knowledge has so encompassed man from
within and without that His power and knowledge is nearer to him than
his own jugular vein.
The term warid [pl. awridah] in the Arabic language are animal
veins which supply blood to the entire body. Medically, there are two
types of veins: [1] the veins that emerge from the liver and supply pure
blood to the entire human body. Medically, only these veins are referred
to as warid [awridah]; and [2] the veins that emerge from animal heart
and supply the subtle vapor of blood to the entire human body which in
medical terminology is referred to as ruh [soul]. These veins are called in
Arabic shiryan [which actually refers to an artery]. The first type of veins
is thick-walled and the second type is thin-walled.
The word warid in the above verse does not necessarily apply to the
vein that comes from the liver in the medical sense. In fact it could well
apply, in the literal sense, to the vein that comes from the heart because
in that too a type of blood circulates. As the purport of this verse is to
show that Allah possesses full knowledge of all thoughts that cross the
mind of man, the literal sense of the term seems more appropriate.
Nevertheless, whether the word warld is taken medically in the sense of a
vein coming from the liver or in the sense of an artery coming from the
heart is immaterial. In both cases the living creatures' life depends on it.

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If the veins or arteries are cut, they lose their soul and die. In short, Allah
encompasses complete and full knowledge about everything of man,
because He is closer to him than his neck-vein.
According to the Honourable Sufis, here the term qurb (closeness)
goes beyond the concept of nearness in terms of knowledge. It is a special
type of ittisal [contact or bond or relationship between Allah and His
creation, including man who is placed at the centre of the wonderful
universe], the reality and nature of which is not known to anyone, but it
does necessarily exist bila kaif "without how" or indescribably. Various
Qur'anic verses and authentic Prophetic Traditions bear ample testimony
to this fact. For example, the Qur'an commands: ◌ُوَاسْجُدُ وَاقْتَرِب (and bow
down in sajdah, and come closer .... Al-'Alaq: 18) This is just like what the
Holy Prophet
is reported to have said: "The closest that a servant can
be to his Lord is when he is in prostration. Therefore, make abundant
supplications (i.e. while prostrating) ." Another Tradition reports that the
Holy Prophet % said: "When My servant performs supererogatory
prayers, he attains proximity to Me." On the occasion of migration to
Madinah, the Holy Prophet
said to Sayyidna Abu Bakr 4
إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا .
"Allah is with us. (9:40)" Holy Prophet Musa Sel said to the children of
Israel:إِنَّ مَعِىَ رَبِّى "My Lord is with me. " (26:62)
This qurb [nearness or proximity to Allah], which man attains
through nearness of obligatory and supererogatory works and through
his efforts, is reserved exclusively for a believer. Such believers are called
awliya'ullah [the friends of Allah: they are those whom Allah has chosen
as His friends]. This special bond with Allah is different from the general
relationship between Allah and man, whether believer or non-believer. In
brief, the above verses and narrations bear testimony to the fact that man
has a special type of proximity to his Creator and Master though its
reality and nature cannot be perceived. Maulana Rumi y du das, has
versified this concept thus:
بست ربِّ الّاس راباجانِ ناس
الصالح پ مثال وإ قياس ....
The Lord of the people has a special contact with the people
which is beyond one's perception and has no other example.
This nearness and proximity cannot be perceived by the ordinary
sensation of physical sight, but it is attained through farasah of 'iman

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[perspicacity through faith]. Tafsir Mazhari interprets qurb and ittisal in
this verse in the same sense. We have learnt earlier the interpretation of
the majority of the commentators that it is not physical proximity, but
rather the all-encompassing, full and complete knowledge of Allah. Apart
from these two interpretations, Ibn-Kathir interprets it in a third way. He
says that the pronoun "We" does not refer to the "Being" of Allah, but to
His angels who are all the time with man. They know man's soul so
closely that man himself is not so well aware of it. Allah knows best!
The Two Recording Angels with every Man
when the two receiving angels receive (every human act) إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّينِ
to record it - 50:17) In the phrase idh yatalaqq al-mutalaqqiyani, (when
the two receiving angels receive) the verb yatalaqqa is aorist from the
infinitive talaqqi which denotes to take, to accept, to receive, to learn as in
the verse ◌ٍفَتَلَقّى أدَمُ مِنْ رَّبِّهِ كَلِمت "Thereafter 'Adam received a few words from
his Lord (2:37)". The word mutalaqqiyani in the verse is the dual of
al-mutalaqqi and refers to the two angels that accompany every human
being all the time to receive and record the deeds of mankind. The phrase
(50:17 .seated [one] on the right and [one] on the left)عَنِ الْيَمِيْنِ وَعَنِ الشِمَّالِ قَعِيدٌ
means that the angel sitting on the right records one's good actions, and
that on the left, his bad actions. The word qa'id is used in the sense of
qa'id, like jalis in the sense of jalis - both meaning "sitting". The word
ga'id is used for singular as well as plural. However, there is a difference
in the usage of qa'id and jalis as opposed to qa'id and jalis in that the
former means a person who is actually sitting. But qa'id and jalis are
used in the general sense of the words, that is, he who accompanies
someone whether sitting, standing or moving around. The word qa'id is
used in the verse to describe the two angels, because they accompany
human beings all the time and in every state - whether sitting or
standing, whether moving or sleeping. The angels move out only when
the humans undress their private parts for purposes of responding to the
call of nature or having sexual intercourse. However, Allah has equipped
them with a special innate sensing device, so that they realize the sins, or
become aware of the sins that are being committed in their absence. Ibn
Kathir states that, according to the narration of Ahnaf Ibn Qais, the
angel sitting on the right records the good deeds, and he is also the
supervisor over the angel on the left. If a person commits a sin, the angel

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Surah Qaf : 50 : 16 - 29
on the right says to the one on the left, "Do not write it yet; give him a
chance; may be he will repent; if he does, then let it go; otherwise record it
in your record of deeds". (Ibn-Abi Hatim transmitted it)
رحمه الله تعالى Explanation of Hasan Basri
عَنِ الْيَمِيْنِ وَعَنِ Hasan Basri recited the above verse containing the phrase
:seated one on the right, and one on the left) and said) الشِّمَالِ قَعِيد
"O son of 'Adam! Your record of deeds has been spread, and two
honorable angels have been appointed. One on your right side
and the other on your left. The one on your right side records
your good deeds, and the one on your left records your evil deeds
and sins. Focus on this reality, and do what you desire, increase
it or decrease it. When you die, your record of deeds will be
folded, and put around your neck. It will go with you in the
grave, and remain there. When you will rise from your grave on
the Day of Judgement, Allah will say:
وَكُلَّ إِنْسَانِ اَلْزَمُنْهُ طَئِرَهُ فِىُ عُنُقِهٍ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيْمَةِ كِتْبًا يَّلُقْهُ مَنْشُورًا. إِقْرَأُ
كِتْبَكَ كَفِى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيْبًا .
"And every human's (deeds determining his) fate We have tied
up to his neck, and We shall bring forth for him, on the day of
Resurrection, a book he will receive wide open. [13] "Read your
book. This day you yourself are enough to take your own
account." [14] (Sūrah Bani Isra'il - 13, 14).
Then Hasan Basri رحمه الله تعالى said:
"By God! The Supreme Being has done a great justice in that
He has appointed you to take account of your own actions". (Ibn
Kathir)
Obviously the book or the ledger of deeds would not be made up of
mundane paper, so that there should be any difficulty in understanding
how it will go with him in the grave and remain there with him until the
Day of Resurrection. It is a transcendental reality, the actual nature of
which is known only to Allah. Therefore, it should not be surprising if the
book is put as a garland round the neck and remains there until the Day
of Resurrection.
Every Utterance of Man is Recorded
Not a single word is uttered by one, but) مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنُ قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيْدٌ
there is a watcher near him, ready [to record] ... 50:18) In other words,

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there is always a supervising angel [the scribe] whose responsibility is to
record any word that the human utters or speaks. Sayyidna Hasan Basri
and Qatadah said that this angel records every single word - whether or
not it is sinful or rewardable. Ibn 'Abbas 4% said that only those
utterances are recorded that are sinful or rewardable. Ibn Kathir, having
quoted both these views, preferred the first view on the basis of the
general words of the verse that every utterance is recorded. According to
another narration of Sayyidna Abu Țalhah
from Ibn 'Abbas 45% both
the views can be accommodated. This narration states that in the first
instance every utterance is recorded, whether or not it is sinful or
rewardable. Once a week on Thursdays, the angels review the recorded
utterances and retain only those that are sinful or rewardable, good or
يَمْحُوا اللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيُثْبِتُ :bad; the rest are discounted. Thus the Qur'an says
.(Allah wipes off what He wills and affirms (what He wills" وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتْبِ
And with Him is the Mother Book." (Ar-Ra'd 39)
Imam Ahmad has reported from Sayyidna Bilal Ibn Harith Al-Muzani
that the Messenger of Allah has said:
"Verily, a man sometime utters a good word that pleases Allah,
unaware of how highly it will be rewarded, and on its account
Allah decrees His pleasure of him until the Day he meets Him.
Similarly, a man might utter a word that angers Allah,
unaware of how dreadful its punishment will be, and on its
account Allah decrees for him His anger until the Day he meets
Him."
Sayyidna 'Alqamah 4%, after narrating this from Bilal Ibn Harith 4
used to say: "How many words did I not utter because of this hadith." (Ibn
Kathir)
Daze of Death
[And the daze of death has [to) وَجَآءَتُ سَكُرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ﴿ ذلِكَ مَا كُنُتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيْدُ
come with truth. That is what you tried to escape ... 50:19) The phrase
sakrat-ul-maut denotes the agony and the stupor or daze of death that a
dying person experiences. Abu Bakr Ibn-ul-Anbarī jus QU dos, with his
own transmitting authorities reports from Masruq that when the signs of
death appeared on Sayyidna Abu Bakr Siddiq
رضى Siddiqah A'ishah
Wie AUI was called. She came and when she saw her father's condition, she
spontaneously versified and recited: