Indexed OCR Text

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 27 - 32
This is also similar to what was said about the Jews that they rec-
ognized the Last Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as they would recognize their
sons, yet they remained all bent on opposing him.
To sum up, it can be said that the Creator knows, in His eternal
knowledge, that the claim of these people that once they have been
sent back to the world, they would become ideal Muslims, is a lie and a
deception. If they were, as they wished, to be released into the world
put together after its destruction, then, once again, they would do ex-
actly the same things they used to do in their earlier lives.
The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is reported to have said: At the time
of reckoning, Allah Ta'ala will ask Sayyidna Adam WILL to stand
near the Scale of Justice and will ask him that he should look at the
deeds of his progeny and allow anyone whose good deeds outweigh his
sins to go to Paradise. And then He would say: The one I shall admit
to the punishment of Hell will be the one about whom I know that he,
if sent to the world again, would do the same thing he had been doing
earlier.
About the sentence: ◌ْوَهُمُ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُم (And they shall be carrying their
burdens) in verse 31, it appears in Hadith narrations that, on the day of
Qiyamah, the deeds of good people will become their ride while the evil
deeds of evil people will be placed like a burden on their heads.
Noteworthy here is that disbelievers and sinners will do everything
possible to save their skins on the fateful day of Resurrection. They
will be nervous and confused. Sometimes they would hide behind false
swearing. At others, they would wish to be returned to the world of
their earlier experience. But, none of them will say: Now, we have be-
lieved and now we shall be doing nothing but what is good - because
they would have seen reality and seen it very clearly - that the phase
of Akhirah, the Hereafter, is not the Venue of Deeds (Dar al-'Amal),
and that the soundness of 'Iman (faith) depends on its being 'bil-ghayb,'
that is, without having the need to see what is Unseen. Confirming
what has been seen is simply acting in line with what has been per-
sonally seen. It is not what the attestation to the truth of Allah and
His Messenger is. So, let us be very clear that working for the pleas-
ure of Allah Ta'ala, earning its fruits in the form of the promised state
of everlasting bliss, hoping to be blessed with Paradise in the Here-

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after, and having a good life of peace and tranquility right here are
things which can be achieved only (repeat, only) through the life of the
present world, neither before, nor after - for it is not possible to
achieve these in the universe of spirits (arwah) before it, nor is it possi-
ble to achieve it in the domain of the Hereafter, after the world of our
experience is no more there.
The Present Life is a Great Blessing: Invest Wisely,
and Prosper
Now we can see that the life of this world is a great blessing, and
certainly an asset of unmatched value. (To borrow the terminology of
modern investors, 'with such chips in one's hands, who would not go
for such a deal of deals?' - Tr.). So, this life is an opportunity which
must be taken seriously. That is why suicide is forbidden as Haram in
Islam, and equally prohibited is praying for death, even the making of
a wish to die. This is so because it shows ingratitude for a great bless-
ing of Allah Ta'ala.
Also clarified here is the basis on which worldly life has been char-
acterized as game and fun in the last verse (32) here, as well as in sev-
eral other verses of the Qur'an, or in many Ahadith which condemn
worldly life. There, by worldly life what is censured is the time of life
which is spent being heedless to the thought and concern of Allah
Ta'ala. Otherwise, no wealth of the world is equal in worth to the time
one spends in remembering Allah and doing what He has commanded
us to do. This is also confirmed by a Hadith which says:
الدُّنْيَا مَلْعُوْرٌ وَمَلْعُوْنٌ مَّا فِيْهَا الَّ ذِكْرُ اللهِ أَوْ عَالِمْ أَوْ مُتَعَلِّمُّ
Dunya is cursed and cursed is what is in it, except the Dhikr
of Allah, or 'Alim (a knowledgeable person) or a student.
If seen closely, a teacher (of religion) and a student (of religion) are
included under the Dhikr (Remembrance) of Allah because 'Ilm' means
the knowledge which becomes the cause of the pleasure of Allah. So,
the learning and teaching of such an 'Ilm are both included under
Dhirkrullah. In fact, according to the clarification of Imam al-Jazri,
everything done in this world which is done in conformity with obedi-
ence to Allah, that is, in accordance with the injunctions of the Sha-
ri'ah, is all included under the Dhikr of Allah. This tells us that every-

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 33 - 41
thing necessary that must be done in this life of the world, all permis-
sible ways of earning one's livelihood, and the fulfillment of other
needs which are not beyond the limits set by the Shari'ah, shall all be
considered as being included under the Dhikr of Allah. In fact, the ful-
fillment of the rights of family, relatives and friends, neighbours and
guests and others has been identified as an act of Sadaqah (charity)
and 'Ibadah (worship of Allah).
To recapitulate, it can be said that, there is nothing in this world
more worthy of Allah's favour than 'Ita'ah (obedience to Him) and
Dhikr (remembrance of Him). Then, the dearest and the worthiest
possession man has is his time of life in this world. And we know that
this time is limited. And no one knows exactly how long his or her life
is, seventy years or seventy hours, or no more than the span of a
breath. On the other hand, we know that the pleasure of Allah which
is the only guarantee of a good life, here and there, can be acquired
only within the limits of our life in this world. Now, every human be-
ing, whom Allah has blessed with sense and vision, can decide it for
himself how he is going to spend these limited moments and hours of
his life, and in what. No doubt, common sense would demand that
this precious time should mostly be spent in what would meet the
pleasure of Allah. As for chores which are necessary to hold this life
together, they should be taken to as needed.
In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said:
اُلْكَتِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ وَرَضِىَ بِالْكَفَافِ وَعَمِلَ لِاَ بَعْدَ الْمُؤْتِ
Wise is he who controls his self, and stays pleased with mini-
mal resources, and devotes his deeds for what is after death.
Verses 33 - 41
قَدْنَعُلَمْ إِنَّهُ لَيَحُبُّكَ الَّذِىُ يَقُوُلُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُوْنَكَ وَلكِنَّ
الْظُلِمِيْنَ بِيُتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُوْنَ ﴿٢٢﴾ وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلُ قِنْ
قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُوا عَلَى مَاكُذِّبُوا وَأُوْذُؤًا حَتَّى أَثْهُمْ نَصُْوْنَاً وَلَا
مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَتِ اللَّهِ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَكَ مِنْ تَّبَاِى الْمُؤْسَلِيْنَ ﴿٣٤)
وَإِنْ كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَبْتَغِىَ نَفَقًّا

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 33 - 41
فِى الْأَرْضِ أَوْسُلَّمًا فِى السَّمَاءِ فَتَأْتِيَهُمُ بِيَةٍ* وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللّهُ
◌َجَمَعَهُمُ عَلَى الْهُدَى فَلاَ تَكُوُنَنَّ مِنَ الْجُهِلِيْنَ ﴿٢٥﴾ إِنََّا
يَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِيْنَ يَسْمَعُونَ﴿ وَالْمُؤْتِى يَبْعَنُّهُمُ اللهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ
يُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾ وَقَالُوا لَؤْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ أَيَةٌ مِن رَّبِّه+ قُلُ إِنَّ اللّهَ
قَادِرٌ عَلَى أَنْ مُنِزِلَ ايَةً وَلِكِنَّ اكْتَرَهُمُ لَيَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٧) وَمَا
مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِى الْأَرْضِ وَلَا ظَئٍِ يَطِيٌْ بِجَنَاحَبْدٍ إِلَّ أُمَمٌ
أَمْثَالُكُمْ هُ مَا فَتَظِنَا فِىِ الْكِتْبِ مِنْ شَىْءُ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ
يُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾ وَالَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوا بِأَيِتِنَا ◌ُّ وَيُكُمُّ فِى الْظَّلُمْتِ،
مَنْ يَشَِ اللَّهُ يُضْلِلُ، وَمَنْ يَّشَأُ يَجْعَلُهُ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيٍْ
﴿ ٣٩﴿ قُلُ أَرَءَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ آَتْكُمْ عَذَابُ اللَّهِ أَوْ آَتَنْكُمُ السَّاعَةُ
اَيْرَ اللهِ تَدْعُونَ إِنْ كُنْتُمُ صُدِقِيْنَ ﴿٤﴾ بَلُ إِيَّاهُ تَدْعُونَ
فَيَكُشِفُ مَا تَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِنْ شَاءَ وَتَنْسَوْنَ مَا تُشْرِكُوْنَ ﴿٤١)
We do know the fact that what they say does grieve
you, because it is not you that they are belying, but the
transgressors are actually denying the signs of Allah.
[33]
And, indeed, messengers have been belied before you,
but they stood patient against their being belied, and
they were tortured until Our help came to them. And
no one can change the words of Allah, and of course,
there have come to you some accounts of the messen-
gers. [34]
And if their aversion is too hard on you, then seek, if
you can, a tunnel into the earth or a ladder onto the
sky in order to bring them a sign. And had Allah willed,
He would have brought them all to the right path. So,
never be one of the ignorant. [35]
Only those respond who listen. As for the dead, Allah
shall raise them after which they shall be returned to-

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 33 - 41
wards Him. [36]
And they say, "Why is it that no sign has been sent
down to him from his Lord?" Say, "Allah is surely pow-
erful enough to send down a sign, but most of them do
not know." [37]
There is no creature moving on the earth, nor a bird
flying on its two wings, but they all are communities
like you. We have not missed anything in the Book.
Then, to their Lord they shall be gathered together.[38]
And those who have belied Our signs are deaf and
dumb, in layers of darkness. Whom Allah wills, He lets
him go astray, and whom Allah wills, He brings him on
the straight path. [39]
Say, "Tell me if the punishment of Allah comes to you
or the Hour befalls you, would you call someone other
than Allah, if you are truthful?" [40] Rather, Him alone
you will call and He, if He wills, shall remove what you
call Him for and you will forget those you associate
with Him. [41]
Commentary
About the statement: apie asu (it is not you they are belying,
rather, it is the signs of Allah they are denying) in the first verse (33),
there is a related event, reported in Tafsir Mazhari on the authority of
a narration by As-Suddiy, according to which, once Akhnas ibn Shu-
raiq and Abu Jahl, two chiefs of the Quraysh tribe met together. Akh-
nas asked Abu Jahl: O Abul-Hikam, (In Arabia, Abu Jahl was called Abul-
Hikam - 'man of wisdom' - but because of his hostility to Islam, he became
known as Abu-Jahl - 'man of ignorance'), you and me are alone here.
There is no third person listening to us. Tell me about Muhammad ibn
'Abdullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. Tell me what you really think about him. Is
he telling the truth or is he not?
Swearing by Allah, Abu Jahl said: No doubt, Muhammad _ is
true. He has never lied all his life. But, the problem is that the
thought, that only a single branch of the tribe of Quraysh, the Banu
Qusayy, is going to become the repository of all sorts of virtues and
perfections while the rest of the tribe remains totally deprived, is
something that we cannot take. It is too much. They have the flag in

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 33 - 41
their hands. They have the important duty of providing water for the
Hajj pilgrims in their hands. They are the custodians of the Ka'bah;
its keys are in their hands. Now, if we are to accept that the station of
prophethood also belongs to them, what the rest of the Quraysh will be
left with?
According to another narration reported from Najiyah ibn Ka'b,
once Abu Jahl himself told the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: We do not
suspect you of lying nor do we belie you, but we do belie the Book or
Religion which you have come up with. (Mazhari)
Based on these narrations of Hadith, the verse can be taken in its
real sense, that is, 'these disbelievers do not belie you, rather, they be-
lie the signs of Allah.' And this verse could also be taken in the sense
that these disbelievers, though belie you obviously but, in reality, the
outcome of belying you is itself the belying of Allah and His signs - as
it appears in Hadith, that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Whoever
causes pain to me is liable to be judged as causing pain to Allah.
The sixth verse (38): 215 34 0} (there is no creature moving ... ) tells us
that, on the day of Qiyamah, animals will also be given life along with
human beings. Following a narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah, it
has been reported by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim and Baihaqi that, on
the day of Qiyamah, all animals, beasts and birds will also be given life
once again. Such will be the measure of Divine justice that a horned
animal which had hit the hornless one shall be subjected to retalia-
tion, as would be the case with others too. And when all injustices
have been vindicated, all of them would be commanded to become dust
- and then, dust they shall become. This would be the time when the
disbeliever will say: & 220 [78:40] that is, 'would that I too were to
become dust, and thus saved from the punishment of Hell!'
In another narration, again from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah, Imam
Al-Baghawi reports that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: On the
day of Qiyamah, rights of all holders of rights shall be vindicated, to
the limit that a hornless goat shall be vindicated against the horned
one.
Maximum Regard for the Rights of Allah's Creation
Everyone knows that animals have not been obligated to observe

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 42 - 45
the percepts of any Shari'ah or code of laws. Only human beings and
Jinns have been so obligated. And it is obvious that the jurisdiction of
reward and punishment does not apply to the non-obligated. There-
fore, 'Ulama' have said that the retaliation against the behaviour of
animals on the day of Resurrection will not be because of their being
obligated, but it will be because of the Lord's utmost regard for equity
and justice - based on which the cruelty of one living creature against
the other living creature will be recompensed, with no reward or pun-
ishment to follow for the rest of their behaviour. This tells us that the
matter of mutual rights, and their infringements, pertaining to the
creation of Allah is so serious that even non-obligated animals have
not been left as exempted from it. But, it is regrettable that there are
even many religiously-observing people who would act negligently
about it.
Verses 42 - 45
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلُنَّا إِلَى أُمَمِ قِنْ قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذُنُهُمُ بِالْبَأْسَآءِ
وَالضَّرَّاءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَتَّعُونَ ﴿٢﴾ فَلَُلَا إِذْ جَاءَ هُمْ
بَأُسُنَا تَضَّعُوا وَلكِنُ قَسَتْ قُلُؤُبُهُمْ وَزَتَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطُرُ"
مَاكَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾ فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَاذُكِّرُوْا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ
أَبُوَابَ كُلِّ شَُ ، حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوْتُّاَ آَخَذُنُهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا
هُمْ تُبْلِسُونَ ﴿٤٤﴾ فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَهُوُا* وَالْحَمْدُ
لِلْهِرَتِّ الْعُلَمِيْنَ ﴿٤٥)
And We did send messengers to communities before
you and put them to hardships and sufferings, so that
they may supplicate in humility. [42] Why then, did they
not supplicate in humility when Our punishment came
upon them? Instead, their hearts were hardened and
the Satan adorned for them what they were doing. [43]
Thereafter, when they forgot the advice they were giv-
en, We opened for them doors of everything until when
they became proud of what they were given, We seized
them suddenly and they were left in despair. [44] Thus,

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 42 - 45
the people who did wrong were uprooted to the last
man, and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. [45]
Commentary
The verses cited above, if seen in the context of verses appearing
immediately previous to them, will show the particular mode in which
Shirk and Kufr have been refuted and Tauhid, affirmed. First, the dis-
believers of Makkah have been asked: If you are hit by a calamity now,
for example, the punishment of Allah descends on you right here in
this world or comes death or the very Day of Doom breaks loose, then
think and answer who it will be you would call for help to keep this ca-
lamity away from you or who it would be you will hope to deliver you
from this terrible punishment? Do you think these self-sculpted idols
in stone or any others from among the creation of Allah you have given
His status would come out to help you in your hour of trial? And then,
would you still address your cry of distress to them, or would you rath-
er appeal to none but Allah, the One, the All-Powerful?
There can be no better answer from any sensible human being
which was given by Allah Ta'ala Himself on behalf of them - that, at a
time of such mass calamity, even the greatest Mushrik will forget all
about his idols and self-appointed objects of worship and would call
none but Allah. If so, the outcome is obvious. These idols of yours,
and the objects of worship whom you have given the status of Allah
Ta'ala and whom alone you regard as your problem solvers and grant-
ers of wishes, in fact, did not come to help you in your distress, nor
could you muster the courage to call them up to help you out. Now
then, when would it be that your devotion to them as objects of wor-
ship and their role of problems solvers assigned to them by you will
start working for you?
What has been said here is a gist of immediately previous verses.
Stated here as a matter of supposition is that punishment could befall
them within the life of this world as an outcome of their disbelief and
disobedience. And, again as a matter of supposition, if the punish-
ment does not visit them in the present life, then, the coming of the
Qiyamah is certain after all when account will be taken from all hu-
man beings of their deeds and put in effect shall be the law of reward
and punishment against these.

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 42 - 45
'Qiyamah' here could mean the commonly acknowledged Qiyamah
or the Day of Doom. It is also possible that, by the particular use of the
word, 'As-Sa'ah' (The Hour) -[41], the sense could be that of 'The Small-
er Doom' (al-Qiyamatus-Sughra) which stands activated for every hu-
man being immediately after his or her death - as the saying is: Su &
Bu cu m (For one who dies, his or her 'Qiyamah' (Doom) stands es-
tablished right then) because a preliminary sampling of the ultimate
reckoning of the Qiyamah will come before the deceased in his or her
'Qabr' (burial place) and in the state of Barzakh (the post-death ~ pre-
Qiyamah state) and the sampling of the ultimate reward and punish-
ment due 'there' would start showing up right from 'here.' (Not too diffi-
cult to visualize for those familiar with 'testers' and 'samples' provided on per-
fume counters in alcoves of major mega stores which are meant to tell the
visitor: 'WYSIWYG!' That is, 'what you see is what you get.' - Tr.)
But, despite warnings given in these verses to disobedient people
against their attitude of complacency - lest there comes upon them
some sudden Divine punishment as has come on past communities, or
death, or ultimately the very reckoning after Qiyamah about which
there is no doubt - such people have a mind of their own. They tend to
take the whole world on the analogy of their limited experience in the
already limited time of their life which makes them compulsive excuse
seekers in such matters. Present before them the warnings and inti-
mations given by blessed prophets and they will bypass them as am-
biguous thinking, specially at times, and which reappear in all ages,
when there are people around who, in spite of their open disobedience
to Allah and His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, keep prospering in wealth,
property, influence, recognition and power, almost everything. So, on
the one hand, here is what they witness with their own eyes, while, on
the other hand, is the word of the blessed messenger of Allah who tells
them that punishments do come upon the disobedient as it is the cus-
tomary practice of the One they disobey. Now, as they look at the two
sides of the argument simultaneously, then, their own excuse seeking
disposition and, of course, the Satan hoodwinks them into believing
that the word of the prophet is a deception or delusion.
Now, for an answer, we can turn to the present verses where Al-
mighty Allah has pointed out to the law which applies to what hap-

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 42 - 45
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلُنََّ إِلَى أُمَمِ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فَآَخَذْنَاهُمُ بِالْبَأْسَآء : pened to past communities. It was said
It means that Allah did send, before the Holy Prophet وَالضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَُّؤْنَ
His prophets to other communities which were tested in two ways.
Firstly, they were tested with hardships and sufferings to see if these
would become the cause of their turning to Allah. But, when they
failed in this test and, rather than turn to Allah and abandon disobedi-
ence, became all the more engrossed in it, then, they were subjected to
a different kind of test. The doors of worldly comforts were opened to
them. They had everything they could wish for in the material world
so that through these blessings they could recognize their Benefactor
and remember Him. But they, rather than be grateful to Him, were so
lost in the labyrinth of luxury that they forgot all about the messages
and teachings of Allah and His Messenger. Thus, having traded their
souls for the glitter of fleeting comforts, they failed in both tests, and
their case before Allah became conclusively established against them.
So, they were seized by the punishment of Allah suddenly which de-
stroyed them to the last man. This punishment had come upon earlier
communities too, down from the heavens and up from beneath the
earth, and such mass punishments have come in other ways too which
had reduced whole peoples and nations to ashes. The people of Sayy-
idna Nuh WJILL were deluged in the great flood which did not spare
even mountain peaks. The people of 'Ad were hit by an eight-day long
wind storm which left not one survivor. The people of Thamud were
destroyed through a terrifying sound. The entire habitation of the
people of Sayyidna Lut W JI ale was overturned, the remnants of which
still exist in the west of Jordan in the form of a low lying water level
which is not conducive to the survival of any sea life. Therefore, it is
called The Dead Sea, and also the Sea of Lut.
In short, these were some forms in which Divine punishment befell
past communities as a result of their disobedience destroying whole
nations and peoples in one stroke. However, it has also happened that
such people died away naturally leaving no one behind to remember
them.
Also clarified in these verses is that Almighty Allah does not send
down His punishment upon any people all of a sudden. Instead, pun-
ishments come at the level of admonitions the purpose of which is to
make it possible for people to shed their heedlessness and take to the

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correct path. We also know from here that the hardship or distress
which is sent to people on the earth as punishment for them, though
outwardly looks like punishment but, in reality, it is not. Instead of
that, it serves the purpose of a wake-up call designed to shake people
out of their heedlessness. As such, it is nothing but mercy. Says an-
other verse of the Qur'an : ◌َوَلَنُذِيُقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْآَدُنى دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبِرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُون ,that
is, We will make them taste a lesser punishment, leaving the greatest
punishment aside, so that they may return - 32:21.
Removed from these very verses is the doubt about this world
which is no place for rewards (Darul-Jaza'), but a place where one
must do what one should (Darul-'Amal). What then is the sense of be-
ing punished in this world where good and bad seem to be weighed on
the same scale and where, in fact, the evil ones fare better than the
good? The answer is clear. The real reward and punishment will
come on that one day of Qiyamah, which is known as the very Day of
Judgement (Yowmud-Din) or the Day of Retribution (Yowm al-Jaza') ..
But, some hardships are sent in this world as a sample of punishment
('Adh ab) and some comforts as a sample of reward (Thawab) which are
a token of mercy from Allah. Some spiritual masters have even said
that all comforts of the world are indicators of the comforts of Paradise
so that one learns to long for them. As for all those hardships and sor-
rows that afflict man in this world, they too are indicators of the pun-
ishment of the Hereafter so that man prepares to stay safe against
them. Unless there is a sample or model in sight, no one can be pursu-
aded towards anything, nor can anyone be detracted from any impend-
ing danger or evil.
So, the comforts and discomforts of this mortal life are not rewards
and punishments as such. They are, rather, samples or tokens of re-
wards and punishments. We may say that this whole world is a show
room of Akhirah (the Hereafter) where the trader displays the demon-
stration pieces of his merchandise in front of his store or shop so that
they could attract the buyer. Thus, we can see that worldly prosperity
or poverty, happiness or sorrow are not reward and punishment in the
real sense. Actually, they are a method of bringing the creation of Al-
lah alienated from its Creator back to His fold.
At the end of verse 42 itself, this element of wisdom finds expres-
1

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 42 - 45
sion through the words: 324 (so that they may supplicate in hu-
mility). It means that the hardship inflicted on them during their life
in the present world was really not aimed at punishing them. Since
everyone turns to Allah naturally when in distress, the purpose was to
make people turn to Allah through a little hardship. This tells us that
the hardship or pain which visits a person or group as punishment is,
in a sense, the working of Divine mercy.
As for the statement: ◌َفَتَحُنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبُوَابَ كُلِّ ش (We opened for them doors
of everything) appearing in the third verse (44), it warns human beings
at large that no one should be deceived by seeing the affluence of per-
sons or groups and hasten to the conclusion that these were the people
on the correct path and that their life was a model of success. One
should never forget that among them there could be some of those dis-
obedient ones who have been picked out to be seized with sudden and
grave punishment.
Therefore, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: When you see bless-
ings and wealth raining upon someone - though he is deep in sin and
disobedience - then, know that he is being lured into destruction
(Istidraj), that is, his affluence is an indicator of his being seized in
punishment. (Narrated by Ahmad from 'Aqabah ibn 'Amir as in Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
Following a narration from Sayyidna 'Ubadah ibn Al-Şamit, lead-
ing commentator Ibn Jarir has reported that the Holy Prophet said:
When Allah Ta'ala wills to have a nation survive and grow, He
creates in them two qualities: (1) moderation in everything
they do, and (2) modesty and chastity, that is, abstinence from
indulging in what is not right. And when Allah Ta'ala wills to
destroy a nation, He opens for them the doors of breach of
faith (Khiyanah), that is, they appear to be successful in the
world despite their breaches of faith and wrong doings.
In the last verse (45), it was said that, when the mass punishment
of Allah Ta'ala came, the people who did wrong were uprooted to the
last man. Said immediately after was: ◌َوَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعُلَمِيْن (And praise be to
Allah, the Lord of the worlds) where the hint given is: Whenever the
wrongdoers and the unjust are visited by some punishment or calami-
ty, that is a blessing for the whole world for which people should be
grateful

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 46 - 49
Verses 46 - 49
قُلْ آَرَغَيْهُمْ إِنُ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَارَكُمْ وَخَتَمَ عَلى
قُلُبِكُمْ رِنُ إِلّهُ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيْكُمُ بِهِ أُنْظُرُ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ
الْأَيْتِ ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُوْنَ ﴿٤٦﴾ قُلُ آَرَءَ يُتَكُمُ إِنَ اتُكُمُ عَذَابٌ
اللَّهِ بَغْتَةً أَوْ جَهْرَةٌ هَلْ يُهُلَكُ إِلَّ الْقَوْمُ الْظَلِمُونَ ﴿٤٧﴾ وَمَا
نُسِلُ الْمُتُسَلِيْنَ إِلَّ مُبَشِّرِيْنَ وَمُنْذِرِيْنٌَ فَمَنُ أَمَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلاَ
خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَاهُمُ يَحْزَنُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾ وَالَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوْا بِأَيْتِنَا
يَمَّهُمُ الْعَذَّابُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ ﴿٤٩﴾
Say, "Tell me, if Allah takes away your hearing and
your sights and sets a seal on your hearts, which god
other than Allah can bring it back to you?" See how We
bring forth a variety of Verses, still they turn away. [46]
Say, "Tell me if the punishment of Allah comes upon
you abruptly or manifestly, shall any people be de-
stroyed except the unjust?" [47]
And We do not send the messengers but as bearers of
good tidings and warners. So, whoever believes and
comes to correct himself, then, there is no fear for them
nor shall they grieve.[48] And those who have belied
Our signs, punishment shall visit them, since they used
to commit sins. [49]
Verses 50 - 51
قُلُ لَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِنْدِى خَزَائِنُ اللهِ وَلَّا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَّ
آَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّى مَلَكٌْ إِنْ اتَّبِعُ إِلَّ مَا يُؤْخَى إِلَتَّى + قُلُ هَلُ
يَسْتَوِى اُلْاَعُمَى وَالْبَصُِ ، أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾﴾ وَأَنْذِرُ بِهِ
الَّذِيْنَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْ تُحْشَرُوا إِلَى رَبِهِمْ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِنُ دُونِه
وَلِّ وَّلَا شَفِيٌْ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿٠١﴾
Say, "I do not say to you that with me are the treasures

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of Allah, nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen,
nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I follow but that
which is revealed to me." Say, "Is it that a blind person
and a sighted one are equal? Do you, then, not reflect?"
[50]
And warn, with it, those who have the fear of being
gathered before their Lord, with no one, other than
Him, to support or to intercede. May be they abstain.
[51]
Commentary
The Demand of Miracles from the Holy Prophet
Many miracles and signs of Allah had already appeared before the
disbelievers (Kuffar) of Makkah. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم graced
this world as an orphan. Unschooled and untutored, he lived his whole
life as a total Ummiyy (unlettered). He was born in a land with no
scholar or institution of learning, near or far. For a full forty years of
his blessed age, he lived before the eyes of the entire people of Makkah
in this state of chaste tutorlessness. Then, after forty long years, it
was all of a sudden that there gushed forth from his blessed speech
such mind-boggling stream of words the eloquence of which challenged
and silenced the masters and authorities of Arab diction for ever.
Besides being wisdom and meaning at their sublimest, its far reaching
insight covered pragmatic human needs too right unto the day of
Qiyamah. Along with these, he gifted to the world a practical system
for the nurture and flowering of the perfect universal man. No human
ingenuity or effort can ever achieve something like this. And the
system he brought was no exercise in pure theory for others to build
upon, for he himself demonstrated it practically and succeeded in
proving that it worked. Thus, the human multitude of his time which
had taken to eating, drinking, sleeping and waking as the purpose of
their lives likes bulls, goats, horses and donkeys, to them he gave their
essential lesson in humanity. He changed their orientation. He made
them look up to the high purpose for which they were created. Thus,
every period in the blessed life of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and
the great events which took place during it, were all a miracle in their
place, and very certainly, a sign of Allah. In such a background, there
was no room left for anyone just and reasonable to demand any sign or

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 50 - 51
miracle.
But, the disbelievers from among the Quraysh, despite this, de-
manded that miracles of a different kind be shown to them according
to their own wishes. Of the miracles demanded by them, there were
some Allah Almighty showed to them clearly. They had demanded
that they would like to see the moon parted in two. The well-known
miracle of Shaqqul-Qamar (the parting of the moon) was witnessed,
not only by the Quraysh, but by a great number of people living in the
world of that time.
But, they kept sticking to their disbelief, obstinacy and hostility
despite the manifestation of such a miracle at their own request and
ignored the sign of Allah by saying: jeg his 3) (this is nothing but a
continuous magic), that is, it was a magic which has been there for
ever. They saw, they understood, yet they kept on asking for ever-new
لَوْ لَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ أيَّةٌ مِّنْ تَّهُ قُلُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَادِرٌ عَلَىَ آَنُ:(37 miracles as mentioned earlier (verse
that is, they ask if Muhammad a is really the ◌ُنَّ الَةُّالْكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ
Messenger of Allah, why is it that no miracle has been shown through
him? In answer, the Qur'an asks the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to tell
them that Allah does have everything within his power. He has Him-
self manifested many miracles and signs without their asking for
them. Similarly, He is quite capable of manifesting miracles they de-
manded. But, they have to know that there is a customary practice of
Allah in this matter. When a people are shown the miracle they have
demanded, and then, when they do not come to believe in it, they are
seized by a sudden punishment. Therefore, it was in the very interest
of those people that the miracles demanded by them should not be
manifested. But, there are many people who still do not understand
the wisdom of this action and keep insisting that they be shown mira-
cles of their choosing.
In the present verses, the questions asked and demands made by
these people have been dealt with in a particular manner.
The disbelievers of Makkah had presented three demands before
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on different occasions: (1) If you are
really a Messenger of Allah, bring to us the treasures of the whole
world through the power of miracle; (2) If your are really a Messenger
of Allah, tell us about everything good and bad going to happen to us

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 50 - 51
in the future, so that we can arrange to acquire what is good and ab-
stain from what is bad beforehand; and (3) Explain to us for we cannot
understand how can someone who is a human being like us, is from us,
was born from a mother and father like us, and does things like eat-
ing, drinking, and walking around in streets and bazaars as we do, all
of a sudden become a Messenger of Allah. Had this been an angel,
whose creation and attributes would have been more distinguished
than ours, we would have accepted him as a Messenger of Allah, and
our leader.
In answer to these questions, it was said:
قُلْ لَّا أَقُوْلٌ لَكُمُ عِنْدِى خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَّ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلََّ أَقُلُ لَكُمُ إِنِّيْ مَلَكٌ
إِنْ اتَّبِعُ إِلَّ مَا يُؤْخِىِلَىَّ.
Say, "I do not say to you that with me are the treasures Allah,
nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen, nor do I say to you
that I am angel. But, I follow that which is revealed to me."
In other words, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is saying that he can
only be asked to prove what he claims, that is, he is a Messenger of Al-
lah. He conveys the guidance given by Him to human beings, and fol-
lows it personally and asks others as well to do so. There is no dearth
of proofs in this matter for they are many.
So, to prove his prophethood, it is not necessary that the messen-
ger of Allah should become the owner of all the treasures of Allah, nor
is it necessary that he should possess the knowledge of everything, big
or small, which lies in the domain of the Unseen (al-ghayb), nor is it
necessary that he be an angel having attributes other than human.
Instead of all that, the mission and office of a messenger of Allah is
simply to follow the Wahy (revelation) sent from Allah Ta'ala - which
includes his own acting in accordance with it as well as inviting others
to follow it.
These are precise rules of Guidance. They not only clarify the real-
ity of the office of a Messenger of Allah (Rasul) but also help erase the
false notions about a Messenger entertained by the disbelieving peo-
ple. And as implied here indirectly, Muslims too have been instructed
that they should not take their Messenger to be God as the Christians
do, nor assign proprietary rights in Godhood to him. The realization of

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their greatness, and love for them, demands that Muslims should not
slide into attitudes of excess or deficiency like the Jews and Christians
- for the Jews did not hesitate from even killing their prophets while
the Christians turned their messenger into a God.
Regarding the meaning of the word: s (treasures) appearing in
the statement made in the first sentence, that is, 'I do not say to you
that with me are the treasures of Allah,' scholars of Tafsir have named
many things. But, the Holy Qur'an itself, wherever it has mentioned
the treasures of Allah, has said:وَإِنُ مِنُ شَىء إِلاَّ عِنْدَنَا خَزَائِنْه (there is not a thing
the treasures of which are not with Us - 15:20). This tells us that the
sense of 'the treasures of Allah' encompasses everything in this world
and cannot be definitely applied to some particular things. As for com-
mentators who have named particular things, they are doing so as an
example. Therefore, there is no contradiction here. Finally, let us
bear in mind: When this verse clearly declares that the 'treasures of
Allah' are not even in the hands of the one foremost among prophets
and messengers, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa صلى الله عليه وسلم, how
can we assume that a Buzurg (pious elder) or Wali (man of Allah) of
the Muslim Community could do what they wished and grant any-
thing to anyone as they chose? This is sheer ignorance.
In the third sentence of the answer given in verse 50, was: 33is,
5 which means 'I do not say to you that I am an angel' - because
they refused to accept him as a Messenger based on his human identi-
ty. [The pattern of this sentence is the same as the first] However, the
pattern of the sentence has been changed in the sentence which ap-
pears in the middle of these two where the text does not say something
like - I do not say to you that I know the Unseen - and what was said
actually was: (Pis, (nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen).
In his Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit, Abu al-Hayyan has pointed out to a
subtle justification for this change in diction. According to him, being
or not being the possessor of all Divine treasures; and similarly, the
likelihood of a person being or not being an angel are things which are
related to observation. The addressees of the answer knew it all, they
knew that the entire treasures of Allah are not in his hands nor is he
an angel. Their demands were simply based on malice and hostility.
In reply to them, it would have been enough to say that 'I have never

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claimed that I am the owner of the treasures of Allah', or that 'I am an
angel.'
But, the problem of 'Ilm al-Ghayb' (the knowledge of the Unseen)
was not something of that nature - because they already had this kind
of belief about their astrologers and soothsayers: That they know the
Unseen. So, having this kind of belief about the Messenger of Allah
was not unlikely - specially when they had also heard many news of
the Unseen through the blessed speech of the Holy Prophet & and had
witnessed that they happened as told. Therefore, at this place in the
text, a simple negation of the claim and saying was not considered
enough. In fact, what was negated was the actual act. He said, "221;
j" (nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen). By saying so, also
removed was their misunderstanding that a certain knowledge of
things Unseen given to an angel or a Rasul (Messenger) or a Wali (man
of Allah) through Wahy (revelation) or Ilham (inspiration) from Allah
Ta'ala, cannot be called 'Ilm al-Ghayb (the knowledge of the Unseen),
or its knower, the 'Alim al-Ghayb (one who has the knowledge of the
Unseen), in accordance with the terminology of the Qur'an.
Right from here also comes the clarification that no Muslim can
doubt the fact that Allah Ta'ala had blessed the Holy Prophet & with
the knowledge of many things of the Unseen, so many as would sur-
pass the combined knowledge of angels and human beings from the
first to the last. This is the belief of the entire Muslim Ummah. Of
course, right along with it, according to countless statements of the
Qur'an and Sunnah, it is also the belief of all early and later Imams
that the All-Encompassing Knowledge (al-'Ilm al-Muhit) of the whole
universe is the exclusive attribute of none but Allah Ta'ala. Neither
can an angel or messenger be equal to Him in being the Khalig
(Creator), the Raziq (Provider) and Al-Qadir Al-Mutlaq (Absolutely
Powerful); similarly, nor can anyone be equal to Him in His All-
Encompassing Knowledge. Therefore, no angel or prophet, despite
having the knowledge of a great many things of the Unseen, can be
called 'Alim al-Ghayb (the Knower of the Unseen).
But, about the many excellences of our master, Muhammad al-
Mustafa صلى الله عليه وسلم, we can simply say:

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بعداز خدا بزرگ توئی قصه مختصر
Ba'd az Khuda buzurg tuee qişşah mukhtaşar!
After God, you are the reverred one that is all!
His excellence in knowledge is ahead of angels, prophets and mes-
sengers, but is not equal to the knowledge of Allah Ta'ala. Claiming
such equality is the path of excess taken in Christianity.
At the end of the verse (50), it was said that the blind and the sight-
ed cannot be equal. It means that they should get rid of their selfish
concerns, leave obstinacy and hostility, and see reality as it is so that
they may no longer be counted among the blind. For them, the need
was to start seeing, to wise up, for they could have their missing sights
back with them with a little thought and concern (for what is right and
true).
In the next and the last verse (51), the Holy Prophet & has been in-
structed that, after all these clear statements, if they still remain ob-
stinate, he should draw a line, stop all debate, and get busy with his
real mission, that is, the duty of Tabligh, the real mission of prophet-
hood. And onwards from there, let him turn the focus of his call to
faith and warning against its rejection to people who believe in being
produced bofore Allah Ta'ala to give an account of their deeds on the
Last Day of Qiyamah - for example, the Muslims - or those who are, at
least, no deniers, even if that is in a certain degree of being probable,
for they would at least have the apprehension that, perhaps, they may
have to be answerable for their deeds.
To sum up, there are three types of people who believe or do not be-
lieve in Qiyamah: (1) Those who believe in it as being certain; (2) Those
who doubt or waver; and (3) Those who reject it totally. Though, the
blessed prophets have been commanded to convey their call and warn-
ing to all these three classes of people, as evident from many state-
ments of the Holy Qur'an. But, as the likelihood that the call will be
more effective among the first two classes of people is more pro-
nounced, instruction has been given in this verse to pay special atten-
tion to them : وَأَنْذِرُ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْ تُّحُشَرُوا إِلَى رَبِّهم (And warn, with it, those who
have the fear of being gathered before their Lord).

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 52 - 55
Verses 52 - 55
وَلَا تَطْرُدِ الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُونَ رَّهُمْ بِالْغَدُوةِ وَالْعَشِّ ◌ُرِيُّدُونَ
وَجُهَةَ﴿ مَاعَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِمْ مِنُ شَهُ وَمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ
عَلَيْهِمْ مِنُ شَىْءُ فَتَطْرُدُهُمْ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الْظُلِمِيْنَ ﴿٥٢﴾ وَكَذَلِكَ
فَتَنَّا بَعْضَّهُمُ بِبَعْضٍ لِيَقُّوُّلُؤَّا الْهُلَاءِ مَنَّ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ قِنْ)
بَيْنِنَاءُ اَلَيْسَ اللهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشُّكِرِيْنَ ﴿٥٣﴾ وَإِذَا جَآءَكَ الَّذِينَ
يُؤْ مِنُوْنَ بِأَيْتِنَا فَقُلُ سَلْمُّ عَلَيْكُمْ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمُ عَلَلى نَفْسِهِ
الرَّحْمَةُ أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْكُمْ سُؤْ ءَاء بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ
وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ نَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٤﴾ وَكَذْلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْأَيْتِ
وَلِتَسْتَبِيْنَ سَبِيْلُ الْمُرِمِيْنَ ﴿٥٥﴾
And do not expel those who call their Lord morning
and evening seeking His pleasure. You are not respon-
sible for anything in their account and they are not re-
sponsible for anything in your account that you expel
them out and thus become one of the unjust. [52]
And in this way We have tested some of them through
some others, that they say, "Are these the ones, from
among us all, whom Allah has favoured?" Is it not that
Allah knows the grateful best? [53]
And when those who believe in Our verses come to you,
say, "Peace on you. Your Lord has prescribed for Him-
self the mercy that whoever does something bad in ig-
norance, then repents after that and corrects himself,
then He is Most Forgiving, Very Merciful. [54] And that
is how We make the verses elaborate, so that the way of
the guilty may become exposed. [55]
Commentary
In Islam there is No Distinction between Rich and Poor, High
or Low
As for people who failed to feel human despite being human, even
touched the outer limit of rating human beings as one of the smartest