Indexed OCR Text

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 128 - 135
and before it sets. And in some hours of night proclaim
His purity, as well as at the edges of the day, so that
you may be pleased. [130]
And never stretch your eyes towards what we have
given to groups of them to enjoy, the glamor of the
worldly life, so that We put them to test thereby. And
the bounty of your Lord is better and lasting. [131]
And bid your family to perform Salah and adhere to it
yourself. We ask no provision from you. We give
provision to you. And the end is in favour of Taqwa.
[132]
And they said, "Why does he not bring to us sign from
his Lord?" Has there not come to them the
manifestation of that which was contained in the
earlier scriptures? [133] And if We had destroyed them
with a punishment before it, they would have said, "Our
Lord, why did you not send a messenger to us, so that
we might have followed Your signs before we were
humiliated and put to disgrace?" [134]
Say, "Everyone is waiting. So wait, then you will know
who are the people of the straight path and who has
guidance. [135]
Commentary
The word da (guidance) implied in the first sentence of verse 128 can
refer either to the Qur'an or to the Holy Prophet
and the meaning
would be, "Did not the Qur'an or the Holy Prophet
direct them i.e. the
people of Makkah and tell them about the nations and the societies who
were destroyed because they disobeyed the commands of Allah and
turned away from the message brought to them by the Holy Prophet
and whose houses and lands are now occupied by them?" It is also possible
that the word sus (guidance) may refer to God in which case the meaning
would be "Did God not direct."
So endure what they say - 20:130) The people of) فَاصْبِرُ عَلى مَايَقُوُلُونَ
Makkah offered various excuses to justify their rejection of the religion
brought to them by the Holy Prophet
and these included derogatory
remarks against his person also, such as branding him as a sorcerer, a
poet or even an untruthful person. The Qur'an suggested here two

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weapons to combat the torments aimed at him by the infidels of Makkah.
One was to show patience and forbearance in the face of all provocation,
and the other was to devote himself wholeheartedly to prayers, as the
words ◌َوَسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدٍ رَبِّك (and proclaim the purity of your Lord) suggest.
Patience and prayers are the only remedies against aggressive
hostility
Everyone in this world, whether he is big or small, good or bad, has
enemies and these enemies, however weak and feeble they may be, can
do harm to their opponents. If they are not strong enough, they will not
hesitate to stab them in the back, and failing everything else they will use
abusive language which is equally hurtful. Therefore everybody has to be
on his guard to protect himself from the hostile designs of his enemies.
The Qur'an has prescribed two very effective tools for use in such a
situation. One is patience, forbearance and to eschew all thoughts of
revenge, while the other is to occupy oneself in prayers and invocation of
Allah. A person whose thoughts are full of revenge is often unable to
exact it from his enemy despite his power and influence and is consumed
with chagrin and frustration. On the other hand a person who devotes
himself to prayers finds solace in the belief that nobody can harm him
without the will of Allah and that whatever Allah wills has a hidden
purpose behind it. This belief not only affords him satisfaction but also
frees his mind from all thoughts of anger and revenge resulting from the
hostile acts of his enemies. The words > SIJ (So that you may be
pleased) occurring at the end of the verse mean that "If you follow this
advice, you will be able to lead a happy and contented life".
(20:130 - And proclaim the purity and praise of your Lord) وَسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدٍ رَبِّكَ
Here the direction of proclaiming Allah's purity is followed by the
direction of proclaiming His praise. It implies an indication that when a
person is given taufiq to remember Allah by performing dhikr or any
other form of worship, it should not make him proud of it. Instead, he
should praise Allah, because without His taufiq (facilitation) he could not
perform that worship. Then, proclaiming the purity and praise of Allah
may mean invocation of Allah and His praise, and they may also mean
the prescribed prayers. The subsequent fixed times which have been
mentioned obviously refer to prayer timings. Thus ◌ِقَبْلَ طُلُوُعِ الشَّمُس (before
the sunrise) means early morning (fajr) prayer ?': js (before it sets)

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means midday prayers (zuhr) and afternoon prayers ('asr) while tou
JJ (and in some hours of night) means all prayers after sunset i.e.
maghrib, 'isha' and tahajjud. The words ◌ِأَطْرَافَ النَّهَار (the edges of the day)
are intended to put additional emphasis on Fajr and Maghrib prayers.
Worldly wealth is a fleeting thing and is not an evidence of God's
favour, and for good Muslims it is a danger signal
And never stretch your eyes - 20:13) The words are) وَلاَ تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيُكَ
addressed to the Holy Prophet
and are intended to provide guidance to
his followers. They are told not to cast covetous eyes at the splendor and
glitter of those who revel in the enjoyment of worldly pleasures, because
all these things are fleeting and transient while the grace and blessings
bestowed upon the Holy Prophet
and through him upon his followers
are everlasting and much more desirable than worldly luxuries.
People have always wondered at the wealth and prosperity of the
infidels and evil doers despite their being loathsome and contemptible in
the eyes of Allah, while pious and obedient Muslims spend their lives in
poverty and destitution. Even the great and highly respected Sayyidna
'Umar al-Faruq 4
was made aware of this glaring disparity one day
when he entered the private quarter of the Holy Prophet
and saw him
lying on a mat of rough reeds which left their marks on his body.
Sayyidnā 'Umar
4
stood there and wept. Then he said, "O Prophet of
Allah! The kings of Persia and Byzantium live in comfort and luxury
whereas you who are the chosen prophet of Allah and also his beloved
live such a harsh life." To this the Holy Prophet
replied, "O son of
Khattab! Has it not dawned upon you yet that Allah has given to these
people everything that is dear to them in this world, but they will have no
share of the good things in the Hereafter, only punishment and pain?"
This is the reason why the Holy Prophet
chose for himself a life which
was free from the pomp and vanity of this wicked world, even though he
had the means of accumulating all the comforts and luxuries of life.
Whenever he received share of wealth even without physical toil or
exertion, he immediately distributed it among the poor and the needy and
kept nothing of it for himself. Ibn Abi Hatim has related, quoting
Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khadri 4 that the Holy Prophet
once said,
ان اخوف ما أخاف عليكم ما يفتح الله لكم من زهرة الدّنيا (ابن كثير)

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 128 - 135
What I fear most about you is wealth and worldly splendor
which will be arrayed before you. (Ibn Kathir)
In this Hadith the Holy Prophet
has foretold the Muslims about
their conquests and the acquisition of vast territories which will bring
them untold wealth and means of luxury. But there is no cause to feel
satisfaction at these prospects; on the other hand there is every reason to
fear such an eventuality because an excess of indulgence in luxuries may
make people forget their duty to Allah.
Requiring one's relatives and associates to offer their prayers
regularly and the philosophy behind it
And bid your family to perform salah and) وَأُمُرُ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلوةِ وَاصْطَيِرُ عَلَيْهَا
adhere to it yourself - 132) Here the Holy Prophet
has been asked to
direct the members of his family to say prayers and that he himself should
be very particular about his prayers. These appear to be two separate
commands, i.e. one for the family and the other for himself but the fact is
that for a person to be steadfast in saying prayers it is essential that his
family and friends should be equally mindful of their duty in this matter.
The word ahl used for the family is quite comprehensive and includes a
person's wife, children and his associates because all of them influence the
environment and are an integral part of society. After this verse was
revealed to the Holy Prophet
he used to go to the house of Sayyidna
'Ali .
and Sayyidah Fatimah رضى الله عنها every morning at the time of
morning prayers and call out الصّلوة الصّلوة (Come to salah, come to salah).
(Qurțubi)
It is reported that whenever Sayyidna 'Urwah ibn Zubair 400 saw a
display of wealth, he would at once return home, call his family to prayer
and recite to them this verse. Also when Sayyidna 'Umar ibn Khattab
got up for his midnight (tahajjud) prayers, he would awake the other
members of his family and recite to them this verse. (Qurtubi)
Allah provides easy sustenance to a person who devotes himself
to prayers and to His worship
új, affy (We ask no provision from you - 20:132) Allah does not
demand of the people that they should provide sustenance to their
families and dependants by their own power, because the responsibility
for this is in His hands alone. Man is incapable of providing for himself,

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and the best that he can do is to plough the land and plant seeds in it, but
he has no power to germinate it or to make a tree grow out of it. The role
of man in all this is to protect the tree after it has grown to maturity and
then to put its yield to his personal use. And for the person who spends all
his time in prayer Allah makes even this labour bearable for him
(Tirmidhi). Ibn Mājah has quoted Sayyidna Abu Hurairah
that the
Holy Prophet 5 said,
يقول الله تعالی: يا ابن آدم: تفرّغ لعبادتی املأ صدرك غنى واسد فقرك، وار لم
تفعل ملأت صدرك شغلا ولم اسد فقرك (ابن كثير)
"Allah says: 'O son of 'Adam! You dedicate yourself to My
worship and I will fill your chest with sufficiency and free you
from want. But if you do not obey my commands, I will fill your
chest with anxities and worries and will not free you from
want."" (Ibn Kathir)
The meaning of the words ,# ul J (I will not free you from want) is
that such a man will always remain poor because the more wealth he
acquires the more his greed will increase. And Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn
Mas ud 4 says that he heard the Holy Prophet
saying,
من جعل همومه همّا واحدا همّ المعاد، كفاه الله همّ دنياه، ومن تشعبت به الهموم
فی احوال الدّنيا لم يبال الله فى أىّ اودية هلك "رواه ابن ماجه" (ابن كثير)
"A man who makes his concern for the Hereafter the focal point
of all his efforts, Allah will take care of his concerns, but a
person whose concerns are all about worldly affairs, Allah does
not care in which valley he perishes."
Has there not come to them the) اوَلَمُ تَأْتِهِمُ بَيْنَهُ مَا فِى الصُّحُفِ الأُولى
manifestation of that which was contained in the earlier scriptures? -
20:133) It means that all the old Revealed Books such as the Torah, the
Injil (Evangel) and the scriptures given to Sayyidna Ibrahim & bear a
witness to the prophethood of the last Prophet Muhammad
. Is not all
this sufficient evidence for those who persist in their denial of his
prophethood?
Then you will know who are) فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنُ اَصُحِبُ الصِّرَاطِ السَّوِيِّ وَمَنِ اهْتَدى
people of the straight path and who has guidance - 20:135.) It means that
though everybody is free to claim merit for his own ways and his own

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actions, these claims are of no value, because the correct way is that only
which finds favour with Allah, and on the Day of Resurrection everybody
will be made aware as to who followed the path of error and who took the
road to salvation.
اللَّهُمَّ اهدنا لما اختلف فيُهِ الی الحَقّ باذنكَ وَلا حَول
ولا قوّة الابك ولا مَلجأ ولا منجا منُكَ الآّ الَيْكَ
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Ța-Ha
Ends here.

175
Sūrah Al-Anbiya' : 21 : 1 - 10
Surah Al-Anbiya'
(The Prophets)
Surah Al-Anbiya was revealed in Makkah and it has 112 Verses and 7 sections
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful
Verses 1 - 10
إِقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمُ وَهُمْ فِىْ غَفْلَةٍ مُّعُرِضُوْنَ ﴿٢﴾ مَايَأْتِيُهِمُ مِّنُ
ذِكْرٍ مِّنْ رِّيّهِمْ مُحْدَثٍ إِلَّ اسْتَمَعُوُهُ وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ ﴿٢﴾ لاَهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمُ
وَأَسَرُّوا النَّجُوَى كُ الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا ◌ُ هَلْ هذَا إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمُ ◌َ آَفَتَأْتُونَ
السِّحْرَ وَانْتُمُ تُبْصِرُونَ ﴿٣﴾ قَلَ رَبِّى يَعْلَمُ الْقَوْلَ فِى السَّمَآءِ
وَالْأَرْضِ ، وَهُوَالسَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيُمُ ﴿٤﴾ بَلْ قَالُوْا أَضْغَاتُ أَحْلاَمِ ) بَلٍ
افْتَرِبُهُ بَلْ هُوَشَاعِرْءٌ فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِيَّةٍ كَمَّا أُرْسِلَ الْأَوَّلُونَ ﴿٠﴾ مَآ أُمَنْتُ
قَبْلَهُمُ مِّنْ قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكُنْهَاءَ آَفَهُمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلَّ
رِجَالاً نُّوُجِىَّ إِلَيْهِمْ فَسْئَلُوَّا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمُ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٧﴾ وَمَا
جَعَلْتُهُمُ جَسَدًا لاَيَاْكُلُوُنَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُوا خُلِدِيْنَ ﴿٨﴾ ثُمَّ
صَدَقْنُهُمُ الْوَعْدَ فَانْجَيْنُهُمُ وَمَنْ نَّشَاءُ وَاَهْلَكُنَا الْمُسْرِفِيْنَ ﴿٩﴾ لَقَدْ
أَنْزَلْنَّا إِلَيْكُمُ كِتْبَا فِيْهِ ذِكُرُكُمْءَ آَفَلاَ تَعُقِلُونَ ﴿.١)
The reckoning of the people has drawn near to them
while they are in negligence, turning away (from its
signs). [1] No new message comes to them from their
Lord, but they listen to it in a state of playing, [2] their

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hearts paying no heed. And the wrongdoers whisper in
secret, "This one is nothing but a human like you.
Would you then go along with the sorcery while you
have eyes to see?" [3]
He (the prophet) said, "My Lord knows all that is
spoken in the heavens and the earth, and He is the
All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. [4]
Further they said, "(The Qur'an is) a mixture of
hotch-potch dreams. Rather, he (the prophet) has
fabricated it. Rather, he is a poet. So, let him bring a
sign to us, as the earlier ones were sent with." [5] Not a
single town We destroyed did believe before them. So
then, will they believe? [6]
And We did not send before you messengers except men
whom We inspired with revelation. So, ask the people
(having the knowledge) of the Message, if you do not
know. [7] And We did not make them as bodies that ate
no food, nor were they immortal. [8] Then We made the
promise come true for them, so We saved them and the
ones We willed, and destroyed the transgressors. [9]
Surely, We have sent down to you a book having a good
name for you. So, do you not understand? [10]
Commentary
Importance of Surah Al-Anbiya'
Sayyidna Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud 4
e has said that four Surah viz
Al-Kahf, Maryam, Țaha and Al-Anbiya' are among the earlier revelations
which I value a lot and keep them close to my heart. (Qurtubi)
The reckoning of the people has drawn near - 21:1) It) إِقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ
means that the time is near when people will have to give an account of
their deeds. Here, the reference is to the Day of Judgment, and its
approach is in relation to bygone ages, as the ummah of Sayyidna
Muhammad Al-Mustafa
is the last of them all. And if the meaning of
the word Que (reckoning) is taken in its general sense then reckoning in
the grave is also included, which each individual faces immediately after
death. It is for this reason that an individual's death is regarded as his
Day of Reckoning. من مات فقد قامت قيامته (for a person who has died his Day of
Reckoning has arrived) so the latter explanation makes the verse very

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clear in that the individual reckoning for every one is not very far, no
matter how long one lives, because death is certain and no one knows
when it will befall. The underlying message of this verse is to warn those
people, whether believers or non-believers, who are in a state of slumber
due to indulgence in worldly affairs, unmindful of the certainty that all
this will come to an end one day. In fact it is this disregard of the Day of
Judgment which is the root cause of all ills.
No new message) مَا يَأْتِيُهِمُ مِّن ذِكْرٍ مِّنْ رَّبِّهِمْ مُحْدَثٍ إِلاَّ اسْتَمَعُوُهُ وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُوُنَ لاَهِيَةٌ قُلُوبُهُمْ
comes to them from their Lord, but they listen to it in a state of playing,
their hearts paying no heed. 21:2,3) This verse describes the state of those
who disregard the punishment in the grave and in the Hereafter and do
not prepare themselves to counter it with good deeds. The verse further
describes their practice of making light of new Qur'anic verses when they
are recited before them. They are totally oblivious of the fear of God and
the Hereafter. The verse can be explained in two other ways. One, that
they keep themselves engaged in their own amusement and take no
notice of Qur'anic verses when they are recited before them and two, that
they redicule the Qur'anic verses themselves.
Would you then go along with sorcery while you) اَفَتَأْتُونَ السِّحُرَ وَانْتُمُ تُبُصِرُوْنَ
have eyes to see? - 21:3) Those people used to discuss among themselves
secretly that the claim of the Holy Prophet
about his prophethood
should not be accepted, because he was an ordinary human being like all
others and not an angel. On the other hand not even the most rigid
among the unbelievers could deny the supreme charm and eloquence of
the Book of Allah nor its power to influence people when it was recited
before them. Therefore, in order to turn people away from the Holy Book
they started calling it magic and black art. They thought that they could
keep people away from Islam by labelling the Qur'an as a book of magic
thereby dissuading people from going to the Holy Prophet
and
listening to Qur'an. Probably they used to discuss this subject secretly
among themselves lest the Muslims come to know about their foolish
views and unveil their fallacy.
Further they said, [The Qur'an is] a mixture of) بَلُ قَالُوا أَضْغَاتُ أَحْلامِ
hotch-potch dreams. - 21:5.) Dreams having an element of personal and
(أَضْغَاتُ أَحْلام) That is why this term. أَضْغَاتُ أحلام satac thoughts are called
has been translated as "hotch-potch dreams". What it means is that in the

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first place the unbelievers called the Qur'an as magic, then they described
it as a collection of disturbed dreams, and then they said it was a forgery
and fabrication against Allah Ta'ala to call it His words; and finally they
said that he
was a poet and the Qur'an represented his poetic
compositions.
at Gt (So let him bring to us a sign - 21:5) It means that the
unbelievers demanded from the Holy Prophet
certain specific miracles
to be shown as a proof of his being a real Prophet. In response to this
demand, Allah Ta'ala said in this verse that the same demand for miracles
was also made by the people in the past from other prophets, and when
their request was met, it was of no avail. They did not submit to Allah
even after witnessing the miracles of their choice. And Allah has decreed
that people who do not submit to Him even after they have seen the
miracle of their choice are subjected to His wrath even in this world and
are destroyed. Allah, in His Divine Mercy and in view of the honoured
position of the Holy Prophet
had granted to his Ummah immunity
from the terrible punishment which is the inevitable fate of those people
who defy the Will of Allah. It was not, therefore, considered desirable to
show them miracles of their choice because if they, like the earlier people,
persisted in their unbelief even after seeing those miracles, they too would
invite the wrath of Allah Ta'ala. Then in 3' di (Will they believe?)
there is a hint that there was no likelihood of these people accepting the
true faith even after seeing the miracles of their choice. Hence they were
not shown the desired miracle.
(So, ask the people (having the knowledge) فَسُئَلُوّا أَهْلَ الذِّكُرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمُ لاَ تَعْلَمُوْنَ
of the message, if you do not know. - 21:7) In this verse, scholars of Injil
Evangele) and Torah are referred to as Sul Ji (people of the message),
who had accepted the Holy Prophet's
prophethood. Therefore, what it
actually means is that if you are not aware whether the prophets of the
past were angels or ordinary men then you should find out from the
scholars of Injil and Torah as they know perfectly well that all prophets
were human beings. It is, therefore, quite possible that here the term jai
u (people of the message) refers to all Jews and Christians (even
though they have not believed in the Holy prophethood of the Holy
Prophet 羹).
Ruling: Qurtubi has said in his exegesis that this verse has made it

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Surah Al-Anbiya' : 21 : 11 - 15
clear that ignorant persons who are not acquainted with the rules of
Shari'ah must seek knowledge from scholars and then follow them
accordingly.
The Holy Qur'an is an honour and pride for the Arabs
33 45 (a book having a good name for you - 21:10): The word
LLS(Book) is meant for Qur'an and $$ (name) is used here for honour,
excellence and fame. Thus what is meant here is that the revelation of
Qur'an in Arabic language is a great honour and ever lasting fame for
the Arabs and they should value it as such. History has proved that by
Allah's Mercy and by the blessings of Qur'an Arabs have dominated the
world and ruled over it for a long time. This is also a fact of life that Arabs
gained dominance over the world not because of any tribal or linguistic
supremacy but because of Qur'an. If there was no Qur'an, probably no
one would have known about the Arabs at all.
Verses 11 - 15
وَكَمْ قَصَمُنَا مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتُ ظَالِمَةً وَأَنْشَأْنَا بَعْدَهَا قَوْمًا آخَرِيْنَ
﴿١١ ﴾ فَلَمَّآ أَحَسُوا بَأْسَنَا إِذَاهُمْ مِّنْهَا يَرْكُضُوْنَ ﴿٢﴾ لاَ تَرْكُضُوا
وَارْجِعُوّا إِلَى مَآ أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيْهِ وَمَسْكِنِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْئَلُونَ ﴿١٣﴾ قَالُوا
يُوَيْلَنَّا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظُلِمِيْنَ ﴿١٤﴾ فَمَا زَالَتُ تِلْكَ دَعُوْهُمُ حَتّى جَعَلْنُهُمُ
حَصِيْدًا حُمِدِيْنَ ﴿١٥﴾
And how many a town We crushed, that were wrong-
doing, and We raised up another people after them. [11]
So when they sensed Our punishment, all of a sudden,
they started fleeing from it. [12] Do not flee, and go back
to the luxuries you were involved in and to your homes.
May be you are asked questions. [13] They said, "Woe to
us! We were wrongdoers indeed." [14] Then, this
continued to be their cry till We turned them into
stubble, totally extinguished. [15]
Commentary
These verses describe the destruction of those settlements which some

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exegesists have taken as Hadhura' (حضوراء) and Qilabah (قلابه) of Yemen.
Allah Ta'ala had sent there a prophet about whose name there are
different versions. Some say he was Musa Ibn Misha while others say his
name was Shu'aib, in which case he was a different prophet from the one
who lived in Madyan. This Prophet was killed by his people, who were, as
a punishment annihilated by the infidel King Nabucad Nazzar.
This King was placed in authority over them just as he was used as
an instrument for the punishment of Bani Isra'il when they strayed from
the righteous path in Palestine. In fact, Qur'an has not identified any
specific settlement. Hence it will be apt to leave the subject open, so that
these settlements of Yemen may also come in its ambit. el att, (Only
Allah knows best).
Verses 16 - 29
وَمَا خَلَقُنَا السَّمَآءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لِعِبِيْنَ ﴿١٦﴾ لَوْ أَرَدْنَا أَنُ
تَتَّخِذَ لَهُوَا لَّا تَّخَذُنْهُ مِنْ لَّدُنَّ ◌ٍ إِنْ كُنَّا فِعِلِيْنَ ﴿١٧) بَلْ نَقْذِفُ
بِالْحَقِّ عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ، وَ لَكُمُ الْوَيْلُ مِمَّا
تَصِفُونَ ﴿١٨) وَلَهُ مَنْ فِى السَّمْوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ◌ُ وَمَنُ عِنْدَهْ لَا
يَسْتَكُبِرُوْنَ عَنُ عِبَادَتِهِ وَلاَ يَسْتَحْسِرُوْنَ ﴿٢﴾ يُسَبِّحُوُنَ الَّيْلَ
وَالنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ ﴿٢٠﴾ أَمِ اتَّخَذُوًّا الِهَةً مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ هُمْ يُنْشِرُوْنَ
﴿٢١) لَوْ كَانَ فِيْهِمَآَ الِهَةُ إِلَّ اللهُ لَفَسَدَتَا، فَسُبْحِنَ اللهِ رَبِّ
الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ﴿٢٢﴾ لاَ يُسْئَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمُ يُسْتَلُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
آَمِ اتَّخَذُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِةِ الِهَةً، قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرُهَانَكُمْ هَذَا ذِكُرُ مَنُ مَّعِىَ
وَذِكُرُ مَنْ قَبْلِىُ + بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ " الْحَقَّ فَهُمْ مُّعْرِضُوْنَ
﴿٢٤ ﴾ وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوْحِىٌّ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلهَ إِلَّ
أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ ﴿٢٥﴾ وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمِنُ وَلَدًا سُبُحِنَةُ+ بَلُ عِبَادْ

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◌ُّكْرَمُوْنَ ﴿٢﴾ لَا يَسْبِقُوْنَةُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾ يَعْلَمُ
مَابَيْنَ آَيْدِيُهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يَشْفَعُونَ " إِلاَّ لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى وَهُمُ مِّنُ
خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ ﴿٢٨) وَمَنْ يَّقُلُ مِنْهُمُ إِنّىَّ إِلهُ مِّنْ دُونِهِ فَذلِكَ
نَجْزِيُهِ جَهَنَّمَ ، كَذلِكَ نَجْزِى الظُّلِمِينَ ﴿٢﴾
And We did not create the heavens and the earth and
what lies between them for play. [16] Had We intended
to have a pastime, We would have had it from Our own,
if We were to do so. [17] Instead, We launch the truth
against the falsehood, which smashes it, and in no time
it is nothing. And woe to you for what you relate. [18]
And to Him belong all those in the heavens and the
earth. And those who are near Him are not arrogant
against His worship, nor are they sluggish. [19] They
proclaim His purity night and day, never slackening.
[20]
Or have they taken to gods from the earth who raise the
dead? [21] Had there been gods in them (the heavens and
the earth) other than Allah, both would have fallen in
disorder. So pure is Allah, the Lord of the Throne, from
what they describe. [22] He is not questioned of what He
does, and they are questioned. [23]
Or have they taken to gods besides Him? Say, "Bring
your proof." Here is the Message for those with me and
the Message for those before me. Yet most of them do
not know the truth and therefore they are averse. [24]
And We did not send before you any messenger but We
revealed to him that there is no god but I, so worship
Me." [25]
And they said, "The Rahman (All-Merciful) has taken to
Himself a son". Pure is He. They are but servants,
honoured. [26] They do not precede Him in speech and
only under His command they act. [27] He knows what
is in front of them and what is behind them, and they
make recommendation for none but for whom He likes,
and in awe of Him they are apprehensive. [28] And
whoever of them says, "I am god besides Him", is the one

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whom We will recompense with Jahannam. This is how
We recompense the transgressors. [29]
Commentary
And We did not create the heavens and) وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لْعِبِيْنَ
the earth ... 21:16.) It means that we have not created the sky and the
earth, and everything that lies in between them for mere amusement. In
the preceding verses a reference has been made to the annihilation of
certain settlements. In this verse there is a suggestion that just as the
creation of the earth and the sky and all other created things was
according to a set design, the destruction of the settlements was also the
result of a definite purpose. Having witnessed the marvels and wonders of
creation which are so abundantly spread all over, manifesting Allah's
omnipotence and omniscience, do they still think that all these things are
futile and without significance?
The word Jey is taken from J (play), which means having no
useful objective (Raghib) while ,4 (pastime) means an act which has no
purpose at all except to provide amusement in free time. The disbelievers
who argue against the Holy Prophet
and the Holy Qur'an and reject
the Oneness of Allah and deny His Power, despite its abundant
manifestations, then it is apparent that they have a notion that all this
creation is meant for amusement and pastime. The verse rejects this false
view and says that Allah's creation is not for fun and pastime. A little
reflection will show that even the minutest particle of the universe has its
utility and each and everything created by Allah has a purpose which
speaks by itself for His omniscience and Oneness.
Had We intended to have a) لَوْ اَرَدُنَا أَنْ نَتَّخِذَ لَهُوّا لَّا تَّخَذُنُهُ مِنْ لَّدُنَّا ق إِنْ كُنَّا فِعِلِيْنَ
pastime, We would have had it from Our own, if We were to do so. - 21:17)
It means that if We were to create something for amusement, there was
no need to create the earth and the sky, and We could have done so from
the things around Us.
In Arabic language the word (J is used for imaginary and non-existent
things. Here also it is used in the same sense i.e. those foolish people who
regard all the wonderful things of the earth and the sky objects of fun
and frolic do not realize that creation on such a gigantic scale cannot be
undertaken for amusement. The suggestion here is that even a person of

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ordinary common sense would not indulge in a project which has no
serious purpose, to say nothing of Allah Ta'ala who is Supreme and
Exalted.
The commonly accepted meaning of ~{ is a purposeless pastime, and
this meaning has been adopted in translating this verse. According to
some commentators this word ,4 is also used sometimes for wife or
children in which case the meaning of the verse would be a denial of the
belief of the Jews and Christians, who thought that Sayyidna 'Uzair and
Sayyidna Masih >JILAle were God's sons. If Allah wished to have
children why should they be from humans and not from other creatures
around Him. (Allah knows best).
Instead, We launch the truth) بَلُ نَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُه، فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ
against the falsehood, which smashes it, and in no time it is nothing. -
21:18) The literal meaning of Off is to throw horizontally which has been
translated above as launching) A means to hit on the head (to smash it)
and golf means something which is gone or vanishes without leaving a
trace.
This verse explains that Allah has not created this marvelous universe
with earth and the sky for amusement. This creation is the result of a
carefully thought out plan which aims at distinguishing right from
wrong. Observation of Nature's creations leads people along the righteous
path and protects them from evil. This idea is conveyed in the verse by
saying that virtue is hurled against evil and smashes its head so
completely that it disappears without a trace.
And those who are near Him are) وَمَنْ عِنْدَ، لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُوُنَ عَنُ عِبَادَتِهِ وَلاَ يَسْتَحْسِرُوُنَ
not arrogant against His worship, nor are they sluggish. - 21:19) It means
that Allah's servants who are with Him i.e. angels pray to Him all the
time without ceasing. So, if the humans do not pray to Him, it will not
make any difference to Him, but they themselves will be the losers. It is
human nature to judge others by applying one's own situation to them.
Hence there are two possibilities preventing a person from offering acts of
worship ceaselessly. One, that he regards it below his dignity to bow down
before any one and therefore does not pray to Allah Ta'ala. Secondly, it is
physically not possible for a man to worship without a break because he
needs to rest in between. In view of these two human constraints, it is

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explained towards the end of the verse that the angels are free from these
compulsions. They do not regard it below their dignity to worship Allah
constantly nor do they get tired or need any rest or sleep. This point has
يُسَبِّحُونَ الَُّلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لَا been brought to a conclusion in the next verse by saying
33-4 (They proclaim His purity night and day, never slackening - 21:20).
Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn Harith
said that he asked Kab al-Ahbar
how it was that angels kept reciting tasbih (proclaiming Allah's
purity) all the time. Did they not have anything else to do? And if they
did how could they do both things simultaneously, that is reciting tasbih
and do other things. To this Ka'b replied "O my nephew! Does
performance of any of your jobs prevent you from breathing?" The truth
is that tasbih comes to angels just as breathing comes to human beings
which continues without stopping whatever else he may be doing.
(Qurtubi, Al-Bahr ul-Muhit)
Or have they taken to gods from the earth who) أَمِ اتَّخَذُوًّا الِهَةً مِّنَ الْأَرُضِ هُمْ يُنُشِرُونَ
raise the dead? - 21:21) Here the ignorance of polytheists is described
variously. Allah says how foolish and ignorant the polytheists are that
they have made their gods from amongst the creatures of the earth who
do not have the power of life and death. Only a Being which has these
powers is worthy of being worshp لَوُ كَانَ فِيهِمَآَ الِهَة إِلاَّ اللّهُ لَفَسَدَنَا (Had there been
gods in them [the heavens and the earth] other than Allah, both would
have fallen in disorder. - 21:22). This is an argument of common nature in
favour of the Oneness of Allah which is based on common practice. It is
also a logical proof of the oneness of God and a great deal of literature is
available to explain it in the books on theology (le). The argument
of common nature is that if there were two Gods, each independent and
sovereign, then the commands of both would prevail on the earth and in
the sky which is not possible, becase it is inconceivable that both of them
would have common views on all matters. And if there are differences of
opinion which is inevitable where power is shared, there could be conflict,
which would always lead to chaos and confusion. The suggestion that the
two Gods could consult each other before passing orders has been
adequately discussed, and rejected, in the books of theology. The thing to
note is that if the two Gods had to take decisions jointly, then neither of
them would have been sovereign, and a god with divided sovereignty is
not God. The next verse viz: ◌َلاَ يُسُئَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسُئَلُون (He is not questioned

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Surah Al-Anbiya' : 21 : 30 - 33
of what He does, and they are questioned) probably reinforces the
argument that anyone who is answerable for his actions to someone else
cannot be God.
Here is the Message for those with me and the) هذَا ذِكُرُ مَنُ مَّعِىَ وَذِكُرُ مَنْ قَبْلِىُ
Message for those before me. - 21: 24) One explanation of this verse on
which the translation is based is that Si means Message and "Message
for those with me" refers to Qur'an, while "the Message for those before
me" refers to Torah, Injil (Evangel) and Zabur (Psalms), the earlier divine
books. According to this interpretation, the meaning of the verse is that
neither the Qur'an (which is the Book for the Holy Prophet
and his
followers) nor the older books contain anything to suggest worship of
anyone else but Allah. Despite the fact that the texts of Torah and Injil
(Evangel) have been altered, it is not suggested in either of them that
Allah has partners with whom he shares His authority. Another
explanation of the verse is given in Al-Bahr ul-Muhit according to which
the word $$ (dhikr) means here "description", and the sense is that this
Qur'an is a description for the people who were in the days of the Holy
Prophet &g which describes for them the rules of Shari'ah and invites
them to the correct way of life. At the same time it is a description of those
who were before the Holy Prophet
because it keeps alive the stories
and the traditions of people long gone by.
They do not precede Him in speech and) لَا يَسُبِقُوُنَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُمْ بِأَمْرِهٍ يَعْمَلُونَ
only under His command they act. 21:27) This verse refutes the claim of
pagans of Makkah that angels were daughters of Allah. How can angels
be Allah's children when they stand in such awe in His presence that
they neither initiate any talk nor act against His commands. They simply
await His words and act accordingly. This also points towards an
important etiquette of behaving in the company of elders. That is, when a
matter is brought forth in front of a group of people, the people before
speaking themselves first, should wait until the elder among such a group
has spoken. Speaking prior to the elder is contrary to the manners
governing respect of elders.
Verses 30 - 33
أَوَلَمُ يَرَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا أَنَّ السَّمْوَتِ وَالْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًّا فَفَتَقْتُهُمَا ﴾
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَيّ ء آَفَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا فِى

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Surah Al-Anbiya' : 21 : 30 - 33
الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِىَ أَنْ تَمِيُدَبِهِمُ م وَجَعَلْنَا فِيُهَا فِجَاجًا سُبُلاً لَّعَلَّهُمْ
يَهُتَدُونَ ﴿٣١﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا السَّمَاءَ سَقُفًا مَّحُفُوْظًا ◌ٌ وَّهُمُ عَنُ أَيْتِهَا
مُعْرِضُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾ وَهُوَ الَّذِىُ خَلَقَ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَءُ
كُلٌّفِىٌ فَلَكِ يَّسْبَحُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾
Have the disbelievers not seen that the heavens and the
earth were closed, then We opened them? And We
created from water every living thing. Would they yet
not believe? [30] And We created mountains on the
earth, lest it should shake with them, and We have
made therein paths and ways, so that they are guided.
[31]
And We made the sky a roof, protected; and they are
averse to its signs. [32] And He is the One who has
created the night and the day, and the sun and the
moon, each floating in an orbit. [33]
Commentary
Have the disbelievers not seen. - 21:30) Here the word) أَوَلَمُ يَرَ الْذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا
¿ai (to see, to think) is used in its general sense i.e. knowledge, whether
acquired by visual observation or by way of logical conclusion. The
discussion which follows refers partly to actual observation and partly to
logical inference.
,The heavens and the earth were closed) أَنَّ السَّمُوتِ وَالْأَرُضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقُنْهُمَا
then We opened them. - 30) The word , (ratq) means to close and
(fatq) means to open. When used in combination the words mean full
control in the management and execution of a job. The translation of the
verse is that the earth and the sky were closed and Allah opened them up.
Different exegesists have explained differently the sense of the words
"closing" and "opening", but the meanings which the companions of the
Holy Prophet
and the majority of the exegesists have adopted are that
closing of sky and earth means shutting off rainfall from the sky and
vegetation from the earth, and opening means the opening of these two

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i.e. the rainfall and vegetation.
The following story about Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar
has been
related in Ibn Kathir's commentary on the authority of Ibn Abi Hatim. A
man went to Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar 4
and requested him to
explain the meaning of this verse to him. He pointed out towards
Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4
and told him to go to him for an explanation of
the verse. He also requested him to let him know the explanation that
Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas
gave to him. The man went to Sayyidna Ibn
'Abbas 46 and asked him what do the words la, (ratqan) and Gas (fata-
qna) mean in the verse. Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4
replied that originally
the sky was closed and there was no rainfall, likewise the earth was closed
and there was no growth on it. When Allah Ta'ala sent down man on
earth to live here He opened up rainfall from the sky and the vegetation
from the earth. After learning the explanation of the verse the man went
back to Sayyidna Ibn 'Umar
and repeated to him what he had learnt
from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4. Then Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar
remarked that he was then left in no doubt that Allah Ta'ala had
graciously bestowed upon Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4
a complete knowledge
of Qur'an. He further said that previously he used to consider Sayyidna
Ibn 'Abbas's 40 explanations of the Holy Qur'an as bold attempts, of
which he did not approve. But now he was convinced that Allah Ta'ala
had granted to him special insight into the meaning of Qur'an, and that
the explanation he gave of the words :5 , 3, was absolutely correct.
This story of Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 46 is also reported in Ruh
ul-Ma'ani through Ibn Mundhir and Abu Nu'aim, and a group of the
scholars of hadith including Hakim, the writer of Mustadark, who has
accepted the tradition as correct.
After reporting this narration Ibn Ibn 'Atiyyah al-'Aufi says that this
interpretation is hasan and comprehensive, and is compatible with the
text of the Qur'an. It contains a lesson and argument against the infidels
and also mentions about the Omnipotence and the special bounties of
Allah Ta'ala, which is the basis of His Oneness and recognition of His
attributes. The following sentence ◌َوَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىءٍ حَي (and We created

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Surah Al-Anbiya' : 21 : 30 - 33
from water every living thing) also corroborates this interpretation.
Al-Bahr ul-Muhit has also adopted the same interpretation. Qurțubi has
declared this explanation to be that of 'Ikrimah as well and said that
وَالسَّمَّاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجُعِ وَالأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدُع 1 .another verse also endorses this meaning
Țabari has also adopted this very interpretation.
- .And We created from water every living thing) وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَيّ
21:30) Water is an essential element in the creation of all living things.
According to the latest research it is not only the humans and animals
which possess both life and soul but also plants and minerals. Water plays
a very important role in the creation, growth and evolution of all living
things.
Ibn Kathir has quoted Sayyidna Abu Hurairah 4
on the authority
of Imam Ahmad رحمه الله تعالى , that he requested the Holy Prophet
to tell
him how things were created. The Holy Prophet # replied that
everything was created from water. Then Abu Hurairah 4% asked about
the acts that lead one to the Jannah. The Holy Prophet
¿ replied:
افش السّلام واطعم الطعام وصل الارحام وقم بالليل والناس نيام ثمّ ادخل الجنّة
بسلام (تفردبه احمد وهذا اسناد على شرط الشيخين الخ)
"Make greeting with Salam common between you, and feed
(others) and observe the rights of kinship, and stand (in
prayers) at night when people are asleep. Then enter the
Jannah with peace".
,And We created mountains on the earth) وَجَعَلْنَا فِى الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِىَ أَنْ تَمِيُدَبِهِمْ
lest it should shake with them. 21:31) The word ~ (mayd) in Arabic
language means to be convulsed. Therefore, the meaning of this verse is
1. The author has explained the interpretation of this verse as adopted by many
authorities. But the miraculous style of the Holy Qur'an is that the words used by it
may have different possibilities for interpretation. The words ratq and fatq used
here have another meaning which is 'being compact' and 'being separated'. If these
words are taken in this sense, the verse may also be translated as, "The heavens
and the earth were compact, then We separated them." In this case the verse will
refer to an event of the early creation, meaning thereby that the heavens and the
earth were originally a single body. Thereafter Allah separated the earth from the
heavens. The contemporary research about the Big Bang is close to this description.
But it should always be kept in mind that the Qur'anic descriptions are
independent of any scientific theory and the Qur'an should not be made subject to
ever-changing theories. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)