النص المفهرس

841
Surah Al-‘Alaq : 96 : 1 - 19
possible for anyone to engage so many thousands of human beings in his
service. The same applies to clothes and other needs which require the
services of thousands of millions of humans and animals to prepare the
needful things. None of them is his servant. Even if he hires them at a
rate of wages to work for him, it would not be possible for him to pay them
their wages or salary. This secret or mystery dawns upon man when he
realizes that the system of preparing all his needs is set into motion by the
consummate wisdom of the Creator of the universe. He inspired someone
to become a farmer, He cast into another's mind to become a woodcutter or
a carpenter, He kindled in someone else's mind to become a blacksmith,
He stimulated others to be content with labouring or working for
somebody else, He ignited in others the burning desire to be involved in
commerce or business, trade or industry. In this way, Allah has set up a
bazaar of human needs which no government, nor its legal system or an
individual could ever set up. A careful thinking along this line must lead
us to the natural corollary that إنَّ إلى رَبِّكَ الرّجغى (Surely to your Lord is the
Return.", that is, we witness that ultimately all things are under Divine
power and wisdom.
Verses [9-10] آرَءَ يُتَ الَّذِىُ يَنُهى. عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلّى (Have you seen him who forbids
a slave of Allah when he prays?) From here to the end of the Surah, the
verses allude to an incident. When the Holy Prophet
was enjoined to
perform the salah, he started performing it at first privately, later in
public in the Sacred Mosque. Abu Jahl stopped him from performing
salah and threatened him that if he were to perform salah and prostrate,
he would [God forbid!] trample his neck. Verse [14] أَلَمُ يَعْلَمُ بِاَنَّ اللهَ يَرى (Does
he not know that Allah is watching?) is in response to the threat made by
Abu Jahl, and the verse does not mention whom He is watching. It is of
general application - He is watching the pious personality who is
performing the salah, as well as the wretched, miserable person who is
obstructing the performance of the salah. Here the statement merely
asserts that Allah is watching everything and everyone. It does not
specify what will happen at Resurrection, because the horrible, terrible
and dreadful scenes of that are unimaginable.
Verse [15 - concluding part] ◌ِلَنَسُفَعًا) بِالنَّاصِيَة ( ... We will certainly drag
[him] by forelock.) The nasfa'an is derived from the infinitive safuun
which means 'to seize and drag' and the word nasiyah means 'forelock',
that is, the front part of a person's hair that falls forward over the

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Surah Al-‘Alaq : 96 : 1 - 19
forehead. When a person's forelock is seized , he becomes helpless in the
hands of the seizer.
Verse [19] ◌ُكَلَّا لَاتُطِعُهُ وَاسُجُدُ وَاقْتَرِب (No! never obey him, and bow down in
sajdah {Prostration}, and come closer.) The Holy Prophet
is advised to
ignore and disobey Abu Jahl when he stops him from praying. He is
asked to be steadfast in prayer and prostration.
Acceptability of Supplication in the Posture of Prostration
It is recorded in Abu Dawud on the authority of Sayyidna Abu
Hurairah & that the Messenger of Allah
اقرب مايكون العَبد من ربّه وهو :said
The closest that a servant can be to his Lord is when he is) ساجد فاكثروا الدعاء
in prostration. Therefore, make abundant supplications [while
فانّه قمن ان يستجاب لكم :prostratingl) Another authentic Tradition states
( ... because it is fitting and proper that supplications be accepted in the
state of prostration.)
Ruling
It is valid to supplicate in the supererogatory (nafl) salah while
prostrating. In certain narrations, special words of the supplications are
recorded from the Holy Prophet teg. It is better to recite those transmitted
prayers of the Holy Prophet
. There is no proof or evidence of such
supplications in the prostration of obligatory salah, because the obligatory
salah needs to be short.
Ruling
A prostration is compulsory for one who recites this verse and listens
to it. A narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah 40 states that the
Messenger of Allah
used to prostrate when he recited this verse. Allah
knows best!
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Al-'Alaq
Ends here

843
Surah Al-Qadr : 97 : 1 - 5
Surah Al-Qadr
(The Qadr)
This Surah is Makki, and it has 5 verses
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful
Verses 1 - 5
إِنَّ أَنْزَلْنُهُ فِىُ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَآ أَدْرِئِكَ مَا لَيْلَهُ الْقَدُرِ ﴿٣ٌ﴾ لَيْلَهُ
الْقَدْرِ ا خَيْرٌ مِّنُ اَلْفٍ شَهُرٍ ﴿(ٌ﴾ تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَئِكَةُ وَالرُّوُحُ فِيْهَا بِذْنِ
رَبِّهِمْ مِّنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ ﴿٤﴾ سَلْم ◌َ هِىَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ
ع
We have sent it (the Qur'an) down in the Night of Qadr.
[1] And what may let you know what the Night of Qadr
is? [2] The Night of Qadr is much better than one
thousand months. [3] The angels and the Spirit descend
in it, with the leave of your Lord, along with every
command. [4] Peace it is till the rising of dawn. [5]
Occasion of Revelation
Ibn Abi Hatim has reported from Mujahid (as mursal hadith) that the
Messenger of Allah
was told about a mujahid [warrior in the cause of
religion] from amongst the Children of Israel who carried weapons of war
on his shoulders for a thousand months during which time he never laid
down his arms. The Companions were amazed when they heard this. On
that occasion, this Surah was revealed which describes that worship in
the Night of Qadr granted to this Ummah exceeds by more than a
thousand months of jihad persistently fought by that warrior. According
to another narration of Mujahid cited in Ibn Jarir, a worshipper from
among the Children of Israel used to worship Allah the whole night, and

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Surah Al-Qadr : 97 : 1 - 5
as soon as the dawn broke, he would arm himself and fight the whole
day. This continued consecutively for a thousand months. This Surah was
thus revealed. This shows the superiority of the Ummah of the Holy
Prophet , and that the Night of Qadr is a special characteristic of this
ummah. [Mazharī].
Meaning of The Night of Qadr
One meaning of the word Qadr is 'greatness, honour or dignity'. Zuhri
and other scholars have assigned this meaning to it. The night is called
the Night of Qadr because it is a night of greatness, honour, majesty and
dignity. Abu Bakr Warraq has stated that this night is so called because a
person becomes a man of honour and dignity on account of repentance,
seeking pardon and righteous acts during this night, whilst prior to this
he might have lacked honour and dignity on account of unrighteous life
he might have led.
Another meaning of the word Qadr is 'predestination'. From this point
of view, the night is so called because the destiny of individuals and
nations that was decided in pre-eternity is assigned to the relevant angels
who are appointed for cosmic planning. Every man's age, death,
sustenance, rain and other things are measured out to the angels to be
implemented for a complete year from one month of Ramadan to another.
If an individual is destined to perform Hajj in the forthcoming year, it will
be prescribed. According to Ibn 'Abbas 4ee, there are four angels in charge
of cosmic planning: [1] Israfil; [2] Mika'il; [3] 'Izra'il; and [4] Jibra'il ,Le
.السلام
It is clearly stated in [44:3-5]
إِنَّ أَنْزَلْنُهُ فِىٌ لَيْلَةٍ مُّبْرَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ ﴿٣﴾ فِيُهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيْمٍ ﴿٤﴾ أَمْرًا مِّنُ
ج
عِنْدِنَا﴿ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِيْنَ
We have sent it down in a blessed night, (because) We had to
warn (people). [3] In that (night), every wise thing is decided [4]
through a command from Us. We were to send the Messenger
[5]. (44:3-5)
'Laylatun Mubarakah' or the 'blessed', according to overwhelming
scholars of the Qur'an, refers to the Night of Qadr. The angels record and

845
Surah Al-Qadr : 97 : 1 - 5
descend with whatever Allah has destined or decreed for the coming year.
Some scholars hold that the 'blessed night' in 44: 3 refers to the fifteenth
night of Sha'ban, that is, 'Laylatul Bara'ah ' or the 'Night of Immunity'.
This view may be reconciled with the former one by holding that the
initial Divine decrees are decided on the Night of Immunity, and the
details are recorded and handed over to the relevant angels on the Night
of Qadr. This is supported by a narration of Ibn 'Abbas see which
Baghawi has recorded on the authority of Abud-Duha which states that
Allah decrees all cosmic matters on the Night of Immunity, but they are
only handed over to the relevant angels on the Night of Qadr. [Mazhari].
Date of the Night of Qadr
It is explicitly stated in the Qur'an that the Night occurs in the blessed
or auspicious month of Ramadan, but its exact date has not been
disclosed. As a result, it is disputed and debated among scholars. There
are about forty opinions recorded. Mazhari states that the most authentic
opinion is that the Night of Qadr occurs in the last ten nights of
Ramadan, but no specific date has been fixed. It could be any of the last
ten odd nights which may alternate from year to year. According to
authentic Traditions, it could be one of the following nights: 21, 23, 25, 27
and 29. Thus all the apparently conflicting Traditions relating to the odd
nights are reconciled. All the Traditions pertaining to the date of the
Night are authentic, and there is no need for any convoluted
interpretation. Most eminent jurists - like Aba Qilabah, Imam Malik,
Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Sufyan Thawri, Ishaq Ibn Rahwaih, Abu
Thawr, Muzani, Ibn Khuzaymah and others - agree that the Night occurs
in the last ten odd nights, alternating. Imam Shafi'i has two opinions. In
one he sides with the majority, and in another he holds that the night is
fixed and does not alternate. [Ibn Kathir].
Sayyidah 'A'ishah's Lu U > narration is recorded in Sahih of
Bukhari, according to which the Messenger of Allah
É is reported to have
said: تحرّوا ليلة القدرفى العشر الاواخر من رمضان "Look for the Night of Qadr in the
last ten nights of Ramadan." Ibn 'Umar 4ge narrates, as recorded in Şahin
Muslim, that the Messenger of Allah said: فاطلبوها فى الوتر منها "Search for
it in the last ten odd nights of Ramadan." [Mazhari].

846
Surah Al-Qadr : 97 : 1 - 5
The Value and Importance of the Night and a
Special Du'a for the Night
The greatest virtue of the Night is mentioned in the Surah itself, that
is, the acts of worship performed in this single night is better than
worship in one thousand months which amounts to eighty-three years
and four months. The figure here and elsewhere in the Qur'an does not
signify its precise number, but simply denotes a very large or high
number. Allah alone knows how much more or better.
It is recorded in Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Sayyidna
Abu Hurairah 4% that the Messenger of Allah
said: "He who spends
the Night of Qadr in the worship of Allah, all his past sins will be
forgiven." Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "All the angels resident at the 'Lote Tree of the Uttermost
Boundary' descend in the leadership of Sayyidna Jibra'il ME and greet
every believer, man or woman, except one who takes wine or eats pork."
Another narration reports that anyone who is deprived of the good of the
Night of Qadr is in fact deprived of all good. On the Night of Qadr some
people experience and witness special anwar [lights]. However, it may be
noted that this is not experienced or witnessed by all and sundry nor is it
part of the blessings and reward of the Night. Therefore, people should
not concern themselves about it.
Sayyidah 'A'ishah رضى الله عنها once asked the Messenger of Allah
what supplication she should make if she finds the Night. The Messenger
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ :of Allah # advised her to make the following supplication
O Allah! Verily, You are the Oft-Pardoning, You love to" الْعَفْوَ فَاعُفُ عَنِّى
pardon, so do pardon me." [Qurțubi].
Revelation of the Holy Qur'an
Verse [1] ◌ِإِنَّا أَنْزَلْنُهُ فِىُ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدُر" We sent it [the Qur'an] down in the Night
of Qadr."This verse makes explicit that the Holy Qur'an was revealed on
the Night of Qadr. This could have one of two meanings: [1] the entire
Holy Qur'an was revealed on this Night from the Preserved Tablet. Then
Sayyidna Jibra'il KE, according to the exigency of circumstances,
brought it down to the Messenger of Allah g piecemeal over a period of
twenty-three years; and [2] it is related that the first revelation,

847
Surah Al-Qadr : 97 : 1 - 5
consisting of the opening verses of Surah [96], took place in the month of
Ramadan on the Night of Qadr, when the Messenger of Allah
was at
his devotion in the cave of Hira'. The rest of the Qur'an was revealed little
by little according to the need of different occasions.
All Heavenly Books were revealed in Ramadan
Sayyidna Abu Dhar Ghifari
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "Holy Prophet Ibrahim's && Scriptures were revealed on 3rd of
Ramadan; Torah was revealed on 6th of Ramadan; Injil was revealed on
13th of Ramadan; Zabur was revealed on 18th of Ramadan; and the Holy
Qur'an was revealed on 24th of Ramadan." [Mazharī].
Descent of the Angels and the Spirit with Divine Decrees
Verse [4] ◌ُتَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَئِكَةُ وَالرُّوح (The angels and the Spirit descend in it, with
the leave of their Lord, along with every command.) 'Spirit' here refers to
Jibra'il Řekl.
Sayyidna Anas 4
narrates that the Messenger of Allah said:
"When the Night of Qadr occurs, Jibra'il ME descends on the earth with a
huge throng of angels and all of them pray for every servant of Allah,
man or woman, busy in salah or dhikr, to be blessed by Allah." [Mazhari].
In the phrase 25 (along with every command), the preposition min is
used in the sense of 'with' as in [13:11] ◌ِيَحْفَظُونَه؛ مِنْ أَمْرِاللّه The verse under
comment means the angels bring down, during the Night of Qadr, the
decree for everything destined to occur in the coming year. Some of the
commentators, like Mujahid and others, say that the phrase 2 Ks & min
kulli amrin is syntactically related to salam, and the word 'Amr means
'every thing'. Thus they interpret the statement to mean: "The night is a
security from every evil, harm and calamity.' [Ibn Kathir].
Verse [5] L. (Peace it is till the rising of dawn.) The word Salam
[peace] stands for a complete sentence meaning 'it is all peace, equanimity
and complete goodness, having no evil in it.' [Qurtubi]. Some scholars treat
the word Salamun as a sentence qualifying ~ 3 & min kulli amrin,
meaning 'the angels come with every such matter which is good and
peace'. [Mazharī].
The concluding expression of the verse means the هِىَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ
blessings of the Night of Qadr are not restricted to any particular part of

848
Surah Al-Qadr : 97 : 1 - 5
the night. They start descending at the fall of night and continue till the
break of dawn.
Special Note
According to there verse 'The Night of Power is better than a
thousand months' which equals eighty-three years and four months.
Obviously, each year will contain a laylatul Qadr which will be better
than a thousand months. As a result, the Night of Qadr will recur ad
infinitum, that is, repeat or continue without an end. For this reason,
some of the commentators say the expression 'more than a thousand
months' does not include nights of Qadr. Thus this should not pose any
problem. [Ibn Kathir on the authority of Mujahid].
On account of geographical positions, the time will vary from place to
place. As a result, the Night of Qadr will not occur in all the regions of the
world simultaneously. This is not a problem because people of each
location should calculate and consecrate the night and receive its
blessings according to their geographical position. Allah, the Pure and
Exalted, knows best.
Ruling
If anyone performs the 'Isha' and Fajr salahs in congregation, he will
receive the blessings and reward of the Night of Qadr. The more one
performs acts of worship in this night, the more he shall receive its
blessings. It is recorded in Şahin of Muslim that Sayyidna 'Uthman
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "If a person performs his
'Isha' salah in congregation, he will attain the blessings of spending half
the night in devotion; and if he performs Fajr salah in congregation, he
will attain the blessings of spending the entire night in devotion."
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Al-Qadr
Ends here

849
Surah Al-Bayyinah : 98 : 1 - 8
Surah Al-Bayyinah
"The Clear Proof)
This Surah is Madani, and it has 8 verses
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful
Verses 1 - 8
لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتْبِ وَالْمُشْرِكِيْنَ مُنْفَكِّيْنَ حَتَّى
تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ ﴿٢﴾ رَسُوُلٌ مِّنَ اللهِ يَتْلُوا صُحُفًا مُّطَهَّرَةً ﴿٢﴾ فِيْهَا
وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِيْنَ أُوْتُوا الْكِتَبَ إِلَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ
كُتُبٌ قَيْمَةٌ
﴿ وَمَآ أُمِرُوْآ إِلَّ لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِيْنَ لَهُ الدِّيْنَ
مَاجَآءَ تُهُمُ الْبَيّنَةُ .
لا حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلوَةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكُوةَ وَذلِكَ دِيْنُ الْقَيِّمَةِ ﴿هُ﴾ إِنَّ
الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتْبِ وَالْمُشْرِكِيْنَ فِىُ نَارِجَهَنَّمَ لحِدِيْنَ
فِيُهَا أُولَئِكَ هُمُ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ ﴿٢﴾ إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصُّلِحتِ؟
أُولَئِكَ هُمُ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ ﴿٢﴾ جَزَآؤُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنْتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِىُ
مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهُ خلِدِيْنَ فِيْهَآ أَبَدًا ﴿ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوْا عَنْهُ "
ذلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّه،
Those who disbelieved from among the People of the
Book, and the polytheists, were not (expected) to desist
(from their wrong beliefs) unless there came to them a
clear proof, [1] a messenger from Allah who recites the

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Surah Al-Bayyinah : 98 : 1 - 8
purified scrolls [2] containing (right and) straight
writings. [3] And those who were given the Book did not
disagree but after the clear proof came to them, [4]
while they were not ordered but to worship Allah,
making their submission exclusive for him with
integrity, and to establish salah and pay zakah. And
that is the way of the straight religion. [5] Surely those
who disbelieved from among the People of the Book and
the polytheists will be in the fire of Jahannam, in
which they will be living forever. Those are the worst of
all human beings. [6] As for those who believed and did
righteous deeds, they are the best of all human beings.
[7] Their reward, with their Lord, is gardens of eternity
beneath which rivers flow in which they will be abiding
forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are
pleased with Him. That is for him who has awe of his
Lord. [8]
Situation of the People of the Book and of the Pagan Arabs
before the advent of the Final Messenger of Allah
Verse [1] draws attention to the situation of the world before the
advent of the Messenger of Allah %: The entire world was sunk deeply in
the darkness of ignorance, superstition, corruption, disbelief and
paganism. When the whole world was so benighted, the infinite grace,
mercy and wisdom of the Lord of the worlds bubbled up to dispel the
darkness, to cure the obnoxious diseases and to dissipate the universally
prevailing calamities. The moral and spiritual maladies were acute,
excruciating, serious and severe. As a result, there was a need for an
effective, expert and a competent healer who would be able to cure them.
Such a healer was raised in the person of the Final Messenger of Allah
who is described as al-Bayyinah 'The Clear Proof. The healer came with a
Book. Now follows some of the important characteristics of the Holy
Qur'an.
Verses [2-3] ◌ٌيَتْلُوا صُحُفًا مُطَهَّرَةً. فِيُهَا كُتُبٌ قَيّمَة (a messenger from Allah who
recites the purified scrolls containing [right and] straight writings. - 98:2,3)
The verb yatlu is derived from the infinitive tilawah, meaning 'to read
out or to recite'. However, not every reading or reciting is tilawah, but
only the one that is very closely followed according to the teacher's
instruction. Probably, this is the reason why the word tilawah is
specifically used, in common idiom, for 'the recitation of the noble Qur'an'

851
Surah Al-Bayyinah : 98 : 1 - 8
. The word suhuf is the plural of sahifah and it refers to 'a leaf or a page
of a book or some leaves of paper on which something is written'. The
word kutub is the plural of kitab and it may mean: [1] a leaf or page of a
book or some leaves of paper on which something is written. From this
point of view, the words kutub and suhuf are synonyms; or [2] now and
then the word kitab [pl. kutub] is used in the sense of a 'writ ' as in [8:68]
Had there not been a writ from Allah which came" لَوْلَا كِتْبٌ مِّنَ اللهِ سَبَقَ
earlier ... " the word kitab is used in the sense of a 'writ'. In this context,
the second sense seems to fit in more appropriately because if it is taken in
the first sense, the words kutub and suhuf, being synonyms, the
prepositional phrase fiha is rendered meaningless. The pronoun -ha in
the phrase refers to suhuf , and the two statements would mean: 'reciting
purified written pages in which are true written pages'. This is not in
keeping with the lofty rules and principles of Qur'anic eloquence.
The word afh' mutahharatan [purified] is an adjective qualifying the
noun șuhuf [pages/scrolls]. According to Ibn 'Abbas 4%, the Scriptures are
completely free from all possible flaws, forgeries, doubt, hypocrisy and
deviations. The word qayyimah is used in the sense of 'straight', and is
the adjective of the noun kutub, and it means its laws, ordinances and
injunctions are upright, straight, just and balanced. It could also mean
'lasting and permanent'. In this instance, the phrase would signify that
the Divine injunctions of the Holy Qur'an will last permanently till the
Day of Judgement. The verse thus purports to say that the sending of the
Holy Prophet Muhammad
'[as the Clear Proof] was essential to the
transformation of the people of earlier revelations and the pagans who
had ended up in disbelief and could not have departed from their erring
ways without the help of his
Prophetic mission. His
mission was to
recite the pure scrolls to them which contained clear Divine injunctions.
Initially he 5 did not recite from the Scriptures but from his memory, but
the sense here is that he recited to them a discourse that was later written
and preserved in scrolls. The Qur'an [as the Clear Proof] is the
compendium of all that is good, lasting and immutable teachings.
Verse [4] ◌ُوَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِيْنَ أُوْتُوا الْكِتْبَ إِلَّ مِنْ بَعُدِ مَاجَآءَ تُهُمُ الْبَيّنَه (And those who were
given the Book did not disagree but after the Clear Proof came to them.)
The verb tafarraqa here means 'to deny, reject or differ and disagree'. The

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Surah Al-Bayyinah : 98 : 1 - 8
verse means to say that the People of the Book had eagerly awaited the
advent of a great Holy Prophet
about whom clear prophecies were
found in their Scriptures, clear description of the Holy Prophet g was
given, in that the Qur'an would descend upon him and it would be
compulsory for them to obey and follow him, but when he appeared in
fact, then instead of accepting him, they rejected him. The Qur'an points
out that there was a complete agreement among the Jews and the
Christians that the Final Messenger
will make his appearance, as in
while earlier, they used to seek ... " وَكَانُوا مِنُ قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا [2:89]
help against those who disbelieved ... " That is, the Torah had in several
places foretold the coming of the Holy Prophet
g. In fact, the Jews
themselves used to tell the pagan Arabs that a new Prophet was soon to
come who will vanquish them, and the Jews claimed that they would be
with him, so they would be victorious. Further in [2:89] the Qur'an states
yet when there came to them that they did ... " فَلَمَّا جَاءَ هُمُ مَّا عَرَفُوا كَفَرُوا بِه
identify, they denied it ... ". The phrase 'that they did identify' could refer
to the 'Final Messenger' g or the 'new Divine Book [the Qur'an]' or the
'religion of Truth'. The same theme runs through the verse under
comment: Many people accepted the new Prophet
, the new Book and
the new religion in terms of the prophecies made in their revealed
Scriptures, but a large number, especially the Christians, rejected them. It
is a strange phenomenon that before his advent they believed in him
without a single dissenting voice, but when he appeared as the Clear
Proof, dissention arose and a large number rejected him while a small
number believed in him.
Since this phenomenon was restricted to the People of the Book, it did
not include the pagans, unlike verse [1] which includes the pagans also.
Allah knows best!
Verse [5] ◌ِوَذلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيّمَة (And that is the way of the straight religion.)
The word qayyimah [the straight] is apparently the qualifier of the noun
kutub [Books] which occurred earlier. Some treat the adjective as
qualifying the noun millah [religion]. The verse purports to say that
Allah commanded the People of the former Scriptures that they should
render full and sincere obedience to Divine commandments, that is, to
worship Allah alone. They should also establish the regular prayers and

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Surah Al-Bayyinah : 98 : 1 - 8
pay the obligatory alms. Then the Qur'an reminds them that this is not
their distinctive feature exclusively. All former religions that are upright
and received Books from Allah have the same features. This is the true
religion of all the Prophets
that they preached to their respective
people. It would appear that the phrase kutubun qayyimah [(right and)
straight writings], contextually, refers to the Qur'anic ordinances and
injunctions. From this point of view, the verse would signify that the
ordinances and injunctions of the Shari'ah of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad
are exactly the same as those that were given to them in
their revealed Scriptures. They were not divergent so that they could find
a pretext to oppose.
Verse [8] "رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُمُ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ﴿ ذلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّه (Allah is pleased with
them, and they are pleased with Him; that is for him who fears his Lord.)
This verse points to the highest stage of spiritual development of the
inmates of Paradise, that is, the Divine pleasure with no danger of Divine
displeasure. This is the greatest reward with which the people of faith will
be blessed. The God-fearing people are well-pleased with Him because of
the comprehensive favours He has given them. Sayyidna Abu Sa'id
Khudri 4% narrates that the Messenger of Allah % said:
"Undoubtedly, Allah shall address the inmates of Paradise: JAG
" '!O Inmates of Paradise' الْجَنَّةِ
They will reply:َلَبَّيْكَ رَبَّنَا وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّه، فِىٌ يَدَيْك Our Lord, we
are present and ready to carry out Your orders. All good is in
Your control.'
Allah shall ask them : ◌ُهَلُ رَضِيتُم Are you happy?'
They will submit: 'How can we not be happy when You have
given us what You have not bestowed on any of Your creation? '
Allah will tell them: 'Shall I not grant you something superior
to all of this?'
They will exclaim: 'What can be superior to this?'
Allah will reply: 'I shall grant you My pleasure, and I will never
be angry with you in the future."". [Transmitted by al-Bukhari
vide Mazharī].
It should be noted here that there are two types of rida' [pleasure]:

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Surah Al-Bayyinah : 98 : 1 - 8
one in general sense; and second in specific or higher sense. In the
general sense, rida' bil-qadr (i.e. to be pleased with every decree of
Allah) is part of the obligations of a servant of Allah. A consummated
slave is only ever satisfied and content with Allah Himself, and thus
sincerely accepts the Divine decree. However, here the word is used in the
higher sense, that is, Allah bestows upon a slave all his specific wishes
وَلَسَوُفَ يُعْطِيُكَ [93:5] and ambitions without leaving out any of them as in
+'& S; (And of course, your Lord will give you so much that you will be
pleased.) Here also the word 'rida" means the fulfillment of every wish of
the Holy Prophet
. When this verse was revealed, the Messenger of
Allah
expressed his wish and ambition that he would not be pleased
until every single believer is taken out of Hell. [Mazhar]]
Verse [8 - the concluding phrase] "ذلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّه ( ... That is for him
who has awe of his Lord.) The word 'fear' or 'awe' here is not used in the
sense of an 'agitated, disturbed or perturbed feeling' which we naturally
have for an enemy, a beast, a ferocious animal or an obnoxious thing that
might harm us. 'Khashyatullah' (Allah's awe) is, on the contrary, a
feeling of deep, reverential awe that leads man to Allah's obedience. It is
the awe of Allah's Majesty and His Incomparability that makes the
perfect slave do every work under every circumstance to attain the Divine
pleasure and evade every occasion of His displeasure. This is the axis on
which rotates the religious perfection and all bounties of the Hereafter.
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Al-Bayyinah
Ends here

855
Surah Az-Zilzal : 99 : 1 - 8
Surah Az-Zilzal
(The Quake)
This Surah is Madani, and it has 8 verses
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful
Verses 1 - 8
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا ﴿٢﴾ وَاَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا ﴿ٌ﴾ وَ قَالَ
الْإِنْسَانُ مَالَهَا ﴿َ﴾ يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا ﴿٤﴾ بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْخِى لَهَا
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَّصُدُرُ النَّاسُ اَشْتَاتًا لا لِيُرَوْا أَعُمَالَهُمُ ﴿٢﴾ فَمَنُ يَّعُمَلُ
مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَّرَهُ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَنْ يَّعُمَلُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرَّا يَّرَه،
When the earth will be trembled with its quake, [1] and
the earth will bring forth its burdens, [2] and man will
say, "What has happened to it?" [3] That day it will
describe all its happenings, [4] because its Lord will
have so commanded it. [5] That day the people will come
back (from the place of reckoning) in different groups,
so that they may be shown (the fruits of) their deeds. [6]
So, whoever does good (even) to the weight of a particle
shall see it. [7] And whoever does evil (even) to the
weight of a particle shall see it. [8]
The Merits of Surah Az-Zilzal
Sayyidna Anas and Ibn 'Abbas une report that the Messenger of
Allah said that Surah Al-Zilzal equals half the Qur'an, Surah Al-Ikhlas
equals a third of the Qur'an and Surah Al-Kafirun equals a quarter of
the Qur'an. [Transmitted by al-Tirmidhi, al-Baghawi and al-Mazhari].

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Surah Az-Zilzal : 99 : 1 - 8
The Scene of the Day of Resurrection
Verse [1] إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا (When the earth will be trembled with its
quake.) It is not clear whether this earthquake refers to the convulsion
that will take place in the world before the 'first blowing of the trumpet',
as is mentioned in connection with the portents of the Doomsday, or it
refers to the quake that will occur after the 'second blowing' when the
dead bodies will be resurrected and thrown out of their graves. Narratives
and views of the commentators differ on this issue. It is not inconceivable
that many quakes and convulsions would occur: first, before the 'first
blowing'; and second, after the 'second blowing' at the time of raising the
dead. Here it probably refers to the second quake, and the context
supports it, because the Surah later on describes the scenes of the Day of
Resurrection, such as reckoning, weighing and evaluating of deeds, and
recompense . Allah knows best. [Mazhari]
Verse [2] وَآَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ الْقَالَهَا (and the earth will bring forth its burdens.)
Muslim has recorded in his Sahih from Abu Hurairah
that the
Messenger of Allah % said:
"The earth will throw out the pieces of its liver [contents]. Gold and
silver will come out like columns. A murderer will come and say: 'I killed
for this ?' The one who broke the ties of kinship will say: 'For this I
severed the ties of kinship?' The thief will say: 'For this I got my hand
amputated?' Then they will leave it there, and no one will take anything
from it."
Verse [7] "ُفَمَنُ يَّعُمَلُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَّرَه (So, whoever does good [even] to the
weight of a particle shall see it.) The word 'good' here refers to what is
good in terms of Shari'ah, that is, only a good deed done in the wake of
faith is recognized by Allah. Any good deed done in the state of disbelief is
not recognized, and consequently it will not be rewarded in the Hereafter,
though it might have been rewarded in this world. It is argued on the
basis of this verse that anyone who has an atom's weight of faith will
eventually be taken out of Hell. The reason being that, according to the
promise made in this verse, man must reap the fruit of his righteousness
in the Hereafter. If he has not done any righteous deeds, faith itself is a
great righteousness. Thus no matter how sinful a believer may be, he will

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Surah Az-Zilzal : 99 : 1 - 8
not be condemned to Hell for good. On the other hand, if a non-believer
has done tons of good deeds, they will be rendered vain in the Hereafter
on account of lack of faith. He will, however, receive reward for them here
in this world.
Verse [8] "وَمَنْ يَّعُمَلُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَّرَه (And Whoever does evil [even] to the
weight of a particle shall see it.) By 'evil' here is meant the evil for which
the evil-doer has not repented. The Qur'an and the Sunnah bear ample
testimony to the fact that any sinner who sincerely repents for his sins
Allah will most certainly accept his repentance. However, the sins for
which the sinners have not repented in this world shall certainly bring
their results, no matter how trivial or petty they might have been in their
appearance. That is why the Messenger of Allah
warned Sayyidah
'A'ishah Li Ul , to beware of the sins that are belittled, for indeed they
will be taken account of by Allah." [Transmitted by Nasa'i and Ibn Majah].
Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud 4% says that this verse is most robust
and comprehensive verse of the Holy Qur'an. Sayyidna Anas 4
in a
lengthy narration reports that the Messenger of Allah
referred to this
verse as الفاذة الجامعه "the unique, most comprehensive verse".
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Az-Zilzal
Ends here

858
Surah Al-‘Adiyat : 100 : 1 - 11
Surah 'Al-Adiyat
(The Running Horses)
This Surah is Makki, and it has 11 verses
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful
Verses 1 - 11
وَالْغَدِيتِ ضَبْحًا ﴿٢﴾ فَالْمُوُرِيِتِ قَدْحًا ﴿٢﴾ فَالْمُغِيُرْتِ صُبْحًا ﴿٢﴾
فَاثَّرُنَ بِهِ نَقُعًا ﴿٤﴾ فَوَسَطُنَ بِهِ جَمْعًا ﴿٥﴾ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُوُدٌ
وَإِنَّهُ عَلى ذلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ ﴿٤﴾ وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيْدٌ ﴿1﴾ آَفَلَا
يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعُثِرَ مَا فِى الْقُبُورِ ﴿٤﴾ وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِىُ الصُّدُوُرِ ﴿١٠﴾ إِنَّ
رَبَّهُمْ بِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَخَبِيرٌ ﴿٤﴾
I swear by those (horses) that run snorting, [1] then
those that create sparks by striking (their hoofs) on the
stones, [2] then those that invade at morning, [3] and
raise a trail of dust therein, [4] then enter, at the same
time, into the centre of the (opposing) host, [5] man is,
indeed, very ungrateful to his Lord, [6] and he himself is
a witness to that fact. [7] And in his love for wealth, he
is very intense. [8] Does he not then know (what will
happen) when all that is contained in the graves will be
overturned, [9] and all that is contained in the hearts
will be exposed. [10] Surely your Lord, that day, will be
fully aware of them. [11]
Place of Revelation
According to Sayyidna Ibn Mas'ud, Jabir, Hasan Basri, 'Ikramah and

859
Surah Al-‘Adiyat : 100 : 1 - 11
'Ata' Ll lll +++), Surah Al-'Adiyat was revealed in Makkah and,
according to Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas, Anas, Imam Malik and Qatadah, the
Surah was revealed in Madinah. [Qurțubi].
In this Surah Allah describes the special features of war-horses or
chargers, and swears by them. The subject of the oath states that man is
very ungrateful to his Lord. It has been explained time and again
previously that it is the prerogative of Allah to swear oath by any of his
creatures to recount an event or set down ordinances. It is not permitted
for any of the human beings to take oath by any of the creatures. The
purpose of swearing an oath is to confirm or give weight to a
subsequently stated truth. It is also mentioned earlier that when the Holy
Qur'an swears an oath by an object, it has some nexus with the subject of
the oath. Here the hard tasks of the war-horses are called to bear
testimony to the fact that man is very ungrateful for Allah's favours. In
other words, man needs to look at the horses, especially the war-horses,
who risk their lives to travel under very dangerous and difficult
conditions, especially in the battlefields where they follow the commands
of their masters, whereas man has not created them, he has not even
created the fodder he gives to them. His task is merely to give them the
fodder that Allah has created. The horses recognize and acknowledge this
little favor man does to them, and are prepared to risk their lives and bear
the greatest of hardships. As against this, Allah has created man with an
insignificant drop of sperm and endowed him with high faculties, abilities,
intellect and senses to perform various types of tasks, thus making him
the crown of His creation. He [Allah] provided him with all types of food.
Facilities are created for all his needs and necessities in an amazing
manner. But man does not recognize and acknowledge any of these
sublime favors, nor does he express his gratitude to his Creator.
Lexicographical Analysis
The word tele 'adiyat is derived from the root 'adw' which means 'to
run'. The " dabh means 'the sound coming out of the chest of a horse
when it runs fast and breathes laboriously; panting.' The word ux
muriyat is the active participle of the infinitive of chil ira'. The infinitive
means 'to strike or produce fire with a particular piece of wood.' The word
zu gadh means 'to strike or produce fire with a flint; striking sparks of

860
Surah Al-‘Adiyat : 100 : 1 - 11
fire when the horse runs fast on a rocky ground with horse-shoes on'. The
word of'x' mughirat is active participle of the infinitive ale igharah. The
infinitive means 'to attack, or make a sudden hostile excursion upon, an
enemy'. The word subh means 'morning or dawn'. This time has been
specifically mentioned because it was the practice of Arabs to attack their
enemy at dawn, and not at night in order to show off their bravery. They
thought making a hostile excursion on the enemy in the darkness of night
was an act of cowardice. The word 3' atharna is derived from 'itharah,
which means 'to raise dust'. The word da naq' means 'dust'. This implies
that the dust became stirred up and spread upon the horizon, especially
in the morning when the horses run fast. Normally, this is not the time
for clouds of dust to fly in this way, unless it was caused by very fast
running.
Verse [100:5] فَوَسَطُنَ بِهِ جَمُعًا (then enter, at the same time, into the centre
of the [opposing] host) In other words, they penetrate into the centre of
the enemy forces without the least degree of fear.
The word kanud, (100:6) according to Hasan Basri ( AU ), refers
to the one who counts the calamities that befall him, and forgets Allah's
favours. Abu Bakr Wasiti said that kanud is the one who spends the
bounties of Allah for sinful purposes. Tirmidhi said that kanud is the one
who looks at the bounty, and not at the Bounteous Lord. In short, all
these interpretations lead to the sense of 'ungratefulness to favours and
bounties' and hence the expression kanud means 'ungrateful'.
Verse [100:8] ◌ٌوَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيد (and in his love for wealth, he is very
intense.) Literally, the word khair means 'any good thing'. Idiomatically,
the word khair, in Arabic, means 'wealth' implying that 'wealth' is an
embodiment of goodness and benefit. However, some type of wealth can
involve man in untold misery. In the Hereafter, this will be the position of
all wealth acquired through unlawful means. Sometimes, wealth in this
world too can prove to be nuisance and disaster. Nonetheless, according to
Arabic idiom, worldly goods in this verse have been described as khair as
the same word in another verse [2:180] ( 3) " ... he leaves some
wealth ... ". In this verse as well the word khair means 'wealth'.
To recap, having taken oath by war-horses, the subject states two