Indexed OCR Text

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Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 26 - 44
first row - as stands proved from the clear statements of the Qur'an and
Sunnah. But, a person who does not, for some reason, find a place in the
first row, then, he too will have a sort of merit in that there may perhaps
be some righteous servant of Allah praying in the front rows for whose
sake, he too may be forgiven. And the way praying in the first row of
Salah stands proved from this verse, also proved is the superiority of
being in the front lines of Jihad.
Verses 26 - 44
وَلَقَدُ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ صَلْصَالِ مِّنُ حَمٍَ مَّسُنُونٍ ﴿٢﴾ وَالْحَانَّ
خَلَقْنُهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ مِنْ نَّارِ السَّمُوْمِ ﴿٢٧﴾ وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلْكَةِ إِنِّىُ
خَالِقٌ، بَشَرًا مِّنُ صَلْصَالِ مِّنُ حَمٍَ مَّسُنُوُن ﴿٢٨﴾ فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُه،
وَنَفَخُتُ فِيْهِ مِنْ رُّوُحِىُ فَقَعُوا لَهُّ سُجِدِينَ ﴿٢﴾ فَسَحَدَ الْمَلِكَةُ
كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ ﴿٣ٌ﴾ إِلَّ ◌ِيْلِيْسَ « أَبِىّ أَنْ يَّكُوُنَ مَعَ السُّجِدِينَ ﴿٢﴾
قَالَ يَآَيْلِيُسُ مَالَكَ أَلاَّ تَكُوُنَ مَعَ السُّحِدِيْنَ ﴿٢﴾ قَالَ لَمُ اَكُنُ
لِأَسْجُدَ لِبَشَرِ خَلَقْتَهُ مِنْ صَلْصَالٍ مِّنُ حَمٍَ مَّسُنُوُنِ ﴿٣٣﴾ قَالَ
فَاخْرُجُ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّكَ رَحِيمٌ ﴿ٌ﴾ وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ اللَّعْنَةَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ
﴿٣٥﴾ قَالَ رَبِّ فَانْظِرُنِىَّ إِلَى يَوْمٍ بُيُعَثُونَ ﴿٢﴾ قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ
الْمُنْظَرِيُنَ ﴿ٌ)) إِلَى يَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُوْمِ ﴿٢٨﴾ قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَغُوَيْتَنِىُ
لَأُزََّنَّ لَهُمُ فِى الْأَرْضِ وَلأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِيْنَ ﴿٢﴾ إِلاَّ عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ
الْمُخُلَصِيْنَ ﴿٤﴾ قَالَ هُذَا صِرَاطٌ عَلَىَّ مُسْتَقِيُمٌ ﴿٤١) إِنَّ عِبَادِى
لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَنّ إِلَّ مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْغْوِيْنَ ﴿٢﴾ وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ
لَمَوْعِدُهُمْ أَحْمَعِيْنَ ﴿١٦﴾ لَهَا سَبْعَةُ أَبُوَابٍ + لِكُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْهُمُ جُزْءٌ
مَّقُسُوُمٌ ﴿٤٤﴾
And We created man from a sound-giving clay made of
decayed mud. [26] And "the Jann" (the first Jinn) We had

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created earlier from the fire of the hot wind. [27] And (re-
member) when your Lord said to the angels, "I am going
to create a human being from a sound-giving clay made
of decayed mud. [28] And when I form him perfect and
blow in him of My spirit, you fall down before him, pros-
trating." [29] So the angels prostrated, all together, [30]
except Iblis. He refused to be among those who prostrat-
ed. [31] He (Allah) said, "O Iblis, what is wrong with you
that you did not join those who prostrated?" [32] He said,
"I am not the one to prostrate before a human being
whom You have created from a sound-giving clay made
of decayed mud." [33] He said, "Then, get out from here
for you are an outcast. [34] And upon you is the curse
upto the day of Judgement." [35] He said, "O my Lord,
then give me respite upto the day they (the dead) shall
be raised." [36] He (Allah) said, "Well, you are among
those given respite [37] till the day of the appointed
time." [38] He said, "My Lord, since You made me go
astray, I swear I shall adorn for them (evils) on the
earth and shall lead all of them astray, [39] except those
of Your servants from among them who are chosen (by
You)." [40] He (Allah) said, "To Me, it is the straight path.
[41] My servants are such that you have no power over
them except those who follow you from the deviators.
[42] And the Jahannam (Hell) is the promised place for
them all. [43] It has seven gates. For each gate there is a
group apportioned from them." [44]
Commentary
Blowing of Spirit into the Human Body and Making Angels
Prostrate to him : A Brief Review
Is the spirit (Ruh) a physical entity, or pure essence? On this subject,
there has been a difference of opinion among the learned since a long
time. According to Ash-Shaykh 'Abd Al-Rauf Al-Munawi, there are upto
a thousand positions taken by them. But, they are all based on conjec-
tures. None of them can be called certain. Imam Al-Ghazali, Imam Razi
and mystic scholars and thinkers maintain that it is no physical entity.
It is pure essence. Imam Razi has advanced twelve arguments in sup-
port of this view.
But, the majority of the 'Ulama' of the Muslim Ummah declare Ruh
(spirit, soul) to be a highly refined physical entity. The word: ¿ & (nafkh)
means to blow, to breathe into. If we were to go by the consensus of the

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Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 26 - 44
majority of 'Ulama' and take Ruh to be a refined physical entity, then
breathing into it becomes evident by itself. And if we were to accept it to
be pure essence, then breathing into it would mean establishing its con-
nection to the body. (Bayan al-Qur'an)
Ruh (spirit) and Nafs (self) :
The View of Qadi Thana'ullah Ju Ul ,
Leaving this long-winding debate aside, we consider it sufficient to
refer the reader to a special research presented by Qadi Thana'ullah
Panipati رحمه الله تعالى in his Tafsir Mazhari.
The respected commentator says that Ruh has two kinds: (1) Higher
('Ulwi) and (2) Lower (Sifli). The higher Ruh is bereft of matter and is a
creation of Allah Ta'ala the comprehension of whose reality is difficult.
The masters of insight by illumination (ahl al-kashf) see its real station
to be above the Throne ('Arsh) because it is more refined than the 'Arsh.
And this higher Ruh, as seen through illumination, is sensed in five de-
grees at upper and lower levels. Their number is five and they are: (1)
The heart (Qalb) (2) The spirit (Ruh) (3) The mystery (Sirr) (4) The se-
cret (Khafii) (5) The most secret (Akhfa). These are all from the refine-
ments of the domain of Divine command towards which the Holy Qur'an
has hinted by declaring: قُلِ الرُّوُحُ مِنْ أَمُرِرَبِى (Say, "The spirit is from the com-
mand of my Lord - 17:85).
As for the lower Ruh, it is a refined vapour which emerges from the
combination of the four elements of the human body, that is, from fire,
water, dust and air, and this lower Ruh is called the self (nafs).
Allah Ta'ala has made this lower spirit called self a mirror of the
higher spirits mentioned above. An illustration would make it clear. If
we were to hold a mirror against the sun, then, despite that the sun is
far far away, its reflection comes into the mirror. And because of the
light, that too starts glowing like the sun. It even receives the heat of the
sun in it which could burn a piece of cloth. The same thing applies to the
higher spirits. Though they are, because of their purity and detachment,
very high and elevated in station, and far distant too, yet their reflection
appears in the mirror of the lower spirit and transfers the states and ef-
fects of the higher spirits into it. When these very effects take root in
human selves, they become known as subordinate parts of each individu-
al's spirit.

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Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 26 - 44
Then, this lower form of spirit which is identified as Nafs or self
armed with the states and effects which it has acquired from the higher
forms of spirits first gets connected with the heart muscle of the human
body. This connection itself is another name for life. Once the lower spir-
it relates to the human heart, it infuses in it life and congnitions which
it has acquired from the higher spirits. This lower spirit then starts cir-
culating through the thin veins spread throughout the body and thus
reaches every part of it.
It is this infusion of the lower spirit into the human body which has
been called the 'blowing or breathing of the spirit' (Jaa : the nafkh of
rüh) because it bears close resemblance to blowing or breathing into so-
mething.
And, in the present verse, Allah Ta'ala has attributed the spirit to
Himself. He has said: "" }' (from My spirit) so that the superior stat-
us of the human spirit out of the entire creation becomes evident - be-
cause, it has come into existence, without any material substance, only
under Divine command. In addition to that, it has a unique ability to ac-
cept and absorb the manifestations of Divine light, an ability which does
not exist in the spirit of any other living creature other than that of the
human person.
Though, dust is the dominant element in the creation of man - and
that is why the creation of man has been attributed to clay - but, the re-
ality is that man is a combination of ten elements out of which five be-
long to the universe of creation (¿JI Jle) while the other five to the uni-
verse of Divine command ( Jte). The four elements of the universe of
creation are fire, water, dust and air. The fifth is the refined vapour from
these four which is called the lower spirit or nafs. As for the five ele-
ments of the universe of Divine command mentioned above, they are: (1)
heart (qalb) (2) spirit (ruh) (3) mystery (sirr) (4) secret (khafiyy)(5) total-
ly hidden (akhfa).
It is because of this comprehensive making of the human model that
man became deserving of Divine vice-regency, and very much capable of
absorbing the light which helps him know his Lord and, of course, sus-
taining his own burning quest on the path of love and longing for Him.
The outcome, though unspecified as to its actual state, is communion

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Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 26 - 44
with the Divine because the Holy Prophet
" الْمَرُءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ' :has said
(One shall be with whoever one loves).
And since human beings have the ability to absorb the manifesta-
tions of Divine light, and since they have been given the honour of being
in communion with the Divine, it came to be the dictate of Divine wis-
dom that man be made the object of prostration by the angels. It was
said : "َفَقَعُوا لَهُ سُحدِيْن" (you fall down before him, prostrating - 29)
The Command to Prostrate was Given to Angels - Iblis was to
Follow Suit
مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلاَّ تَسُجُدَ إِذْ آَمَرُتُكَ :Addressing Iblis in Surah Al-Araf, it was said
(What stopped you from prostrating when I ordered you? - 7:12). This
shows that the command to prostrate was given, alongwith the angels,
to Iblis as well. However, the verses you have gone through a little earli-
er apparently give the sense that the command was particular to the an-
gels. This could mean that the command was originally given to the an-
gels but, as Iblis too was present among the angels, therefore, he too was
covered by this command as a corollary - because, when the command
went forth for the most august creation of Allah Ta'ala, that is, the an-
gels, that they pay their homage to Sayyidna 'Adam Seal, it was obvious
that any other creation was bound to follow suit under this command. It
was for this reason that Iblis did not respond by saying that he was
never asked to prostrate to begin with, so he could not be charged with
the crime of non-compliance of the order. Perhaps, the words of the
Qur'an here: "َأَبِى أَنْ يَّكُوُنَ مَعَ السَّجِدِيْن (He refused to be among those who pros-
trated - 30) may contain a hint in that direction. Rather than say: Sí
that is, 'he refused to prostrate', what was actually said was: ' of er
-he refused to be among those who prostrated. This indi ' يَّكُوُنَ مَعَ السُّجِدِيْنَ
cates that the main prostraters were after all the angels but Iblis too,
being present with them, was reason-bound to join the prostrating an-
gels. So, the Divine wrath was against his failure to join.
The Meaning of Shaytan Having No Power over Special Servants
of Allah
From the verse : ◌ٌإِنَّ عِبَادِىُ لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهمُ سُلُطن (My servants are such that you
have no power over them - 42), we learn that there are special and cho-
sen servants of Allah Ta'ala who are not affected by Satanic deception.
But, within this event relating to Sayyidna 'Adam dal, it has also been

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Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 45 - 50
said that the deception of Satan worked in the case of Sayyidna 'Adam
and Hawwa'. Similarly, about the noble Companions, the Qur'an has
said : إِنَّمَا اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطِنُ بِبَعْضِ مَاكَسْبُوا (Satan had but made them slip for some of
their deeds - 3:155) which tells us that there was an occasion (during the
Battle of Uhud) when the evil plan of the Satan worked against the Com-
panions as well.
Therefore, in the present verse, the sense of saying that the special
servants of Allah are such that Satan has no power over them is that
their hearts and minds never come under the power and sway of Satan
to the extent that would just not become alerted to their error at all, be-
cause of which, they would remain deprived of necessary repentance for
ever, or that they fall into some sin the forgiveness of which would be-
come impossible.
As for the events mentioned above, they offer no contradiction be-
cause 'Adam and Hawwa' >JI Lele made their Taubah and this repen-
tance was accepted. Similarly, the noble Companions referred to above
had also made their Taubah. Thus, whatever sin they fell into because of
the mechanization of Satan was forgiven.
The Seven Gates of Jahannam
About the statement: ◌ٍلَهَا سَبُعَةُ أَبُوَاب (It has seven gates - 44), according to
a narration of Sayyidna 'Ali 40 reported by Imam Ahmad, Ibn Jarir
Al-Țabari and Al-Baihaqi, the seven gates of Jahannam (Hell) are in
terms of seven levels, one upon the other. Some others have taken these
as common gates where every gate will be reserved for a special kind of
sinners. (Qurțubi)
Verses 45 - 50
إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِيْنَ فِىُ حَنْتٍ وَّعْيُوُنِ ﴿٥ُ﴾ أُدُخُلُوُهَا بِسَلْمٍ أَمِنِينَ ﴿٤٦﴾
وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِىُ صُدُوْرِهِمُ مِّنْ غِلّ ◌ِخُوانًا عَلَى سُرُرٍ مُّتَقِيْنَ ﴿٤٧﴾
لاَيَمَسُّهُمُ فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَّمَاهُمُ مِّنْهَا بِمُخْرَحِينَ ﴿٤﴾ نَبِّئُ عِبَادِىَّ أَنِّىُ
أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴿٢﴾ وَأَنَّ عَذَابِىُ هُوَ الْعَذَابُ الْأَلِيُمُ ﴿ .. ﴾
Surely, the God-fearing are in Gardens and streams: [45]

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Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 45 - 50
"Enter here in peace, free of fear." [46] And We shall have
removed whatever grudge they had in their hearts (mak-
ing them) brothers, sitting on couches, face to face. [47]
No weariness shall touch them nor will they be expelled
from there. [48]
Tell My servants that I am the Most-Forgiving, the
Very-Merciful [49] and that My punishment is the pain-
ful punishment. [50]
Commentary
According to Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas 4
>, when the people of
Jannah will enter Jannah, first of all two streams of water will be pre-
sented before them. They will drink water from the first stream and all
mutual grudges they had from their life in the mortal world - the effect
of which naturally survived right through the end - will be totally
washed away. In its place, they all will feel love for each other in their
hearts because mutual bickering too is virtually a pain and punishment
as such, and Jannah is free of all pain.
As for the report appearing in Sahih Hadith: 'Anyone who nurses the
least grudge in his heart against a Muslim will not go to Jannah,' it
means the grudge and malice which is rooted in material ends, and is
there by one's personal intention and choice, and because of which this
person keeps looking for an opportunity to inflict pain or loss on his ene-
my. Being ill at ease in someone's company as a matter of natural tem-
perament, a human trait beyond one's control, is not included here. Simi-
lar is the case of what is based on some Islamic legal ground. It is this
kind of grudge which has been referred to in this verse and where it has
been said that such grudge and temperamental distaste will be removed
from their hearts.
It is about this kind of grudge that Sayyidna 'Ali 4
said: "I hope
that I shall be, alongwith Talha and Zubayr, among those the dust of mu-
tual anxiety from whose hearts will be removed while entering Jannah."
The reference here is to the difference of opinion and resulting conflict
which took place between Sayyidna Talha 4
and Sayyidnā Zubayr
and Sayyidna 'Ali 4
From verse 48 :َلايَمَسُّهُمْ فِيهَا نَصَبٌّ وَّمَاهُمُ مِّنُهَا بِمُخُرَجَيْن (No weariness shall
touch them therein nor will they be expelled from there), we learn about

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Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 51 - 77
two features of Jannah: (1) No one shall ever feel tired or weak. This is
contrary to what happens in our mortal world where hard work natural-
ly results in fatigue. In fact, even a state of total rest and fun would
sometimes tire a person out, no matter how enjoyable are things one is
occupied with.
(2) The other feature of Jannah we discover is that the blessings once
received there shall be eternal. These blessings shall never diminish nor
shall anyone be expelled from there. In Surah Sad, it was said: Just
- This is sustenance provided by Us which is never to exhaust) مَا لَه؛ مِنُ نَّفَادٍ
38:54).And in the present verse, it was said: ◌َوَمَا هُمُ مِّنْهَا بمُخرَجين (nor will
they be expelled from there) that is, they shall never be deprived of the
state of bliss bestowed upon them. This is contrary to the affairs of the
mortal world where the recepient of the best of conveniences lives under
the apprehension that the giver of the facilities may become displeased
with him one of those days and expel him out.
As for the third probability, that the blessings of Jannah may remain
everlasting, nor one is expelled from there, but one may himself get
bored by living there and wish to go out, the Qur'an has demolished this
probability in one sentence of Surah Al-Kahf with the following words:
That is, these people too would never seek to return from) لاَ يَبُغُوُنَ عَنْهَا حِوَلاً
there - 18:108).
Verses 51 - 77
وَنَبِّئُهُمُ عَنْ ضَيْفِ إِبُرْهِيُمَ ﴿٥١﴾ إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا سَلْمًا ، قَالَ إِنَّا
مِنْكُمُ وَجِلُونَ ﴿٢﴾ قَالُوا لاَتَوُجَلُ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلْمٍ عَلِيمٍ ﴿٥٣﴾ قَالَ
أَبَشَّرْ تُمُوُنِىُ عَلَىّ أَنُ مَّسَّنِىَ الْكِبَرُ فَبِمَ تُبَشِّرُوُنَ ﴿٤﴾ قَالُوا بَشَّرْتُكَ
بِالْحَقِّ فَلاَ تَكُنُ مِّنَ الْقُنِطِينَ ﴿٠﴾ قَالَ وَمَنْ يَّقْنَطُ مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ رَبِّمَ إِلاَّ
الضَّالُونَ ﴿٢﴾ قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكُمُ أَيُّهَا الْمُرُسَلُونَ ﴿٥٧﴾ قَالُوَّا إِنَّ
أُرْسِلْنَآ إِلَى قَوْمٍ مُّحْرِمِيْنَ ﴿ٌ﴾ إِلاَّ الَ لُوطٍ * إِنَّا لَمُنَجُوُهُمْ أَجْمَعِيْنَ
﴿﴿ إِلاَّ امْرَأَتَه" قَدَّرْنَآ « إِنَّهَا لَمِنَ الْغُبِرِيْنَ ﴿٢﴾ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ الَ لُوُطِ

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Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 51 -77
«الْمُرُسَلُونَ ﴿٢﴾ قَالَ إِنَّكُمُ قَوْمٌ مُّنْكَرُونَ ﴿٦٢﴾ قَالُوا بَلُ جُنْكَ بِمَا
كَانُوا فِيْهِ يَمْتَرُوُنَ ﴿١٣﴾ وَأَتَيْنُكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَإِنَّا لَصْدِقُونَ ﴿٤﴾ فَاسُر
بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِّنَ الَيْلِ وَأَّبِعُ آدْبَارَهُمُ وَلاَيَلْتَفِتْ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ وَّامُضُوْا
حَيْثُ تُؤُمَرُوُنَ ﴿٢٥) وَقَضَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِ ذُلِكَ الْأَمْرَ أَنَّ دَابِرَهَؤُلاءِ مَقُطُوُعٌ
مُّصْبِحِيْنَ ﴿٦٦﴾ وَ جَآءَ أَهْلُ الْمَدِيْنَةِ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ ﴿٦٧﴾ قَالَ إِنَّ هَؤُلاَءٍ
ضَيْفِىُ فَلاَ تَفْضَحُوُنِ ﴿٢٨)﴾ وَأَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُخْزُوُنِ ﴿٦٠﴾ قَالُوًّا أَوَلَمُ
نَنْهَكَ عَنِ الْعُلَمِينَ ﴿٢﴾ قَالَ هُؤُلاَءٍ بَنْتِّىَ إِنْ كُنْثُمُ فْعِلِيْنَ ﴿١ُ﴾
لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِىُ سَكْرَبِهِمُ يَعُمَهُوْنَ ﴿٢﴾ فَآَخَذَتُهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ
مُشْرِقِيْنَ ﴿٢٣﴾ فَجَعَلْنَا عَالِيَهَا سَا فِلَهَا وَأَمُطَرُنَا عَلَيْهِمُ حِجَارَةً مِّنْ
سِجِّيْلٍ ﴿٤﴾ إِنَّ فِىْ ذَلِكَ لَأَيْتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِيْنَ ﴿٧٥﴾ وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبَيْلِ
مُّقِيُمٍ ﴿٧٦﴾ إِنَّ فِىُ ذُلِكَ لَيَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٧٧﴾
And tell them about the guests of Ibrahim. [51] When
they visited him, they greeted him with Salam (peace on
you). He said, "We are scared of you." [52] They said, "Do
not be scared. We give you good news of a boy who will
be knowledgeable." [53] He said, "Do you give me the
good news while old age has befallen me? So what is the
good news you are giving to me?" [54] They said, "We
have given to you the good news of a fact. So do not be
among those who lose hope." [55] He said, "Who would
lose hope in the mercy of his Lord except those who
have lost the straight path?" [56] He said, "Then, what is
your mission, O messengers?" [57] They said, "We have
been sent to a sinful people, [58] except the family of Lut
- all of whom we shall save, [59] but his wife. We have or-
dained that she is to be among those who will remain be-
hind." [60]
So when the messengers came to the family of Lut, [61]
he said, "you are an unusual people." [62] They said, "No,
but we have brought to you what they have been doubt-
ing in. [63] And we have come to you with a definite mat-
ter and surely we are truthful. [64] So, carry your family

321
Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 51 - 77
after a part of the night (has passed) and follow them at
the rear and no one from you should look back and keep
going to where you are commanded." [65] And We re-
vealed to him the fact that they are to be annihilated to
the last man when they see the morning. [66]
And the people of the city came rejoicing. [67] He (Lut)
said, "They are my guests; so do not put me to shame [68]
and fear Allah and do not disgrace me." [69] They said,
"Had we not forbidden you from (being the guardian of)
the whole world?" [70] He said, "These are my daughters,
(for marriage) if you are to do so." [71]
By your life, (O prophet) they are wandering blindly in
their intoxication (misguidance). [72] So, they were se-
ized by the Cry at sunrise. [73] Then, We turned it (the
city) upside down and sent over them rain of stones
made of clay. [74]
Surely, in that there are signs for those who read signs.
[75] And surely, it (their city) is located on the straight
road. [76] Surely, in it there are signs for the believers.
[77]
Commentary
A Great Honour for the Holy Prophet
About the word of Allah: 333 (la'amruk : By your life), the majority
of commentators, as reported in Ruh al-Ma'ani, have said that the ad-
dressee of 'la'amruka' is the Holy Prophet &g. It is his life that Allah
Ta'ala has sworn by. Al-Baihaqi in Dala'ilun-Nubuwwah, and Abu
Nu'aym, Ibn Marduwayh and others have reported from Sayyidna 'Ab-
dullah ibn 'Abbas
that Allah Ta'ala has not bestowed on anyone in
the whole creation an honour and rank higher than that of Sayyidna Mu-
hammad al-Mustafa g. This is the reason why Allah Ta'ala has never
sworn by the life of any prophet or angel, while in this verse, He has
sworn by the age and life of the Holy Prophet Eg - which is the highest
conceivable honour and deference accorded to him.
Swearing by Non-Allah
To swear by anyone or anything, other than the names and attrib-
utes of Allah Ta'ala, is not permissible for any human being because one
would only swear by whoever is held in the highest of esteem - and, as
obvious, Allah alone can be the highest.

322
Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 51 - 77
According to Hadith, the Holy Prophet g said: Do not swear by your
mothers, fathers and idols. And do not swear by anyone except Allah -
and if you have to swear by Allah, do it only when you are truthful in
your statement. (Reported by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i from Sayyidna Abu
Hurairah 4%)
It appears in the Şahihayn (the Şahin of Al-Bukhari and the Şahin of
Muslim) that the Holy Prophet
once saw Sayyidna 'Umar ibn
al-Khațtab
swearing by his father. He called out to him and said:
'Watch out! Allah Ta'ala forbids swearing by fathers. Whoever has to
take an oath, let him do it in the name of Allah, otherwise, let him be si-
lent. (Al-Qurțubi under the commentary on Surah al-Ma'idah)
But, this injunction applies to Allah's creation in general. As for
Allah Ta'ala Himelf, He swears by different things He has created. This
is particular to Him. Its purpose is to state the sublimity and benefi-
cence of something from the desired angle. Then, the cause of forbidding
common people from swearing by anyone other than Allah is not present
here - because, in the Word of Allah there is no probability that He
would take someone from His creation to be the highest and the best.
Again, the reason is that absolute greatness is particular only with Allah
Ta'ala.
Learn Your Essential Lesson From Sites Ruined by Divine
Punishment
In verses 75 and 76:(إِنَّ فِىُ ذُلِكَ لَأَيْتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِمِينَ ﴿٧٥﴾ وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلِ مُّقِيمٍ (٧٦ (Surely ,
in that there are signs for those who read signs. And surely, it [their
city] is located on the straight road), Allah Ta'ala has pointed out to the
geographical location of such ruined cities which fall on the main road
which takes people from Arabia to Syria. Also said with it was that in
them there are great signs of the perfect power of Allah Ta'ala for those
who believe and have the necessary hindsight and foresight.
About this, there is another statement in Surah al-Qasas where it
was said: ◌ًلَمْ تُسُكَنُ مِّنُ بَعُدِهِمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلا (not lived in after them except a little -
28:58). In other words, after their destruction by Divine punishment,
these habitations were not repopulated except some. So, by combining
these indicators, we can see that Allah Ta'ala has made these ruined
habitations and homes a site from which coming generations could learn

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Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 78 -86
their essential lesson.
This is the reason why the Holy Prophet #3, whenever he has passed
by these sites, went through a particular emotional state under which he
would be overwhelmed by the awe of Almighty Allah and which caused
his blessed head to lower down and he would then try to make his mount
hasten through these sites. This particular mode of action taken by the
Holy Prophet
has established the sunnah that making sites which
have been hit by Divine punishment a place of picnic and amusement is
hard-heartedness at its ugliest. Rather than do something like that, the
only method of learning a lesson from them is to think about and feel the
very presence of the most perfect power of Allah Ta'ala on the site being
visited which should cause one to tremble with the fear of His punish-
ment.
The habitations of the time of Sayyidna Lut &Cal which were over-
turned are located, as said by the Qur'an, on the Arabia-Syria route.
This site is still present in the proximity of Jordan in the form of a wild-
erness below the sea level. On a major portion, flows a particular kind of
water like a river. Sea life cannot survive here. Therefore, it is called the
Dead Sea or the Sea of Lut.
The local Department of Archaeology has set up some hotels and resi-
dential quarters at this site to attract tourists. The result is that people
with an incorrigible infatuation with the material and who are equally
dismissive of the concerns of the Hereafter have made this site a place of
fun and frolic. People go there to enjoy the sights of the ancient. Lest
such heedlessness becomes a habit, the Holy Qur'an has served a warn-
ing towards the end by saying: ◌َإِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَايَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِين (Surely , in it there are
signs for the believers). It means: In reality, these sites and the events
associated with them are full of moral lessons for everyone having in-
sight. But, it is the good fortune of believers only who would benefit by
learning what these sites teach, while others would go through these
sites as tourists and leave empty-handed.
Verses 78 - 86
وَإِنْ كَانَ أَصْحُبُ الأَيْكَةِ لَظْلِمِينَ ﴿١٨﴾ فَانْتَقَمُنَا مِنْهُمُ) وَإِنَّهُمَا

324
Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 78 -86
كَبِمَامٍ مُّبِيْنِ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَقَدُ كَذَّبَ أَصْحُبُ الْحِجُرِ الْمُرُسَلِيْنَ ﴿1﴾
وَتَيْنُهُمْ أَيْتِنَا فَكَانُوْا عَنُهَا مُعُرِضِيْنَ ﴿٨﴾ وَكَانُوا يَنْحِتُوُنَ مِنَ
الْجَبَالِ بُيُوتًّا أمِنِينَ ﴿٢﴾ فَأَخَذَتُهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ مُصْبِحِينَ ﴿٢﴾ فَمَّآ
أَغْنَى عَنُهُمُ مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿٤﴾﴾ وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمُوْتِ وَالْأَرْضَ
وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَّا إِلاَّ بِالْحَقّ ، وَإِنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَأْتِيَةٌ فَاصُفَحِ الصَّفْحَ الْحَمِيْلَ
﴿٨٥﴾ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ الْخَلْقُ الْعَلِيمُ ﴿٨٦﴾
And, indeed, the people of Aikah were transgressors. [78]
So, We punished them in retribution and both of them
are (situated) by a highway, clearly visible. [79]
And the people of Al-Hijr did belie the messengers. [80]
And We provided them with Our signs yet they kept
turning away from them. [81] They would hew out
houses from the hills, in peace. [82] Then, the Cry seized
them by the morning. [83] So, whatever they earned did
not come to their help. [84]
And We did not create the heavens and the earth and
whatever is there in between them but with truth. And
the Hour is sure to come. Therefore, overlook in a gra-
cious manner. [85] Surely, your Lord is the Master - Crea-
tor, the All-Knowing. [86]
Commentary
Aikah means a dense forest. There are other views too. Some com-
mentators say that there was a dense forest near Madyan, therefore,
Aikah is actually the title of the people of Madyan. Others have said
that the people of Aikah and the people of Madyan were two different
people. It was after the destruction of one of them that Sayyidna
Shu'ayb &el was sent to the other.
In Tafsir Ruh al-Ma'ani, the following marfu' hadith appears with
reference to Ibn 'Asakir:
إِنَّ مَدُيَنَ وَأَصْحَابَ الآَيْكَةِ أُمَّنَان بَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَيْهِمَا شُعَيْبًا
Madyan and the people of Aikah are two peoples. Allah Ta'ala
sent Shu'ayb to them.

325
Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 87 - 99
And Al-Hijr is a valley situated in between Hijaz and Syria. It was in-
habited by the people of Thamud.
A Brief Explanation
Described at the beginning of the Surah was the hostility of the disbe-
lievers of Makkah against the Holy Prophet
which also carried words
of comfort for him briefly. Now, at the end of the Surah, more words of
comfort appear to mollify his concern about their grudge and hostility.
Here, he is being asked not to grieve over their hostile opposition be-
cause there is a day when all scores will be settled, and that is the day of
Judgement, and it is bound to come as he has been told. Then, there is
the fact that Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and whatev-
er is there in between them but with truth and wisdom. The wise consid-
eration behind this creation is that people should believe in the existence
of the maker of the universe, attest to His Oneness and supremacy and
obey His injunctions. Also present there is the consequence of not doing
so, after the argument of Allah stands established, that the defaulter be
punished. Since this promised punishment does not seem to come in full
right here in this mortal world, it has to be somewhere else. For that,
the time is fixed, the time of the Qiyamah, the day of Judgement. And
this Hour is sure to come. Everyone will be taken care of there.
This being the wise arrangement of things, let him not grieve. The
better course for him is to overlook their wicked behaviour in a gracious
manner, that is, neither pay attention to their behavior nor complain
about it. The reason is that his Lord is great as Creator and great as the
Master Knower as well. He knows his patience and fortitude and He
knows the evil mechanizations of his enemies too. Therefore, He is to
exact the full return from them of what they have been doing.
Verses 87 - 99
وَلَقَدُ أَتَّيِّئُكَ سَبْعًا مِّنَ الْمَثَانِىُ وَالْقُرَانَ الْعَظِيُمَ ﴿٨٧﴾ لاَ تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيُكَ
إِلى مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِّنْهُمُ وَلاَ تَحْزَنُ عَلَيْهِمُ وَاخْفِضُ جَنَاحَكَ
لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٨٨﴾ وَقُلُ إِنِّىْ أَنَا النَّذِيُرُ الْمُبَيْنُ ﴿٨٩﴾ كَمَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَى
الْمُقْتَسِمِيْنَ ﴿٢﴾ الَّذِيْنَ جَعَلُوا الْقُرْآنَ عِضِيْنَ ﴿١١﴾ فَوَرَّبِّكَ

326
Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 87 -99
لَنَسْئَلَنَّهُمْ أَجُمَعِيْنَ ﴿١٢) عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعُمَلُونَ ﴿١٣﴾ فَاصُدَعُ بِمَا تُؤُمَرُ
وَأَعْرِضُ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ ﴿٤﴾ إِنَّا كَفَيِّئُكَ الْمُسْتَهُزِءِيُنَ ﴿٢) الَّذِيْنَ
يَجْعَلَوْنَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَة فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٦) وَلَقَدُ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ
يَضِيُقُ صَدُرُكَ بِمَا يَقُوْلُوُنَ ﴿٩٧﴾ فَسَبِّحُ بِحَمُدٍ رَبِّكَ وَكُنُ مِّنَ
السَّجِدِينَ ﴿٩٨﴾ وَاعْبُدُ رَبَّكَ حَتّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِيْنُ ﴿٩٩)
And We have given you the seven oft-repeated verses
and the glorious Qur'an. [87] Never stretch your eyes to-
wards what We have given to groups of them to enjoy
and do not grieve for them, and be kind to believers in
humbleness. [88] And say, "I am the one who warns clear-
ly (against punishment) [89] as We sent down upon the
schismatics [90] who split the Qur'an into bits. [91] So, by
your Lord, We shall question them all, [92] about what
they have been doing. [93]
Now, proclaim what you are commanded to and turn
away from the mushriks (polytheists). [94] Surely, We are
sufficient for you against those who deride, [95] those
who take to another god alongwith Allah. So, they shall
soon learn. [96] And We know that your heart feels dis-
tressed for what they say. [97] So, proclaim the purity,
and glory of your Lord and be among those who pros-
trate. [98] And worship your Lord until comes to you
that which is certain. [99]
Commentary
Surah Al-Fatihah is the Text and Summary of the Whole Qur'an
That Surah Al-Fatihah (The Opening) has been called the Glorious
Qur'an in this verse (87) indicates that Surah Al-Fatihah is, in a way, the
whole Qur'an - because the basic principles of Islam have been merged
in it.1
السبع المثاني والقرآن :In order to understand this, one must keep in mind that the words .1
laJl (the seven oft-repeated verses and the glorious Qur'an) in verse (87) are inter-
preted by the commentators in different ways. Most of them are of the view that
'seven oft-repeated verses' refer to Surah al-Fatihah which consists of seven verses.
Since these seven verses are repeated in every Salah, they have been referred to in
the verse 87 as 'oft-repeated verses'. Then, the words 'and the glorious Qur'an'occur-
ing after it are of explanatory nature which refer to the same 'seven oft-repeated
verses'. Therefore, the name of the 'glorious Qur'an' has been given here to the
Surah al-Fatihah itself. The comment of the author is based on this interpretation.

327
Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 87 -99
On Being Questioned in Al-Mahshar : About what will it be?
In verse 92, swearing by His Own sacred Being, Allah Ta'ala has de-
clared that all such people who came earlier or later shall definitely be
questioned.
The Sahabah رضى الله عنهم أجمعين asked the Holy Prophet
as to what
it will be about. He said that it will be about saying: d yi Ji y (la ilaha
illallah : there is no god worthy of worship but Allah). Al-Qurtubi, after
reporting this narration in his Tafsir, has said: It means the fulfilling of
this pledge practically as signified by the Kalimah Tayyibah: La ilaha
illallah. A simple verbal statement is not what is desired here because,
as for verbal attestation, that was done by the hypocrites (munafiqin)
too. Hadrat al-Hasan al-Basri Ju Ul , said: 'Iman (faith) does not
become a living reality by taking on a particular style and form, and Din
(religion) does not prosper by simply having the best of wishes for it.
'Iman is the name of that certitude which has been poured into the heart
and which has been proved true by deeds. This is well illustrated by a
Hadith from Sayyidna Zayd ibn Arqam 4ce in which the Holy Prophet
has been reported to have said: A person who says: Jn YI JI y (la ilaha
illallah : there is no god worthy of worship but Allah) with ikhlas (totally
unalloyed sincerity) will definitely go to Jannah. People asked: Ya Rasul
Allah, how is 'ikhlas' related to this Kalimah? He said: When this
Kalimah stops a person from what has been prohibited by Allah as
unlawful and impermissible, then, it is with 'ikhlas' (with sincerity in
the absolute sense). (Qurțubī)
On Spreading the Religious Message Stage by Stage As
Convenient
Before the revelation of the verse (94) :ُفَاصُدَعُ بمَا تُؤُمَر (Now, proclaim
what you are commanded to), the Holy Prophet % and his noble Saha-
bah رضى الله عنهم أجمعين used to make Salah and recite Qur'an secretly (lest
they are seen and harmed). The process of passing on the religious mes-
sage to others and the mission of teaching and training was also kept se-
cret being limited to a counted few. The reason was that doing so openly
would have given the disbelievers the opportunity to bring harm to
them. In this verse (95), Allah Ta'ala has Himself taken the responsibil-
ity of seeing that they stay safe against those who deride their faith and
bring harm to them. Therefore, from that time onwards, the mission was

328
Surah Al-Hijr : 15 : 87 - 99
pursued openly and publicly in all its aspects, recitation of the Qur'an,
acts of worship, the call, the propagation, everything.
إِنَّا كَفَيُنْكَ الْمُسْتَهُزْءِ ينَ :The people who have been referred to in the verse
(Surely, We are sufficient for you against those who deride - 95) their
ring leaders were five in number: (1) Al-'As ibn Wa'il (2) Aswad ibn
al-Muttalib (3) Aswad ibn 'Abd Yaghuth (4) Walid ibn Mughirah (5)
Harith ibn Talhah. They were killed simultaneously and miraculously
when signalled by Sayyidna Jibra'il.
This event provides a guideline in matters of Tabligh and Da'wah. In
places and under circumstances where a worker in the way of Allah sees
no good coming out of saying what is true and right openly, rather appre-
hends harm coming to him in doing so, then, under such conditions,
doing so secretly is also correct and permissible. However, when there is
the option and ability to proclaim things openly, then, no delay should be
made in taking a public stance.
The Spiritual Defence Against Enemy Hostility
From verses 97 and 98, we learn that should one face heart-rending
sayings and doings of enemies the anxiety from which bothers him, then,
there is a spiritual cure for that condition: Let him or her get busy with
Tasbih and 'Ibadah, praising Allah Ta'ala and praying before Him. Allah
Ta'ala will Himself remove this pain and anxiety.
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Al-Hijr
Ends here.

331
Surah Al-Nahl : 16 : 1 - 2
Surah Al-Nahl
(The Honey Bee)
Surah al -- Nahl is Makki and it has 128 verses and 16 sections
With the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the Very-Merciful
Verses 1 - 2
أَثّى أَمْرُاللّهِ فَلاَ تَسْتَعُجلُوُهُ، سُبُحْنَهُ، وَتَعْلَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُوُنَ ﴿٢﴾ يُنَزِّلُ
الْمَلْئِكَةَ بِالرُّوُحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهٍ عَلَى مَنْ يَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِةٍ أَنْ أَنْذِرُوَّا أَنَّهُ لاَّ
إِلهَ إِلاَّ أَنَا فَاتَّقُون ﴿٢﴾
The command of Allah is bound to come. So, do not ask
for it to come sooner. Pure is He, and much higher than
what they ascribe to Him as partners. [1]
He sends down the angels at His behest with the spirit,
(that is, the revelation), upon whom He wills from
among His servants: 'Warn people that there is no god
but Me. So, fear Me.' [2]
The Name of the Surah
This Surah has been called Al-Nahl, that is, the honey bee because it
mentions it as a unique Divine marvel. Another name for this Surah is
Surah Al-Ni'am. (Qurtubi) The word Ni'am is the plural of Ni'mah (bless-
ing) because the great blessings of Allah Ta'ala have been particularly
mentioned in this Surah.
Commentary
The Surah begins without any particular introduction with a direct,

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Surah Al-Nahl : 16 : 1 - 2
stern and awesome note of warning. The reason behind it was the saying
of the polytheists that Muhammad (al-Mustafa صلى الله عليه وسلم) keeps
warning them of the day of Qiyamah and the punishment of Allah and
telling them that Allah Ta'ala has promised victory for him and punish-
ment for his opponents. All this, they challenged, they do not see coming
upon them. In reply, it was said: ◌ُآتى آَمُرُ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تَسْتَعُجلُوُه (The command of
Allah is bound to come. So, do not ask for it to come sooner - 1).
Here, the expression: Jrai (amrullah : the command of Allah) means
the promise Allah has made to His Rasul - that his enemies will be made
to surrender, and that Muslims will be blessed with victory and honour.
In this verse, it is in a distinctly awesome tone that Allah Ta'ala has
said: Ist (ata amrullah : translated here as the command of Allah is
bound to come'). Literally (the nuance of the original expression
remaining untranslatable), the sense is that issued is the command of Al-
lah, that is, it is bound to come which you will soon see.
Some commentators say that 'the command of Allah' here means the
day of Qiyamah. The sense of its being 'bound to come' is that it is going
to come soon. And if we were to look at it in the frame of the life of the
entire world itself, its being close, or its actual coming does not remain
much distant. (Al-Bahr Al-Muhit)
As for the second sentence in the first verse where it is said that
Allah Ta'ala is free of Shirk (the ascribing of partners to Him), it means
that the act of these people who are belying the promise of Allah Ta'ala
is itself an act of Kufr (infidelity) and Shirk. Allah Ta'ala is absolutely
free from it. (Al-Bahr Al-Muhit)
The essential message of the first verse is to call people to believe in
the Oneness of Allah (Tauhid) through a stern warning. The second
verse carries an affirmation of Tauhid through a reported proof, the
substance of which is that every Rasul or messenger of Allah, from
Sayyidna Adam Mell to the Last of the Prophets 5, who has come in
different parts of the world at different times, has but preached this
belief in the Oneness of Allah - though, none of them knew anything
about the life and work of each other because of obvious causes. Just
imagine if at least one hundred and twenty thousand blessed wise men
who are born in different ages, countries and regions, and believe in and

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Surah Al-Nahl : 16 : 3 - 8
adhere to one single principle, then, one is naturally compelled to accept
that their saying so cannot be false. In order to have faith, this single
proof is sufficient.
The word: » (ruh: spirit) as used in this verse, according to
Sayyidna ibn 'Abbas 4%, means Wahy (revelation); and according to
some commentators, it means Hidayah (guidance). (Al-Bahr Al-Muhit)
After having presented the reported proof of Tauhid in the second verse,
the same belief has been proved rationally by turning the focus on the
blessings of Allah Ta'ala as it follows next in verses 3-8.
Verses 3 - 8
خَلَقَ السَّمُوْتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ ، تَعْلَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٢﴾ خَلَقَ
الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيُمٌ مُّبِيْنٌ ﴿٤﴾ وَالْأَنْعَامَ خَلَقَهَا ، لَكُمُ
فِيْهَا دِفُءٌ وَّمَنَافِعُ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ ﴿﴿ وَلَكُمُ فِيْهَا جَمَالٌ حِيْنَ
تُرِيُحُوُنَ وَحِيْنَ تَسْرَحُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَتَحُمِلُ أَثْقَالَكُمُ إِلَى بَلَدٍ لَّمُ تَكُوُنُوا
يُلِغِيُهِ إِلاَّ بِشِقِّ الْأَنْفُسِ * إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ لَرَهُ وُفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿ٌ﴾ وَالْخَيْلَ
وَالْبِغَالَ وَالْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوُهَا وَزِيْنَةً ، وَيَخُلُقُ مَالاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿﴾
He created the heavens and the earth in the proper way.
He is much higher than what they ascribe to Him as
partners. [3] He created man from a drop, and soon he
turned into a quarrelsome person expressing himself
openly. [4] As for the cattle, He created them, having
warmth for you, and other benefits; and of them you eat.
[5] And for you there is beauty in them when you drive
them (home) in the evening and take them out to graze.
[6] And they carry your loads to a city where you were
not able to reach without putting yourself into hard-
ship. Surely, your Lord is Very Kind, Very Merciful. [7]
And (He created) horses, mules and donkeys so that you
may ride on them and they may look good. And He
creates what you do not know (yet). [8]