Indexed OCR Text

408
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 90 - 94
Verses 90 - 94
أُوَلِكَ الَّذِيْنَ هَدَى اللهُ فَبِهُدُهُمُ اقْتَدِهُ قُلْ لََّ أَسْتَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ
أَجْرًّاءُ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّ ذِكْرَى لِلْعُلَمِيْنَ ﴿١) وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللّهَ حَقَّ
قَدْرَةَ إِذْ قَالُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلى بَشَرِ قِنُ شَىُْ قُلُ مَنُ أَنْزَلَ
الْكِتِبَ الَّذِىُ جَاءَ بِهِ مُؤْسِى نُؤْرًّا وَهُدًى لِلنَّاسِ تَجْعَلُؤُنَهُ
قَرَاطِيْسَ تُبُدُوْنَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيْرًا وَمُلِّمْتُمْ مَّالَمْ تَعْلَمُؤْاَ اَنْهُمُ
وَلَّ أَبّاؤُكُمُْ قُلِ اللّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرُهُمُ فِيُ خَوُضِهِمُ يَلْعَبُونَ ﴿١١﴾
وَهذَا ◌ِثْكَ انْزَلْنَهُ مُبِرَكٌ تُصَدِّقُ الَّذِىُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنْذِرَ أُمَّ
الْقُرِى وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا * وَالَّذِيْنَ يُؤُمِنُونَ بِاْأَخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِهِ وَهُمُ
عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ﴿٩٢﴾ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى
اللهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ قَالَ أُوْحِىَ إِلَىَّ وَلَمْ يُوْحَ إِلَيْهِ شٌَْ وَمَنُ قَالَ
سَأُنْزِلُ مِثْلَ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللّهُ وَلَوْ تَزَى إِذِ الظُّلِمُونَ فِىْ غَمَرْتٍ
الُوتِ وَ الْمُلَفِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ آَيْدِيْهِمْ، اخْرِجُهًا آَنْفُسَكُمُ الْبَوْمَ
تُجُزَوُنَ عَذَابَ الْهُوُنِ بِمَا كُنْهُمْ تَقُوُلُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ غَمْرَ الْحَقِّ
وَكُنْتُمُ عَنْ أَيْتِهِ تَسْتَكُرُونَ ﴿٩٣﴾ وَلَقَدُ جِئْتُمُوْنَا فُرَادَى كَمَّا
خَلَقْتُكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَتَرَكْتُمُ مَّاخَوَّلْتُكُمْ وَرَآءَ ظُهُوُرِكُمْ وَمَانَرَى
مَعَكُمُ شُفَعَاءَ كُمُ الَّذِيْنَ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُمْ فِيُكُمُ شُرَكْوًا " لَقَدْ
تَقَطَّعَ بَيْنَكُمُ وَضَلَّ عَنْكُمُ مَّا كُتُمُ تَزْعُمُونَ ﴿٩٤﴾
Those are the people Allah has guided. So, it is their
guidance that you shall follow. Say, "I ask you no re-
ward for it. It is nothing but an advice for all the
worlds." [90]
And they did not hold Allah in due esteem when they
said, "Allah has not sent down anything on a human be-
ing." Say, "Who has sent down the Book brought by

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Musa as a light and a guidance for people, which you
kept in sheets you displayed, and you concealed a lot?
You were taught what you did not know - neither you
nor your fathers?" Say, "Allah." Then leave them play-
ing with what they are indulged in. [91]
And this is a blessed book We have sent down, confirm-
ing what has been before it, so that you may warn the
town which is the mother of all towns, and those
around it. And those who believe in the Hereafter be-
lieve in it, and of their prayers, they take due care. [92]
And who is more unjust than the one who fabricates a
lie against Allah or says, "Revelation has been sent to
me" whereas no revelation has been sent to him, and
the one who says, "I would reveal just as Allah has re-
vealed." And if you could witness when the unjust are
in the throes of death, and the angels stretch their
hands (and say,) "Out with your souls. Today, you shall
have your punishment, a punishment of humiliation,
because you have been saying about Allah what is not
true, and rejecting His verses arrogantly." [93]
And you have come to Us all alone just as We had creat-
ed you at first, and you have left behind what We had
bestowed on you, and We do not see your intercessors
with you - those whom you claimed to be (Our) part-
ners in (managing) your matters. In fact, all ties be-
tween you are severed and all that you claimed is lost
to you. [94]
Commentary
It will be recalled that mentioned in previous verses were great re-
wards and ranks bestowed on Sayyidna Ibrahim WJILL. Through
these, the purpose was to show to the whole progeny of Sayyidna
Adam >JI ule generally and to the people of Makkah and Arabia par-
ticularly, in a practically demonstrated form, that a person who takes
total obedience to Allah Ta'ala as the sole purpose of his or her life and
sacrifices everything held dear in the way of Allah - as was done by
Sayyidna Ibrahim Khalilullah, may Allah bless him - then, in order are
the best of returns for that person. He left his father and mother, his
people and country, all for the sake of Allah. Then, it was to offer his
supreme services to found and raise the foundations of the House of

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 90 - 94
Allah, the venerated Baytullah, that he abandoned the greeneries of
the country of Syria and travelled all the way to the deserts of Mak-
kah. When ordered to leave his wife and infant son in the wilderness,
he obeyed instantly. When commanded to sacrifice his first-born and
very dear son, he demonstrated his readiness to obey it all the way to
the ultimate limits of his choice and volition. For those obedient in
that class and degree, the real reward shall come only after Qiyamah,
and in Jannah alone. But, Allah Ta'ala blesses such people right here
in this world too with ranks and riches which would put all ranks and
riches of the entire world to shame.
Sayyidna Ibrahim Khalilullah >JI ue left his people for the sake of
Allah - in return, he became the patriarch of prophets, most of whom
were from among his progeny. He left his country of Syria and Iraq -
in return, he was blessed with Baytullah (the House of Allah), al-
Balad al-Amin (the City of Trust) and Umm al-Qura (the Mother of
Cities) that is, Makkah. His own people tried to disgrace him - in re-
turn, he was made the supreme leader of generations to come right
through the Last Day of Qiyamah in the present world where nations
and religions despite their major mutual differences have all along re-
mained united on paying homage to the reverence of Sayyidna Ibrahim
.عليه السلام
It will also be recalled that in those verses seventeen prophets
were mentioned most of whom are either children or progeny of Sayy-
idna Ibrahim WWJI Je. It was also stated there that they were persons
of great status whom Allah had chosen to convey His message to all
human beings and that it was He who had shown them the straight
path.
Explanatory Notes on the Present Verses
Addressing the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the first verse (90) the
people of Makkah have been sounded that the forefathers of a people
cannot be taken as objects of emulation or role-models deserving of be-
ing followed to the letter in all their words and deeds, as was generally
believed by the people of Arabia, and by the people of Makkah particu-
larly. Instead, before going ahead and starting to follow someone, it is
necessary to find out whether or not the person, or people, being fol-
lowed, is himself on the path of true guidance. Therefore, after enu-

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 90 - 94
أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللّهُ : merating a brief list of the blessed prophets, it was said
(Those are the people Allah has guided). After that, it was said: als
(So, it is their guidance that you shall follow).
Thus, the guidance given in this verse is bi-polar. The first ele-
ment is addressed to the people of Arabia, and to the whole Muslim
Ummah by implication, that is, they should forsake the superstition of
following forefathers and take to following prophets guided by Allah
Ta'ala. The second element of guidance is for the Holy Prophet @ him-
self, that is, he too should act in the way the past prophets have acted.
Noteworthy here is the fact that partial or subsidiary differences
have been there in the laws of earlier prophets, may peace be upon
them. Then, revealed for the Muslim peoples themselves, there have
been many injunctions different from them. What, then, would be the
meaning of asking the Holy Prophet & to follow the way of the past
prophets and act in accordance with it? Keeping in view other
Qur'anic verses and narrations of Hadith, the answer is that the com-
mand here does not apply to the following of the way of past prophets
in all partial and subsidiary aspects of injunctions. In fact, the pur-
pose is to adhere to the basic principles of religion which include Tauh-
id (Oneness of Allah) Risalah (Prophethood) and Akhirah (Hereafter)
as has been their way. They never changed in the law of any prophet.
From Sayyidna Adam WI ule to the Last of the Prophets , all proph-
ets, WJI ,+le, have been adhering to one Belief and one Way. As for
subsidiary injunctions which remained unchanged, the modus operan-
di has been common. However, when a new injunction was given due
to exigency of time or dictate of wisdom, it was acted upon as required.
This is the reason why it was the usual practice of the Holy Proph-
et & that he would - until such time that he received particular guid-
ance through revelation - act in accordance with the way of past
prophets عليهم السلام (Mazhari & others).
After that, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been specially com-
manded to proclaim - a common practice of all past prophets - in the
words which follow : ◌َقُلُ لَّ اسْتَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّ ذِكْرَى لِلْعُلَمِيْن (Say: "I ask you no
reward for it. It is nothing but an advice for all the worlds). In other
words, it means: I am not asking you to pay for the good counsel I am
offering to help you better your life. I need no fees or wages or re-
2

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 90 - 94
wards. If you accept it, I gain nothing. If you do not accept it, I lose
nothing. This is only a message, a message for people all over, a mes-
sage of good counsel, good will. Not accepting any return for teaching
and preaching has been the common legacy of all prophets Je.
This is a powerful factor which goes on to make Tabligh (conveying the
message of religion to others) effective.
The second verse (91) has been revealed in answer to those who had
the audacity to say that Allah Ta'ala has just not revealed any book to
any human being. According to them, this whole proposition of books
and messengers was all wrong.
If, those who said that are the idolaters of Makkah, as mentioned
by Ibn Kathir, then, the matter is obvious, for they did not believe in
any book and prophet. And if they were Jews, as held by other com-
mentators - and the contextual elements of the verse obviously support
this view - then, their saying so was an outcome of their anger and ir-
ritation, something contrary to the dictates of their own religion. Ac-
cording to a narration of Imam al-Baghawi, this was the reason why
the Jews too were displeased with the person who had made this un-
fortunate remark, and it was because of this erroneous conduct of his
that he was removed from his office of religious authority.
In this verse, Allah Ta'ala has said to the Holy Prophet & that peo-
ple who made this absurd remark did not recognize the Most True Al-
lah as was His right to be recognized. Had they done that, this auda-
cious remark would have never escaped their lips. Then, Allah Ta'ala
tells the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to ask the people who deny Scrip-
tures absolutely: If that is what you think - that Allah Ta'ala did not
reveal any book to any human being - then, you better have an answer
as to who revealed the Torah, in which you too believe, and because of
which you sit in judgement over your people. Along with it, they were
also told: You are such connoisseurs of crooked ways that you would
treat your own book, the Torah, which you believe in as being Holy
Scripture, in a way that you got it conveniently written on separate
sheets, rather than having it in a formally bound book, so that you can
take out any sheet from it as and when you want it, and by doing so
you would have the option of denying what it enjoined. An example of
this are the verses of the Torah which described the signs and attrib-

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 90 - 94
utes of the Messenger of Allah which you have excluded. The last sen-
tence of the verse: (: (which you kept in sheets) means exactly
this. The word: قراطيس (qaratis) is the plural of:قرطاس (qirtas) which
means sheet or paper./
After that, addressing the same people, it has been said: pu21;
sje far Gas that is, you were taught (through the Qur'an) what you
or your forefathers did not know (earlier, either through the Torah or
the Injil).
At the end of verse (91), it was said : ◌َقُلِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرُهُمْ فِىٌ خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُون (Say,
"Allah." Then leave them playing with what they are indulged in). In
other words, the sense is: As for the question - if Allah just did not
send any book, who sent the Torah? - it was something they would not
know how to answer, so, you go ahead and tell them that it was re-
vealed by none but Allah. Now that the argument against them
stands concluded, your mission as far as they are concerned is over.
So, let them be lost in the game they are playing.
After having concluded the argument concerning Books revealed
by Allah Ta'ala against deniers, it was said in the third verse (92): LA;
And this is a blessed Book) كِتُبُ انْزَلْتُ مُبَرَكُ مُصَدِّقُ الَّذِيُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنْذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى وَمَنُ حَوْلَهَا
We have sent down confirming what has been before it, so that you
may warn the town which is the mother of all towns, and those around
it), that is, as it is that they too accept that the Torah was sent down
by Allah Ta'ala, so it is that We have sent down this Qur'an too, and
sufficient for them is the proof of its veracity that the Qur'an confirms
what has been revealed in the Torah and the Injil. And that it was re-
vealed after the Torah and Injil is because these two Books were sent
for the Bani Isra'il while for their other branch of Bani Isma'il, known
as Arabs living in Umm al-Qura, that is, Makkah and its environs,
there has been no prophet or book of guidance until that time. Now
this Qur'an has been sent for them particularly, and for the whole
world generally. Makkah al-Mu'azzamah has been called Umm al-
Qura by the Holy Qur'an. It means the root and foundation of all
towns and habitations. The reason is that, according to historical nar-
ratives, the land mass of the earth first began appearing from here. In
addition to that, this is the Qiblah, and the central attraction of all
acts of 'Ibadah for the whole world. (Mazhari) Said with: sajt (Umm al-

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 95 - 98
Qura) is: [j'4 24; (and those around it). It means all environs of Mak-
kah, which includes the whole world East, West, North and South of
Makkah.
وَالَّذِيْنَ مُؤْ مِنُونَ بِالْأَخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِ وَهُمْ عَلى:Towards the end of the verse, it was said
This is It means: Those who believe in the 'Akhirah (Hereafter)
also believe in the Qur'an and are particularly careful about their
prayers (Salah). This carries an admonition for the Jews and disbe-
lievers against their common ailment whereby they would, with typi-
cal lack of concern, accept what they liked and reject what they did
not, opening a front against it. This is an effect of that ailment - that
they do not believe in 'Akhirah. Anyone who believes in 'Akhirah and
in a Day of Judgement will definitely be moved by the fear of Allah
which would help him or her reason it out, and once convinced, one
would bypass constraints of ignorant customs and embrace what is the
truth.
A little thought would reveal that the lack of concern for the
'Akhirah is the mother of all spiritual diseases. From here come Kufr
and Shirk and sin and disobedience. If a believer in the 'Akhirah hap-
pens to have committed a mistake or sin, he does feel a pinch in his
heart. Sooner or later, he repents and resolves to stay away from sin
in the future. So, the fear of Allah 'and the concern for the 'Akhirah
are, in all truth, channels which make human beings what they should
be and which make them capable of staying away from crime and sin
and disobedience by conscious choice. Therefore, no Surah (Chapter) of
the Qur'an, perhaps no Ruku' (Section) either, is left without a remin-
der of this concern for the 'Akhirah:
اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ مجُمْلَةَ هُمُؤْمِنَا هَتَّا وَاحِدًا هَّ الْآخِرَةِ
O Allah, make all our concerns a single concern - the concern
for 'Akhirah.
Verses 95 - 98
إِنَّ اللَّهُ قُلِقُ الْحَتِّ وَالنَّوْىُ يُخُرِجُ الْحُىَّ مِنَ الْمُبِّتِ وَمُخْرِجُ
المُبِّتِ مِنَ الْحُّ ذُلِكُمُ اللَّهُ قَاتَّى تُفَكُونَ ﴿٩٥﴾ فُلِقُ
الْإِصْبَاحِ، وَجَعَلُ الَّيْلَ سَكَنَّا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ حُسْبَانًا ذَلِكَ

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 95 - 98
تَقُدِيْرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيْمِ ﴿٩٦﴾ وَهُوَ الَّذِىُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الُّجُوُمَ
لِتَهْتَدُوا بِهَا فِىْ ظُلُمْتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحُرِ* قَدْ فَضَّلْنَا الْأَيْتِ لِقَوْمِ
يَّعْلَمُونَ ﴿٩٧﴾ وَهُوَ الَّذِى أَنْشَاَكُمْ قِّنُ نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ فَمُسْتَقَةٌّ
وَّمُسْتَوْدٌَ قَدْ فَضَّلْنَا الْأَيْتِ لِقَوْمٍ يُفْقَّهُونَ ﴿١٨)
Surely, Allah is the one who splits the seed and the pit.
He brings forth the living from the dead, and He is the
one who brings forth the dead from the living. That is
Allah! Whereto, then, are you straying away? [95]
(He is) the One who causes the dawn to break. And He
has made the night for rest and the sun and the moon
for measurement. This is a measure set by (Allah) the
Mighty, the Knowing. [96]
And He is the one who made for you the stars, so that
you may be guided by them in darknesses of the land
and the sea. We have elaborated the signs for people
who know. [97]
And He is the One who created you from one person,
then, you have a place to dwell and a place to sojourn.
We have elaborated the signs for people who under-
stand. [98]
Commentary
Mentioned in the previous verses was how obstinate and unmind-
ful of consequences the disbelievers and ploytheists were. Since such
evils are caused when people remain unaware of Allah and His un-
matched knowledge and power, the present four verses provide the an-
tidote. Here, Allah Ta'ala cites some samples of His Knowledge and
Power, and of blessings and favours bestowed on human beings, a lit-
tle reflection in which would make every sensible person admit that
feats of such magnitude cannot be accomplished by any power other
than that of Almighty Allah.
In the first verse (95), it was said : إِنَّ اللَّهَ فُلِقُ الْحَبِّ وَالتَّوى (Surely, Allah is
the one who splits the seed and the pit). Pointed to here is a marvel of
creation. Splitting a dry seed and pit and bringing out from it a living
green tree is the act of that Most Sacred Being who is the Creator of

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 95 - 98
the Universe. Human input has nothing to do with it. The most a
farmer can do is to remove impediments or things harmful away from
the growth path of the t: nder bud or shoot rising from inside the seed
or pit, a tribute to the great power of the Creator. Of course, there are
processes of ploughing, cleaning, softening, leveling, fertilizing and
watering of land - but, the maximum these efforts can achieve is to
make sure that the tender newcomer has to face no hurdle on its way
up. The rest of the job, the real job, that the seed and pit split, that a
bud or shoot sprout out from it, that come leaves of many wonderful
kinds and colour, that come flowers and fruits (of mind-boggling col-
ours, varieties, smells and tastes), is a job taken care of by someone
else. This is art and power alive which no human ingenuity can even
come close to by making one leaf, one petal in that manner. Therefore,
أَفَرَأَيُهُمْ مَّا تَحُرُونَ: أَنْهُمُ تَزْرَعُونَةَ أَمْ نَحنُ :at another place in the Qur'an, it was said
334ji that is, 'Do you see the seed that you sow? Do you make it grow,
or are We the One who makes it grow [the real Creator to whom its
growth has to be attributed]? - 56-63.'
Then, it was said : ◌ّيُخْرِجُ الْحَّ مِنَ الْيَّتِ وَمُخُرِجُ المُبَيِِّ مِنَ الحَي (He brings forth the
living from the dead, and He is the one who brings forth the dead from
the living). The 'dead' or lifeless refers to cell or egg which serve to
create human and animal life forms. Similarly, the expression: 'dead
from the living' refers to the same cell or egg which issues forth from
the living.
After that, it was said: ◌َذُلِكُمُ اللّهُ فَاتَّى تُؤْفَكُون (That is Allah. Whereto,
then, are you straying away?). In other words, the sense is that all
these things have been done by Allah Ta'ala alone, yet here you are
knowlingly straying away to strange directions, such as, taking self-
carved idols as your removers of difficulties and fulfillers of needs and
thus the objects of your worship.
Said in the second verse (96) is: la '(He is) the One who causes
the dawn to break.' The word: Ju (Faliq) means one who splits, and the
word: zubyi (al-Isbah) here means the time of morning. Thus, the ex-
pression: lygu (Faliq al-Isbah) means one who splits the morning,
that is, one who tears the dark layer of darkness apart and brings the
morning out. This too is one of those functions of such magnitude that
would render the combined powers of all Jinns and human beings and

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all others to nothing. It does not take much to realize the truth of it.
Everyone with a pair of sighted eyes is compelled to concede that the
causer and creator of the morning light from the darkness of the night
cannot be a human being, or angel, or any other created being, from
fact or fiction. Instead of all that, the undeniable truth is that this is
the work of that One Being that created the whole universe, a Being
beyond human comprehension.
Night for Rest is a Blessing
After that, it was said: uk- jeff ja; (And He has made the night for
rest). The word: { (sakan) is a derivation from : : (sukun). Every-
thing - means, time or place - by having or reaching which one feels
peaceful and comfortable is called sakan, therefore, the home of a per-
جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِن ◌ْ بُيُوتِكُمُ سَكَنًا : son has been referred to as sakan in the Holy Qur'an
(Allah made for you your home a place to rest - 16:80). This is so be-
cause the home of a person, even if it be a hut, is a habitual source of
peace and comfort. Therefore, this sentence comes to mean that Allah
Ta'ala has made the night a time of peace and comfort for every living
being. By saying: uyl Ju (Faliq al-Isbah: the One who causes the
dawn to break) mentioned there were blessings which one benefits
from during the light of the day, something that would not be equally
possible during the darkness of night. Then, by saying: C Jeli Je.
(made the night for rest) after that, indication was given that, no
doubt the light of the day is a great blessing for human beings trans-
acting most of their businesses and chores with its help, but not that
bad is the darkness of night, for that too is a big blessing when it helps
a person, all tired after a hard day's work, get the rest needed to go
back to work with recovered energy. Otherwise, human nature cannot
withstand respite-less labour.
Earmarking the darkness of night for comfort is a regular blessing
and, certainly, a special demonstration of the irresistably subjugating
power of Allah Ta'ala. Since this blessing comes handy every day
without having to ask for it, one hardly bothers to think how great a
favour and reward it is. Imagine if everyone were to fix a time of rest
with one's choice, then, someone would be getting ready to sleep at
eight in the morning, someone else at twelve noon and there will oth-
ers sleeping at all sorts of odd hours during the day and night. The re-

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sult would have been that there would have not come a single hour out
of the twenty four hours of the night and day when human beings
would have not been busy with their business, job or work and plants
and factories would have not been working as usual. The inevitable
result of such breathless activity would have been that the peace of the
sleeping would have been disturbed and equally disadvantaged would
have been those working on their jobs. The high decibel of discordant
sounds emitting from traffic, factories and workers themselves would
have interfered with the peace of the sleeping, and the absence of the
sleeping would have affected those working on their jobs. In addition
to that, those sleeping would have missed doing things which can be
done only when it is time for them to sleep. In short, Allah Jalla
Sha'nuhu has, in His great power to subdue, has set upon, not only hu-
man beings but on all living creatures, the weight of sleep in a manner
that one is compelled to stop working and go to sleep. With the fall of
dusk, birds and beasts and cattle head for their nests, lairs and homes.
Man has to stop working as a compulsion and has to start looking to-
wards his place of rest. Silence reigns. Darkness of night becomes an
ally of sleep and rest, as light is usually not conducive to sleep.
Just imagine what would happen if all governments and peoples of
the world joined hands in a global agreement to fix a universal time to
sleep. First of all this would have posed too many problems. Then,
should all human beings, abiding by a possible agreement, were to
sleep at an appointed time, who would have made animals abide by
that agreement? If they roamed around scot-free what would have
happened to the sleeping human beings and their belongings? Most
exalted is the majesty of Allah and great is His power to subdue that
He has appointed sleep to descend upon every human being and every
living creature at a given time compulsively, and thus, He has saved
them from the very need of such international agreements: ( ei
sent' (So, blessed be Allah, the Best of creators) (23:14).
Solar and Lunar Calendar
In the next sentence :وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقُعْرَ حُسْبَانًا (and the sun and the moon for
measurement), the word: \\" (Husban) is a verbal noun and is used to
mean to count, measure, calculate or compute. The sense of the verse
is that Allah Ta'ala has appointed the rising and setting and the move-

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ment of the sun and the moon in a particular measure through which
human beings can easily calculate years, months, days, hours, even
minutes and seconds.
Again, this is the manifestation of the same Divine power to sub-
due and commission into desired action that such huge glowing globes
of awesome proportions and their movements have been so formidably
programmed to perform according to measure which just does not vary
even by a second despite the passage of thousands of years. Whatever
machinery has been employed to make them function so flawlessly cer-
tainly needs no workshop, nor needed there is our customary repair
and replacement of time-barred parts. The spheres of light, their func-
tion, their movement, everything in the system is performing perfectly
as commanded:ِلَ الشَّمْسُ يَنْبَغِىُ لَهَا أَنْ تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا الَّيُلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَار :"It behoves not the
sun to overtake the moon, neither does the night outstrip the day" -
36:40 (as translated by Arberry). Alas, it must have been because of this for-
midable and changeless Divine system that man was mistaken as he
took these manifestation of the system as existing in their own right,
even went on to the limits of worshipping them. Had this system been
open to flaws, a little malfunction here and there, some time out for re-
pairs, then, one would have discovered that this mechanism is not au-
tomatic, somebody has made it and somebody keeps it running. But,
such has been the brilliance and permanence of these great heavenly
bodies that human beings have been blinded to the reality behind. It
was to let them know what it was that came scriptures and prophets
and messengers.
This statement of the Qur'an also indicates that the calculation of
years and months can be solar and it can be lunar as well. Both are
rewards from Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu. It is a different matter that the
lunar calendar has been used in Islamic injunctions for the sake of
providing convenience to the common masses of the world so that they
do not have to undergo the trouble of complicated calculations. Since
Islamic history and Islamic injunctions are based on lunar calendar, it
is an obligation on the Muslim Ummah that it retains and protects this
calendar. As for other methods of calculation, such as the Solar or
Gregorian calendar, if they are adopted because of some necessity,
there is no sin in it. But, ignoring the lunar calendar totally and let-

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ting it be forgotten is a grave sin - an unfortunate conduct which may
lead to a situation in which a Muslim does not know when the months
of Ramadan, Dhil-Hijjah and Muharram will come.
At the conclusion of the verse, it was said: ذُلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيم (This is a
measure set by [Allah] the Mighty, the Knowing). It means that this
wondrous system of movement, precise and perpetual, at the scale of
such magnitude, something which does not admit the difference of a
second, can only be the charismatic feat of the supreme power of the
One who is Al-'Aziz, the Mighty, and who is the Subduer of whatever
there is, and who if fully capable of articulating His Will as He deems
fit and, beside that, He is Knowing, having the knowledge of every-
thing and the mastery of doing what He elects to do.
وَمُوَ الَّذِىُّ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ الْتُّجُمَ لِتَهْتَدُوا بِهَا فِى ظُلُمُتِ الْبَةِ: In the third verse (97), it was said
Paj; (And He is the one who made for you the stars, so that you may be
guided by them in 'darknesses' of the land and the sea). In other
words, it is being said here that there are other stars too, besides the
sun and the moon, which are no less unique a manifestation of the per-
fect power of Almighty Allah. Out of many considerations of Divine
wisdom, one immediate benefit they provide for human beings travel-
ling on high seas or open lands is that they can chart their course in
the darkness of nights when it is not easy to do so. Experience bears
out that even in the days of highly sophisticated guiding systems,
there are alternative situations when the guidance from the position of
stars cannot be totally ignored.
The point made in this verse is that one should rise above heed-
lessness and shortsightedness and see that these stars are also there
observing the command of their maker and mover. They are there nei-
ther by themselves nor to be there nor to keep doing what they do for
ever. Those who have pinned their sights on them and have ignored to
look at their maker are terribly short-sighted, and ominously deceived
indeed.
After that, it was said: ◌َقَدْ فَضَّلُنَا الْأَيْتِ لِقَوُم يَّعْلَمُون (We have elaborated the
signs for people who know). The statement clearly indicates that those
who do not recognize the presence and power of Allah Ta'ala even from
such open signs are unaware and unconscious.

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وَهُوَ الَّذِىَّ أَنْشَاكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ فَمُسْتَقَرُّ وَّمُسْتَرُوَ}:In the fourth verse (98), it was said
(And He is the One who created you from one person, then, you have a
place to dwell, and a place to sojourn). The word: fr (mustaqarr)
used in the text is from: 3% (qarar). So, mustaqarr denotes a place of
qarar, of rest and peace, for someone or something. As for the word:
Raul' (mustawda') in the text, it is a derivation from wadiah which
means to keep something with someone temporarily for a few days. So,
"mustawda"" will denote a place where something is placed temporari-
ly for a few days.
Thus, the sense of the sentence would be: It is the sacred-most Be-
ing of Allah Ta'ala that has created man from one person, that is,
Sayyidna Adam WJILJe. Then, made for him a mustaqarr, that is, a
place to dwell for a certain length of time - and a mustawda', that is, to
stay temporarily for a few days.
The words of the Qur'an are as they have been stated. But, there
are many probabilities in their interpretation. This is why the sayings
of the commentators differ in this matter. Some say that mustawda' is
the womb of the mother and mustaqarr is this world. Others say that
mustawda' is the grave and mustaqarr is the abode of the 'Akhirah.
Then, there are several other sayings too. However, there is room for
all these within the words of the Qur'an. Hadrat Qadi Thana'ullah Pan-
ipati de Al , has, in his Tafsir Mazhari, opted for mustaqarr being the
abode of 'Akhirah, that is, Jannah or Jahannam- and all human condi-
tions and stages, from the beginning to the 'Akhirah, are all the mus-
tawda', that is, a place to stay temporarily, whether in the womb of the
mother, or a dwelling place on the earth, or the grave, or the state of
Barzakh (intermediary state after death and before Resurrection).
Preference for this view seems to have confirmation from a verse of the
Qur'an also where it has been said: ◌ِلترُكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَنُ طَبَق (you shall surely trav-
el from stage to stage - 84:19). The outcome is that, before ultimately
reaching the abode of the 'Akhirah, man remains a traveller for his
whole life who, despite his obvious peace and rest, is really traversing
the stages of the long journey into the night of his being:
مسافر هوں کہاں جانا هے، نا واقف هوں منزل سے
ازل سے پھرتے پھرتے گورتك پہنچا هوں مشکل سے

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A traveller I am. My destination I know not.
Winding and wandering from eternity
Only upto the grave I have reached -
How tough I know. What next I know not.
In conclusion, it can be said that this last verse (98) under study is
showing a mirror to those who, having sold their souls to the veneer of
glamour they see in the obvious and to the craze for things and trends
they envy in their fellow beings, have forgotten that their place is else-
where, that they have to go to their Creator and that there is a journey
ahead, to the ultimate domain of the 'Akhirah. The message is: Open
your eyes, see reality, walk away from the web of deception and walk
into salvation.
Verses 99 - 102
وَهُوَ الَّذِىٌّ آَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَآءَ" فَأَخْرَجُنَا بِهِ نَبَاتَ كُلِّ شَعٌْ
فَأَخْرَجُنَا مِنْهُ خَضِرًا تُخْرِجُ مِنْهُ حَبَّا تُتَرَا ◌ِبَّاً وَمِنَ النَّخْلِ
مِنْ طَلْعِهَا قِنُوَانٌ دَانِيَةٌ وَجَنْتٍ مِنْ أَعْنَاٍ وَ النَّيْتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ
مُشْتَبِهَا وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَابِهٍ أُنْظُرُوا إِلَى ثَمَرَةٍ إِذَا اَثْمَرَ وَيَنْعِمُ إِنَّ
فِيُ ذُلِكُمْ لَأَيْتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤُ مِنُونَ ﴿٩٩﴾ وَجَعَلُوا لِلْهِ شُرَكَاءَ
الْجِنَّ وَخَلَقَهُمْ وَخَرَفُوا لَهْ بَنِيْنَ وَ بَنْتِلْ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمُِّ سُبْحُنَهُ
وَتَعْلَى عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ﴿١٠) بَدِيْعُ السَّمُوْتِ وَاْأَرْضُِ أَنَّى
يَكُونُ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ تَكُنُّ لَهْ صَاحِبَةٌ* وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَمُْ " وَهُوَ
بِكُلِّ شَوُْ عَلِيْمَّ ﴿١٠١) ذُلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمُ لَّ إِلهَ إِلَّهُوَ خَالِقُ
كُلِّ شَوُْ فَاعْبُدُوْ ءٌ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَهْعُ وَّكِيُلٌ ﴿١٠٢﴾
And He is the one who sent down water from the heav-
ens, then, with it, We brought forth vegetation of all
kinds. Then from it We brought grains set upon one
another. And from the palm-trees, from their spathes,
come forth the low-hanging bunches. And (We pro-
duce) vineyards, the olive, the pomegranate, similar or
not similar to each other. Look at its fruit when it

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 99 - 102
bears fruit, and at its ripening. Surely, in all this there
are signs for the people who believe. [99]
And they have invented partners with Allah, the Jinns -
while He has created them - and they have forged for
Him sons and daughters without any knowledge. Pure
is He, and far higher than they describe. [100]
(He is) the originator of the heavens and the earth.
How can He have a son when He never had a wife?
And He created everything, and He knows everything.
[101]
This is Allah: your Lord, there is no God but He, the
creator of everything; so, worship Him. And He is
Guardian over everything. [102]
Commentary
The contents of this verse present a unique concern for thematic
order. It will be noticed that three kinds of universes have been men-
tioned here: The low, the high and the atmosphere - that is, what gen-
erates in what we know as the Biosphere. The description was initiat-
ed with the mention of that which is on the lower level because it is
closer to us. Then, it was split in two parts. One part of the statement
covered vegetation which grows on the land, plants and trees and gar-
dens. The other part featured life forms as beasts, human beings and
animals. The first part was given precedence because it is more obvi-
ous as compared to the other. Then comes the case of that which has
been made to come after, the other part. This is different. It has Ruh,
soul or spirit. It is deep, depends on progression from the sperm to its
various stages and attending conditions, something allied with the
comprehension, diagnosis and judgement of physicians - contrary to
the case of vegetation which, in its growth, flowering and ripening etc.,
is observable commonly. Then, mentioned there was the atmosphere
and its life support system, the morning and the evening. Then, came
the mention of what is higher, the sun, the moon, and the stars. After
that, since what is at the lower level is observed more frequently, the
subject was repeated and made the concluding statement. But, firstly
it was taken up briefly, now it was taken up in detail - yet, in the order
of this detail, the order of brevity was reversed by giving precedence to
life forms and succession to the mention of vegetation. Perhaps, its

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 103 - 107
basis is that the detailed statement highlights the expression of grati-
tude for blessings which, in that status, makes the blessed - being the
intended recepients - deserving of being given precedence. As for vege-
tation, the previous order stays as the status of the donees, that is, of
seeds and pits, remains preceded. That rain has been mentioned in be-
tween is subservient to the mention of vegetation. Incidentally, there
might be another element of refinement here - in that rain has differ-
ent states. In terms of its origin, it comes from the high; and in terms
of its destination, it comes down to the low; and in terms of the dis-
tance covered, it is part of the atmosphere.
Verses 103 - 107
لَا تُدْرِكُهُ اْأَبْصَارُ: وَهُوَ مُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَةَ وَتُهُوَ اللَّطِيُفُ الْخِيُ
﴿١.٣﴾ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بَصَائِرُ مِنُ تَّبِّكُمْ فَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ فَلِنَفْسِهِّ وَمَنْ
عَمِىَ فَعَلَيْهَا * وَمَّا أَنَا عَلَيُكُمُ بِحَفِيْظِ ﴿١٠٤﴾ وَ كَذَلِكَ
تُصَرِّفُ الْأَيْتِ وَلِيَقُوُلُؤْا دَرَسْتَ وَلِنُبِّنَهُ لِقَوْمٍ يَّعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٠٥)
رِتَّبِعُ مَّا أُوُحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ؛ْ لَّ إِلهَ إِلَّهُوَّ وَأَعْرِضُ عَنِ
الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ ﴿١٠٦) وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا أَشْرَكُوْا* وَمَا جَعَلْنُكَ
عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيْظًا وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِوَكِيلٍ ﴿١٠٧﴾
No vision can comprehend Him and He comprehends
all visions, and He is All-Fine, All-Aware. [103]
(Say, O Prophet:) There have come to you insights from
your Lord. Now, whoever uses his sight, does so for his
own self, and whoever remains blind does so against
himself. And I do not stand guard over you. [104]
And this is how We bring a variety of verses so that
they say, "you have been tutored" and so that We may
explain it to the people who have knowledge. [105]
Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord.
There is no god but He. And turn away from those who
associate partners with Allah. [106]
And if Allah willed, they would not have associated.

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 103 - 107
And We have not made you to stand guard over them,
and you are not entrusted with their affairs. [107]
Commentary
Out of these five verses of Surah Al-An'am, the word: „úzi : 'al-absar'
appearing in the first verse (103), is the plural of : Ja (basar) which
means vision, sight or ability to see, while the word: J1,3) (idrak) means
to reach, grasp, perceive, comprehend or encompass. Sayyidna Ibn
'Abbas are Jo, has explained the meaning of 'idrak' at this place as to
comprehend or encompass. (Al-Bahr Al-Muhit)
Thus, the sense of the verse comes to be that even the combined
ability of seeing given to the entire creation, to Jinns and humans and
angels, and to the rest of the life forms, can never see Allah Jalla
Sha'nuhu in a way that their vision would encompass His Being. But,
as for Him, He watches the vision of His entire creation fully, and His
'seeing' encompasses all of them. Mentioned in this brief verse are two
particular attributes of Allah Ta'ala.
1. Allah is Imperceivable: No eye in the whole universe, not even
the combined eyesights of everyone, can encompass His Being.
Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khudris Ul>, reports that the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: If all human beings, Jinn, angels and Shay-
tan, from the first to the last, were to stand in a row, even their com-
bined sights cannot comprehend His Being. (Mazhari with reference to Ibn
Abī Hatim)
Thus, so unique an attribute can belong to none but to the most-
exalted Being of Allah. Otherwise, the sight bestowed by Allah on even
the most insignificant life form of His creation can see with its mini-
eyes much larger bodies and comprehend what they are. The sun and
the moon are spheres of great magnitude, our earth being no match to
them, yet the human eye, even the eyes of the smallest of animals,
would see them in a way that would encompass their presence.
The truth of the matter is that the human eye is one sense organ
out of the many given to human beings which enable them to see and
react to what is perceptible. But, the Sacred Being of Allah Ta'ala is
beyond the all-surrounding, all-comprehending overview of even rea-
son and conjecture. There is no way this knowledge could be acquired

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by one single sense of sight. The Being and the Attributes of Allah
Ta'ala are limitless while human senses, reason and imagination are
all limited. It is obvious that the limitless cannot fit into the limited.
This is why the philosophers and metaphysicians of the world who
spent their lives in intellectual research and the respected Sufis who
traversed through this difficult spiritual field through the medium of
Illumination (Kashf) and Experiencing of the Presence (Shuhud) all
agree upon the proposition that neither has anyone arrived at the total
comprehension of the reality of His Being and Attributes, nor is that
possible.
The Possibility of Seeing the Creator
The question is: Is it possible for human beings to see Allah Ta'ala,
or is it not? On this religious question or mas'alah, the belief of all
'Ulama of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah (the majority of Muslims who
adhere to the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Saha-
bah) is that it is not possible to see the Being of Allah Ta'ala in the
state of life we have in this mortal world. This is the reason why, when
Sayyidna Musa عليه السلام prayed : رَتٍ آرنئ (My Lord, show (Yourself) to me -
7:143), the answer given was: z1 35 ('lan taran? : 'you shall never see
Me' - 7:143). It is obvious when this is the answer given to a prophet no
less than Sayyidna Musa the Kalimullah WJI ale, no Jinn or human be-
ing can even dare think about it. However, that believing Muslims
will have the honour of seeing Allah Ta'ala in the 'Akhirah stands
proved on the authority of sound (Sahih) and strong 'Ahadith which
have been reported in uninterrupted succession (mutawatir). And this
is what appears in the Qur'an itself:
وُجُّهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاضِرَةٌ إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ
Faces on that Day shall be glowing, towards their Lord gaz-
ing! - 75:22
However, the disbelievers and the deniers will not have the honour
of seeing Allah Ta'ala even on that Day, as punishment, as in a verse
of the Qur'an:
-1
No indeed; surely from (the sighting of) their Lord on that
Day, they shall be deprived - 83:15.

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Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 103 - 107
The Ziarah (the honour of seeing or visiting) of Allah Ta'ala shall
take place in 'Akhirah at several places - and on the Day of Resurrec-
tion (Al-Mahshar) as well as after reaching Jannah (Paradise). For the
people of Jannah, the Ziarah of Allah Ta'ala shall be the greatest of all
blessings.
The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: When the people of Jannah
have entered Jannah, Allah Ta'ala will ask them if they need any more
blessings besides what they have already received in Jannah; if so, let
them ask and they shall be granted those too. They will say: O Allah,
You granted us deliverance from Jahannam (Hell), and admitted us
into the Jannah (Paradise). What else could we ask for? That would
be the time when the Veil shall stand removed, everyone shall have
the honour to see Allah Ta'ala, and of all the blessings of Jannah, this
will be the greatest. This Hadith appears in the Şahin of Muslim as re-
. رضى الله عنه ported by Sayyidna Suhayb
As reported in a Hadith from the Sahih of al-Bukhari, the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was sitting under moonlight. His noble Sahabah
were with him. He looked at the moon, then said: You shall see your
Rabb with your own eyes ( in the 'Akhirah) in a way you are seeing this
moon.
In a Hadith of Tirmidhi and the Musnad of Ahmad, it has been re-
ported from Sayyidna Ibn 'Umar Le JI yo, that people blessed with spe-
cial ranks of Jannah by Allah Ta'ala will have the good fortune of see-
ing Him every morning and evening.
In short, no one can see Allah Ta'ala in the mortal world while, in
the 'Akhirah, all those in Jannah will see Him. As for the Ziyarah
made by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on the night of Mi'raj (the As-
cent to the Heavens), that too was, in reality, the Ziarah of Allah
Ta'ala as it would be in the Akhirah. According to Shaykh Muhiyuddin
ibn al-'Arabi, the world is what lies circumscribed by the skies. Be-
yond that is the domain of'Akhirah. A Ziyarah there cannot be called
a Ziyarah here in the world.
Now, still unanswered remains the question: When we know from
the verse of the Qur'an: guzM&m's (no vision can comprehend Him),
that is, human beings just cannot see Allah Ta'ala, how would that be-