Indexed OCR Text

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Surah Saba' : 34 : 15 - 19
But, when came the divine decree, the rats overcame the cats and entered
into the foundation of the dam.
Then there are historical narratives that also say that as soon as some
smart and far-sighted people saw the rats, they decided to leave the place
and move to somewhere else. In fact, they made the necessary
arrangements and got out of there one by one. Others stayed. But, once
came the flood, they too shifted. However, there were many who were
swallowed by the flood. In short, the whole city was destroyed. Some
details about residents of the city who had migrated to towns in other
countries have been given in the Hadith of the Musnad of Ahmad
appearing earlier. Six of their tribes were scattered in Yemen, four in
Syria and some of these very tribes came to be the forerunners of the
larger population of Madinah-at-Taiyyibah. Related details appear in
books of history.
What happened to the twin rows of gardens after the coming of flood
and the destruction of the city? This has been stated in the second
وَبَدَّلْنُهُمُ بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَىُ أُكُلٍ خَمُطٍ وَ أَثْلٍ وَّشَىْءٍ مِّنُ سِدْرٍ قَلِيُلٍ : sentence of verse 16 as
(and replaced their two gardens with two gardens having fruits of bitter
taste, and Tamarisk and some of the lot-trees), that is, their trees that
yielded fruit having good taste were replaced by trees that bore fruit
having an evil taste. As for the word: s (Khamt), most commentators
take it to mean the arak (a pungent, thorny desert tree). The
lexicographer, Jawhari says that there is a kind of arak which bears some
fruit and which is eaten. But, the fruit that grew on this tree was bad in
taste. And 'Abu 'Ubaidah 4
said that every tree that is thorny and of
bitter taste is called: h& (khamt). The next word: Ji (athl) means a kind
of tree that is also known in Arabic as : «Ub (turfa') according to the
majority of commentators and both are generally equated with tamarisk
in English. No fruit it bears is worth eating. Some commentators said that
'athl' in the sense of samr (Mimosa, Egyptian thorn) or babul or kikar,
(Acacia Arabica found in the sub-continent) is a thorny tree the fruit of
which is fed to goats.
The word: ¿. (sidr) means beri or ber in Urdu and is translated in
English as the lote-fruit or lotus tree in English. Sidr is of two kinds. The
one planted on farms bears fruits of pleasant taste (something close to
crunchy pears) and carries more of fruits and less of thorns. The other

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kind is wild and grows in the form of thorny shrubs and trees with more
thorns and less fruits that are bitter as well. At this place, the use of the
word: JE (galil: little, some) along with (sidr: bair or lote) perhaps
indicates that this too was wild which bears less fruit and is bitter. Allah
knows best.
The next verse: ذلِكَ جَزَيْنُهُمُ بِمَا كَفَرُوا (Thus We punished them because of
their ungratefulness .- 34:17) means that they were punished because they
committed kufr. Kufr has two meanings. It could mean ungratefulness
and it could mean the denial of the true faith. At this place, both
meanings can be applied because they did both. They were ungrateful
and they rejected the thirteen prophets sent to them.
Special Note
There are two things here that are likely to raise a question. It has
been said earlier that Allah Ta'ala had sent thirteen prophets to the
people of Saba'. Then, it has also been stated above that the event
relating to these people and the flood of 'arim or dam transpired during
the interim period after Sayyidna 'Isa Mall and before Sayyidna
Muhammad al-Mustafa g called the period of fatrah or gap. During this
period, according to the majority of Muslim scholars, simply no prophet
was sent which is the reason why it is called the period of fatrah or gap. If
so, the question is, how can the coming of these thirteen prophets be held
as correct? An answer to this appears in Ruh ul-Ma'ani. There it is said
that from the event of the flood of the dam ('arim) being in the period of
fatrah or gap, it does not become necessary that these prophets too came
during that very period. It is possible that the coming of the prophets to
these people dates back prior to the period of fatrah or gap while their
contumacy and hostility to faith may have increased during the period of
fatrah whereupon the punishment of the flood from the dam was sent
upon them in the period of fatrah. Allah knows best.
وَهَلُ نُجزِى إِلَّ:17 kafur) in the second sentence of verse) كَفُور :The word
334&JI (And We do not give (such a) punishment but to the ungrateful -
34:17) is an emphatic form of: AU (kafir) which means one who is very
ungrateful or is an absolute disbeliever. As such, the verse could be taken
to mean: 'We do not punish anyone other than the one who is very
ungrateful or is an absolute disbeliever.' This, quite obviously, is counter
to all those verses of the Qur'an and sound ahadith which prove that

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Muslim sinners will also receive the punishment of Jahannam (Hell) to
the measure of their deed - even though, finally, once they have gone
through their punishment, they will be taken out of the Jahannam
because of their 'Iman or faith and admitted into Jannah (Paradise). To
resolve this difficulty, it has been said that it does not signify punishment
in some absolute sense, instead, it means a mass punishment as was sent
over the people of Saba'. This one is particular to disbelievers. Such
punishment does not befall Muslim sinners. (Ruh ul-Ma'ani)
This finds support in the saying of a Ta'bai Ibn Khiyarah. He said, ¿>'
الْمَعْصِيَةِ الْوَهُنُ فِى الْعِبَادَةِ وَالضّيْقُ فِى الْمَعِيشَةِ وَالتَّعَسُّرُ فِى اللَّذَّةِ قَالَ لاَيُصَادِفُ لَذَّةٌ حَلاَلاً إِلَّ جَآءَه مَنُ ينغصه
45] (The punishment of sin is that the sinning person becomes sluggish
in acts of worship ('ibadah) his economic conditions becomes straitened,
and enjoyment (itself) becomes hard to bear ... ' Ibn Khiyarah explained
the latter part of his statement by saying, 'When one is blessed with
something halal he can enjoy, there comes one or the other reason which
spoils this enjoyment'. (Ibn Kathir) This tells us that the punishments given
to Muslim sinners are of this nature. No open punishment hits them
either from the heavens or from beneath the earth. That is particular to
disbelievers.
And sage Hasan al-Basri said : ١) صَدَقَ اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ لاَ يُعَاقَبُ بِمِثْلٍ فِعُلِهِ إِلاَّ الْكَفُورGreat
is Allah and He said it right: The punishment of an evil deed exactly in
proportion to it is not given to anyone but the kafur' - someone very
ungrateful or absolutely disbelieving). (Ibn Kathir) This is because a
believer, who is no kafur, receives some concession with respect to his or
her sins as well.
An interpretation of the sense of this verse appears in Ruh-ul-Ma'ani
with reference to Kashf. There it is said that the statement is made in its
real sense. Punishment as punishment is given only to a disbeliever and
whatever pain is caused to a believing sinner through things like fire is
only an apparent punishment. In reality, the purpose is to cleanse him
from sin. This is like heating up gold in a furnace. The purpose is to
remove its unwanted sediments. This holds true in the case of a believer
as well. If he too is put in Jahannam as a consequence of some sin of his,
it will be to burn out those elements of his body that have grown on him
from consuming what is haram. Once this is taken care of, he is ready to
go to Jannah and it does not take much time that he is taken out of

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Jahannam (Hell) and admitted into the Paradise (Jannah).
وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِىُ بَرَكُنَا فِيُهَا قُرِّى ظَاهِرَةً وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيُهَا : In verse 18, it was said
.ªJI (And We had made towns to be seen between them and between
the towns in which We had placed Our blessings, and had measured the
journey between them: "Travel along them at nights and days peacefully.
- 18") This verse mentions yet another blessing Allah Ta'ala had bestowed
on the people of Saba'. Then it goes on to refer to the ungratefulness of
those people who acted ignorantly and chose to ask for a reversal of this
blessing by praying that the thing be made harder and more challenging
for them. The statement: الْقُرى الَّتِىُ برَكُنَا فِيهَا (towns in which We had placed
Our blessings) in this verse probably means the rural areas of the country
of Syria, because the reference to the descent of mercy in several verses of
the Qur'an is specifically related to that country. The sense of the verse is
that Allah Ta'ala had made their travels to the towns of Syria very easy
for them during their trips they had to undertake for their business.
Given the conditions that prevailed in the world of that time, the travel
distance between the city of Ma'arib and the country of Syria was fairly
long with routes being uneven. In view of this difficulty, Allah Ta'ala had
blessed the people of Saba' by having made for their convenience a series
of towns at intermittent distances all the way from the city of Ma'arib to
the country of Syria.
These habitations were close by the main road, therefore, these were
called :َقَدَّرُنَا فِيهَا السَّيْر (had measured the journey between them). These
habitations appearing one after the other were a source of convenience
for weary travelers. If a traveler from one of them left home in the
morning, he had the choice of reaching some other town on his way, stop
there, have lunch or take rest as he wished and could leave after Zuhr
and reach the next stage by sundown and spend the night there. The
sentence: ◌َسِيرُوا فِيْهَا لَيَالِىَ وَآَيَّامًا امِنِين (Travel along them at nights and days
peacefuly - 18) means that these habitations were made at distances that
were balanced and equal so that they would reach from one to the other
within a fixed time.
In the last sentence of verse 18: (Travel along them at nights and days
peacefully.), mention has been made of a third blessing bestowed on the
people of Saba'. It means that these settlements were located at such
equal and balanced distances that a traveler would be able to cover them

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in almost identical time. Then the routes were secure. Theft and highway
robbery were unknown. One could travel at any time of the night or day
without any hesitation or concern.
فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا بِعِدُ بَيْنَ أَسْفَارِنَا وَظَلَّمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمُ :Verse 19 opens with the statement
Then they said," Our Lord, make (the phases) فَجَعَلُنُهُمُ أَحَادِيُثَ وَمَزَّقُتُهُمُ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ
of) our journeys more distant." And they wronged themselves, therefore
We turned them into stories and tore them into pieces - 34:19). It means
that so unjust were these people that they would go to the extent of
dismissing the very blessing of Allah placed there to eliminate the
hardships of travel, rather went deeper into their lack of recognition and
straight ungratefulness by coming forward to pray that their Lord makes
the distances they cover in travel longer - hoping that the habitations do
not appear at such close distances, and wishing to see some hard areas of
a forest or wilderness which ask for some rough traversing as well. Their
case was similar to that of the Bani Isra'il. They used to get the excellent
sustenance of mann and salwa, all free of cost. Bored with it, they asked
Allah to replace it with vegetables and greens. In return for their
ungratefulness and lack of recognition for blessings, Allah Ta'ala released
the punishment on them that has been called the flood of the dam earlier.
The ultimate consequence of this very punishment has been stated in this
verse in strong words, that is, they were virtually expunged from this
world leaving nothing but idle tales of their wealth and luxury.
The word: , (mazzaqnahum) is a derivation from: já (tamziq)
which means to tear and scatter (a people) or to destroy (a kingdom). The
sense is that some of the inhabitants of this city of Ma'arib were destroyed
on the spot and some others were scattered in a manner that small groups
of them spread out to various countries. This destruction and scattering
away of the people of Saba' became proverbial in Arabia. On such
occasions, there is an Arab idiom: تَفَرَّقُوا آَيَادِىَ سَبَا that is, these people got
scattered away as were the luxury-laden people of the Saba'.
Ibn Kathir and other commentators have reported a long narrative
about a soothsayer who had come to know about the coming of the
punishment of the flood a little before it actually did. He made a swift and
unique plan. First of all, he sold his entire property. When he had the
money in his hands, he told his people about the coming flood and
exhorted them to get out of the area immediately. He also told them that

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those who intend to shift to a safe far-away place should go to 'Amman,
and those who have a taste for liquor, pita bread and fruits should move
to Busra in the country of Syria, and those who would settle for rides that
go through mud, come handy during the time of famine and prove
efficient when dashing on a journey, should go to Yathrib (Madinah)
which abounds in dates. His people followed his advice. The tribe of Azd
went towards 'Amman, the Ghassan to Busra in the country of Syria and
the Aws and Khazraj and Banu 'Uthman started off in the direction of
Yathrib, the home of date palms. After reaching Batn Murr, Banu
'Uthman liked the place and settled right there. Because of this
divergence, Banu 'Uthman were given the title of Khuza'ah. Batn Murr is
closer to Makkah al-Mukarramah where they had chosen to settle down.
As for Aws and Khazraj, they reached Yathrib and stayed there. After the
long narrative in Ibn Kathir, the same detail about people scattering to
different places has been reported on the authority of Sa'id from Qatadah
from al-Sha'bi. Thus, says Ibn Kathir, these people of Saba' were
مَزَّقْنَاهُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقِ : shredded into pieces, people who have been mentioned in
(We torn them into pieces).
The concluding statement in verse 19:
إِنَّ فِىُ ذلِكَ لَائِتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُوْرٍ
(Surely in this, there are signs for everyone who is ever- patient, fully
grateful - 34:19) means that there is a great sign and lesson in the rise
and fall and in the radical change that hit the life cycle of the people of
Saba' for a person who is enduring and grateful at its best, that is, when
faced with some distress or pain, one observes patience over it, and when
blessed with things of comfort, one is readily grateful for it. This is a life
style in which one always comes out a winner. No matter what the state
of his life is, he ends up in nothing but pluses, profits and gains. So says a
Hadith of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah
appearing in the Sahih of
al-Bukhari and Muslim where the Holy Prophet
has been reported to
have said:
'Certainly unique is the state of life a true believer is always in. No
matter what Allah decrees for him, it turns for him into nothing but good
and profitable. If he is blessed in one way or the other or has the desire of
his heart fulfilled, he thanks Allah for it and it becomes good and
beneficial for him in the Hereafter. And if he suffers from some pain or
distress, he bears it with considered patience for which he is rewarded in a

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Surah Saba' : 34 : 22 - 27
big way and thus, this suffering too, becomes good and beneficial for him'
- from Ibn Kathir.
Some commentators have taken the word: „L. (Sabbar: very patient)
in the general sense of sabr or patience - which includes remaining firm
in all acts requiring obedience as well as abstaining from sins. In the light
of this tafsir or explanation, a true believer remains comprehensively
attuned to Sabr (patience) and shukr (gratitude) under all conditions and
then, for that matter, every sabr is shukr and every shukr is sabr. Allah
knows best.
Verses 20 - 21
وَلَقَدُ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمُ إِبْلِيُسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعُوُهُ إِلَّا فَرِيْقًا مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ
﴿٢٠﴾ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّنُ سُلْظنٍ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِالْآخِرَةِ
مِمَّنُ هُوَمِنْهَا فِىُ شَكٍ ، وَرَبُّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفِيظٌ ﴿٢١﴾
And Iblis has found his assessment true about them. So
they followed him, except a group of the believers. [20]
And he did not have any power over them, but for the
reason that We should know the one who believes in the
Hereafter as distinct from the one who is in doubt
about it. And your Lord is Watchful over every thing.
And he did not have any power over them, but for the
reason that We should know the one who believes in the
Hereafter as distinct from the one who is in doubt
about it. And your Lord is Watchful over every thing.
[21]
Verses 22 - 27
قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِيْنَ زَعَمْتُمْ مِّنْ دُونِ اللهِ، لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِى
السَّمُوْتِ وَلَا فِى الْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيْهِمَا مِنْ شِرْءٍ وَّمَا لَهُ مِنْهُمُ
مِّنُ ظَهِيرٍ ﴿٢٢﴾ وَلَا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَةً إِلَّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ، حَتَّى إِذَا
فُِّعَ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا " قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ، قَالُوا الْحَقِّ وَهُوَالْعَلِىُّ
الْكَبِيْرُ ﴿٢٣﴾ قُلْ مَنْ يَّرْزُقُكُمُ مِّنَ السَّمَوْتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ﴿ قُلِ اللّهُ ؟

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Surah Saba' : 34 : 22 - 27
وَإِنَّا أَوْإِيَّاكُمْ لَعَلَى هُدَى أَوْفِىُ ضَللٍ مُّبِيْنٍ ﴿٢٤﴾ قُلْ لَّا تُسْئَلُونَ
عَمَّ أَجْرَمْنَا وَلَا نُسْئَلُ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾ قُلْ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا رَبُّنَا ثُمَّ
يَفْتَحُ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ ، وَهُوَ الْفَتَّاحُ الْعَلِيُمُ ﴿٢٦﴾ قُلْ أَرُوُنِىَ الَّذِيْنَ
اَلْحَقْتُمُ بِهِ شُرَكَآءَ كَلاَّ بَلْ هُوَ اللهُ الْعَزِيْزُ الْحَكِيُمُ ﴿٢٧﴾
Say." Call upon those whom you claim (to be your gods)
beside Allah. They do not possess (any thing) even to
the measure of a particle, neither in the heavens nor in
the earth. They have no contribution at all in either of
the two, and He (Allah) has no helper from among them.
[22] And intercession before Him is of no benefit, but for
the one whom He has permitted. (And those who will
ask for intercession will remain fearful) Until when
fear is removed from their hearts, they will say (to each
other), " What did your Lord say?" They say, "the Truth".
And He is the High, the Great. [23] Say, "Who gives you
sustenance from the heavens and the earth?" Say, "
Allah. And We or you are either on the right path or in
open error." [24] Say, "You will not be asked about the
sins we committed, and we will not be asked about
what you do. [25] Say, " Our Lord will assemble us
together, then will judge between us with truth. And He
is the best Judge, the All-Knowing. [26] Say, "Show me
the ones whom you have associated with Him as
partners. Never! He is but Allah, the Mighty, the Wise."
[27]
Commentary
These verses are meant to prove the falsity of three different types of
idol-worshippers. The first group among them, and the most absurd of all,
was of the people who believed that these idols, made of stones are the
partners of Allah and His associates in all His powers. The beginning part
of the verse 22 refutes their presumption by saying, "They do not possess
(any thing) even to the measure of a particle ... ". The second group of
them used to believe that these idols are the helpers of Allah in managing
affairs of the universe. The last part of Verse 22 deals with this group by
saying, "And He (Allah) has no helper from among them." There was a
third group of people who did not hold the idols as gods or helpers of god,
but they maintained that these idols are so close to Allah that their

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intercession is always approved by Him, and whoever has the advantage
of their intercession, his desires may well be fulfilled. Verse 23 has refuted
this belief by saying, "And intercession before Him is of no benefit, but for
the one whom He has permitted." The sense is that their assumption that
idols are close to Allah is not correct. They are neither close to Allah, nor do
they have any power of intercession before Him. Then the text clarifies
that even angels who are close to Allah cannot intercede for anyone
without Allah's permission, and even if they are allowed to intercede, it is
not easy for them to do that, because of Allah's awe they have in their
hearts. The usual way in which they receive a command from Allah is
that they become nervous , due to Allah's awe, when they receive it. Then
once they return to their normal condition, they ask each other about the
command to ensure its correct nature. This is the sense of the later part of
Verse 23 where it is said, "Until when fear is removed from their hearts,
they will say (to each other), "What did your Lord say?" They say, "the
Truth". [1]
As for angels becoming nervous out of awe referred to in verse 22, its
full description is given in a report from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah
appearing in the Sahih of al-Bukhari. Says the relevant part of the long
Hadith report: When a command from Allah Ta'ala issues forth through
the heavens, all angels start flapping their wings in humility and
emotional readiness to obey (as if dazed or benumbed of consciousness).
When that effect of nervousness, awe and majesty recedes from their
hearts, they say: 'What did your Lord say?' Others tell them that He has
spoken the truth and that such and such command has come from Him.
And it appears in the Sahih of Muslim that Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas dee
reports from some Sahabi that the Holy Prophet 25 said, 'When our Rabb,
may His name be exalted, gives a command, the angels holding the
Divine Throne start reciting tasbih (saying glory) for Him. Hearing the
tasbih done by them, angels of the next lower level of the heavens follow
suit until this chain of glorification reaches the lowest level that is the
firmament of the world (making it a simultaneously recited tasbih by
angels from all heavens). Then, they ask the angels who are close to the
Throne, 'What did your Lord say?' This they tell them. Then, in the same
manner, those of the lower heavens ask those of the upper the same
[1] This part is abridged from Khulasa-e-tafsir.('Uthmani)

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Surah Saba' : 34 : 22 - 27
question until this chain of question and answer extends up to the
firmament of the world' - excerpt from a long Hadith. (Mazhari)
Consideration of the psychology of the addressee in debates and
avoidance of any approach that may provoke violent attitude
In verse 24:ٍوَإِنَّ أَوْاِيَّاكُمْ لَعَلَى هُدِّى أَوْفِىُ ضَلْلٍ مُّبِين (And We or you are either on
the right path or in open error - 34:24), this address is beamed at
polytheists and disbelievers. In their case, what was needed was already
done. That Allah Ta'ala was the creator, the master, and all-powerful in
the absolute sense was proved decisively and explicitly. That idols and
everything else other than Allah was weak and helpless was
demonstrated clearly. After having done all this, the occasion demanded
that Mushriks are told in clear terms that they were ignorant and astray
in bypassing Allah and electing to worship idols and satans. But, the
noble Qur'an has opted for a wonderfully wise form of address, something
that should serve as a guidance for all those who are engaged in the
mission of da'wah and tabligh or in debates against opponents of Islam
and votaries of the false. It will be noticed that the disbelieving
adversaries addressed in this verse were not called kafirs, infidels,
disbelievers or the ones gone astray. Rather, a change was introduced in
the mode and content of the address. The arguments and proofs were
already clear. In their presence, no sensible person could say that tauhid
(Oneness of Allah or pure monotheism) and shirk (the attribution of
partners in the pristine divinity of Allah) are equally true and that the
adherents of both are following the truth. Instead of that, it is certain that
one of these two is following the path of truth while the other is in error.
Now, it is up to you. You think and you decide as to who is on the side of
truth. Is it we or is it you? Had the addressee been called a disbeliever or
someone who had gone off the track of truth, it could have made him
angry. This approach was avoided. In its place, the approach was kept so
affectionate and disarming that it would make even the most diehard
adversary left with no choice but to consider what was being proposed
(from Qurțubi and Bayan-ul-Qur'an)
This method of prophetic call, good counsel and good-mannered
debate - in line with the command of the Qur'an: ◌ُوَجَادِلُهُمُ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَن (wa
jadilhum bil-lati hiya ahsan: (and argue with them in the best manners -
16:125) - is something 'Ulama' should keep in sight all the time. Once this

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stands ignored, everything done in the fair name of da'wah, tabligh and
debate becomes ineffective, rather harmful. As a result, adversaries turn
adamant and cling to their error far more firmly.
Verse 28
وَمَا أَرْسَلُنكَ إِلَّ كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيْرًا وَّنَذِيْرًا وَّلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ
لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾
And We did not send you (O prophet,) but to the entire
mankind, as a bearer of good news and as a warner, but
most people do not know. [28]
Commentary
That Allah is One and that His power is absolute was the subject in
previous verses. In the present verse, it is being said that the Holy
Prophet f was sent as the Messenger of Allah to all peoples of the world
who are there now or will come in the future.
The word: ◌ُكَافَّه (Kaaffah) in : كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاس (Kaaffatal-lin-naas: for all
peoples) is used in the sense of making something universal and inclusive
of all without the exclusion of anyone from it. The grammatical
arrangement of the text required saying:you (lin-naasi kaaffatan: for the
people as a whole) because the word: au (kaaffah: all) is grammatically a
hal (adverb) relatable to the word yt (naas: people). But, in order to put a
clear accent on the universality of the mission of the Last Rasul of Allah,
the word: au (Kaaffah: all) was set to come earlier.
The mission of a messenger or prophet assigned to all prophets sent
before the Holy Prophet
was restricted to some particular people and
particular geographical area. It is the peculiarity of the Sayyidna
Muhammad al-Mustafa
that his prophetic mission is common and open
to all peoples of the world. In fact, it is not simply for human beings, but is
so for the Jinns as well. And then, it is not just for those who were present
during his blessed time, but is universally applicable to all human
generations to come right up to the last day of Qiyamah. And this very
fact of the continuity and survival of his mission as prophet and
messenger demands that he has to be the Last and Final of the prophets
and that no prophet is to come after his appearance. The reason is that

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another prophet is sent when the law and teachings of the one before him
are distorted or altered. Thus, a second prophet is sent to reform the
people and reinstate them according to Allah's pleasure. As for the
Shari'ah of the Holy Prophet 2 and that of His own Book, the Qur'an,
right through the last day of Qiyamah, the responsibility of its protection
has already been undertaken by Allah Ta'ala Himself. Therefore, it will
hold on and survive till Qiyamah in its original state and there would be
no need for some other prophet to be sent.
According to a narration of Sayyidna Jabir dee appearing in the
Şahins of al-Bukhari and Muslim and elsewhere, the Holy Prophet
has
been reported to have said: 'I have been given five things that have not
been given to anyone else before me: (1) That Allah Ta'ala helped me by
placing in my person such an awe as it is felt by the people from the
distance of a month of travel. (2) That the whole earth has been declared
to be a masjid and a purifier for me (in the religious codes of past
prophets, their worship used to be performed only in particular places set
up as houses of worship. Worship was not allowed outside their appointed
prayer places, either in the open or inside homes. For the Muslim
community, Allah Ta'ala made the whole earth a masjid in the sense that
Salah can be made everywhere - and in the absence of water not being
available or its use being harmful, the dust of the earth was made tahur
or purifier so that it could be used to make tayammum which becomes a
valid alternate of wudu). (3) That property from the spoils has been made
halal for me. Before me, it was not halal for any other community (among
whom the rule was to assemble the war spoils collected from the
disbelieving adversary and deposit it at an appointed place in the belief
that some fire or lightening would descend from the heavens and burn it,
and this act of burning would itself be the sign of the acceptance of their
religious war. For the Muslim community, distributing the spoils in
accordance with the rule enunciated by the Qur'an and spending it as
needed was made permissible). (4) That I was given the station of the
Great Intercession (الشفاعت الكبرى :ash-Shafa'ah al-Kubra) (that is, when
no prophet would dare intercede on behalf of others on the fateful plains
of the Resurrection [al-hashr], I shall, then, be given the opportunity to
intercede). (5) That before me, every prophet was sent to his particular
people - I have been sent as a prophet to all peoples of the world. (Ibn
Kathir)

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Surah Saba' : 34 : 29 - 33
Verses 29 - 33
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتِى هَذَا الْوَعُدُ إِنْ كُنْتُمُ صدِقِيْنَ ﴿٢٩﴾ قُلُ لَّكُمُ مِّيْعَادُ
يَوْمٍ لَّاتَسْتَأْخِرُوْنَ عَنْهُ سَاعَةً وَّلَا تَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ﴿.﴾﴾ وَقَالَ الَّذِيْنَ
كَفَرُوا لَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِهِذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَلَا بِالَّذِىُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ * وَلَوْ تَرَّى إِذْ
الظُّلِمُوْنَ مَوْقُوُفُوْنَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمُ سٍَ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إلى بَعْضٍ ◌ِلْقَوْلَ
يَقُوُلُ الَّذِيْنَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِيْنَ اسْتَكْبَرُوْا لَوْلا أَنْتُمُ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِيْنَ
﴿٣١ ﴾ قَالَ الَّذِيْنَ اسْتَكُبَرُوا لِلَّذِيْنَ اسْتُضْعِفُوْآ أَنَحْنُ صَدَدُنْكُمُ عَنِ
الْهُدى بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَكُمْ بَلْ كُنْتُمْ مُجْرِمِيْنَ ﴿٢٣﴾ وَقَالَ الَّذِيْنَ
اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِيْنَ اسْتَكْبِرُوْا بَلْ مَكْرُ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُوْنَنَا أَنْ
تَّكُفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَنْدَادًا ﴿ وَاَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ ط
وَجَعَلْنَا الْأَغْللَ فِىَّ أَعْنَاقِ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّ مَا كَانُوا
يَعُمَلُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾
And they say, " When will this promise (of the Day of
Judgment) be fulfilled, if you are truthful?" [29] Say,"
You have the promise of a day from which you can
neither be late for a while, nor can you be ahead of it.
[30] And those who disbelieve say," We will never believe
in this Qur'an, nor in that which was before it." But if
you could see when the wrongdoers will be made to
stand before their Lord, repulsing words (of blame) to
one another! Those who were held as weak will say to
the overbearing," Had you not been there, we would
have been believers." [31] Those who were overbearing
will say to those weak,"Was it we who stopped you from
(accepting) guidance after it came to you? Rather, you
were guilty. [32] And those weak will say to those
overbearing, "But (it was your) intriguing day and night
( that stopped us from accepting guidance ), when you
were directing us to disbelieve in Allah and to set up
rivals to Him." And all of them will conceal (their)
penitence when they will see the punishment.1 And We
[1] They will conceal their penitence from each other, so that they may not face
embarrassment before others.

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will place iron-collars around the necks of those who
disbelieved. They will not be recompensed except for
what they used to do. [33]
Verses 34 - 38
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِىُ قَرْيَةٍ مِّنُ نَّذِيْرٍ إِلَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوْهَآ « إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمُ بِه
كُفِرُونَ ﴿٣٤﴾ وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالاً وَّ أَوْلَادًا " وَّمَا نَحْنُ
بِمُعَذَّبِيْنَ ﴿٣٥) قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَّشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلكِنَّ
أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَا أَمْوَالْكُمُ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمُ بِالَّتِى
تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِنْدَنَا زُلْفَى إِلَّ مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا: فَأُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ
جَزَآءُ الضِّعُفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَهُمُ فِى الْغُرُفْتِ آمِنُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾ وَالَّذِيْنَ
يَسْعَوُنَ فِىِّ أَيْتِنَا مُعْجِزِيْنَ أُولَئِكَ فِى الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾
And We did not send a warner to a township, but said
those who lived a luxurious life therein," We reject what
you have been sent with." [34] And they said, " We are
superior in riches and children, and we are not going to
be punished". [35] Say, "In fact, my Lord extends
provision to whom He wills, and straitens (it for whom
He wills), but most of the people do not know". [36] And
neither your riches nor your children are the things
that bring you near Us closely; however, the one who
believes and acts righteously (is close to Us). Therefore,
such people will have the double reward for what they
did, and they will be at peace in the upper chambers (of
Paradise). [37] As for those who strive against our signs
trying to frustrate (them), they will be arraigned into
the torment. [38]
Commentary
The age-old satanic illusion of taking worldly riches and honours
as a proof of being loved by Allah
All along the lanes of time since the very beginning, people
intoxicated with material wealth and luxury have always opposed the
voice of truth and taken a stance of hostility against the prophets and the
pious people, except those whom Allah willed otherwise. On top of this,

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they also used to argue in favor of their satisfaction with the existing
stance against the people of truth by saying: Had Allah disliked our
doings and ways, why would He give us wealth, recognition and power in
this world? The noble Qur'an has answered it in several verses taking
different approaches. The revelation of the cited verses is also related to
an event of this nature which provides an answer to this absurd
argument.
It appears in Hadith that, during the period of Jahiliyah, two persons
ran a business in partnership. Then, one of them left the place and went
to some coastal area. When the Holy Prophet
was ordained as prophet,
and people in Arabia started talking about it, the former business partner
then living in a coastal area wrote a letter to his former business partner
in Makkah and asked him about his reaction and the reaction of other
people against this person claiming to be a prophet. The former partner in
Makkah wrote back telling him that no one from among the Quraish had
followed him, except that a few people of no consequence, mostly poor and
needy, were going for him. The man of the coast left his business behind,
came to Makkah and asked his former partner there to tell him the
address of the person who claimed to be a prophet. This coastal friend who
used to study old scriptures, such as the Torah and the Evangile,
presented himself before the Holy Prophet
and asked him: 'What is it
to which you invite people to come?' He told him about the main elements
of his da'wah of Islam. Immediately after having heard the da'wah (call)
to Islam in his blessed words, he said : ◌ِأَشْهَدُ أنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّه (Ashhadu annaka
rasulallah: (i.e.'I bear witness that you are, without any doubt, the
messenger of Allah'). He asked him: "How did you know this?" He
submitted: "[As for your call being true, I understood it through my
reason, and then the sign of it was that:] Adherents of all noble prophets
who have come earlier have, in the beginning, always been the weak and
the meek, the poor and needy, people who did not matter much among
those they were sent to.' Revealed thereupon was the verse under study:
And We did not send a warner to a) وَمَا أَرْسَلُنَا فِىُ قَرْيَةٍ مِّنُ نَّذِيْرِ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوُهَا ...
township, but said those who lived a luxurious life therein," We reject
what you have been sent with." - 34:34) (Ibn Kathir and Mazhari)
In this verse, the word: % (mutraf, translated above as 'those who
lived a luxurious life) has been derived from: Js (taraf) which carries the

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sense of a life abounding in material assets, ease and comfort. Hence,
32 (mutrafin) denotes rich people of a community (who are arrogant
and careless about what is right or wrong) .The Holy Qur'an is saying in
the verse cited above that whenever Allah has sent a messenger, these
people intoxicated with their riches and pampered by a life of luxury have
always confronted him with a flat denial of his mission.
نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمُوَالاً وَّ أَوْلاَدًا وَّمَا نَحُرُ :Quoted in the next verse (35) is their saying
Aus which, in effect, means: "We are superior in riches and children,
and we are not going to be punished - 35". (Obviously, by it, they meant:
If we had been deserving of punishment in the sight of Allah Ta'ala, why
would He give us all this wealth and recognition)? The noble Qur'an gives
قُلُ إِنَّ رَبِّى يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنُ يَّشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ... :an answer in the next two verses by saying
("In fact, my Lord extends provision to whom He wills, and straitens (it for
whom He wills), but most of the people do not know". 34:36] And neither
your riches nor your children are the things that bring you near Us
closely; however, the one who believes and acts righteously (is close to Us)
The gist of the answer is that having more wealth .(34:37 وَمَا أَمُوَالُكُمُ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ
and recognition in this world, or not having any, is no proof of someone
being acceptable or unacceptable in the sight of Allah. In fact, it is in view
of creational considerations that Allah Ta'ala would give, at least in this
world, property and wealth in abundance to whomever He wills, and
gives less to whomever He wills. He alone knows the creational
consideration behind it. But, taking the abundance of wealth and
children to be a proof of being acceptable in the sight of Allah is sheer
ignorance because, with Him, the criterion of acceptability, approval,
support and pleasure is no other but 'Iman (faith) and good deed. One
who does not carry these two assets - no matter how much wealth and
how many children one has - these cannot make him or her acceptable in
the sight of Allah.
This very subject has been taken up in several other verses of the
noble Qur'an. In Surah al-Mu'minun, it was said:
آَيَحْسَبُوْنَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمُ بِهِ مِنْ مَّالٍ وَّيَنِيْنَ نُسَارِعُ لَهُمُ فِى الْخَيْرِتِ بَلْ لَّا يَشْعُرُوْنَ
Do they think that by consistently providing them with wealth
and children, We are accelerating the (real) good things to
them? The fact, however, is that they do not understand (the
reality) - 23:55,56.

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And the reality is that wealth and children that make man negligent
of Allah become a curse for him. Then, in a verse of Surah At-Taubah, it
was said:
فَلَا تُعجِبُكَ أَمْوَالُهُمُ وَلَا أَوْلَادُهُمُ إِنَّمَا يُرِيْدُ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمُ بِهَا فِى الْحَيْوةِ الدُّنْيَا
وَتَزْهَقَ أَنْفُسُهُمْ وَهُمُ كَفِرُونَ
And their wealth and children should not attract you. Allah
only wants to punish them with these in this world and that
their souls depart while they are disbelievers - 9:85.
In that case, it will end up into the everlasting punishment of the
Hereafter. As for punishing through wealth and children right here in
this world, it means that they become so involved in and infatuated with
wealth and property that they never find the time to think about their
ultimate fate or turn towards Allah and 'Akhirah - the end of which is
punishment that will last for ever. Then there are many who have wealth
and children both. It is within this world that, for the sake of wealth and
children, rather, through the wealth and children, they have to suffer
from thousands of distresses and pains. As such, their punishment starts
taking effect right from this very world.
According to a narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah 40, the Holy
Prophet % said: Allah Ta'ala does not see you or your wealth. He sees
your hearts and your deeds - reported by Ahmad, Ibn Kathir)
فَأُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ جَزَآءُ الضِّعُفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَهُمُ فِى الْغُرُفْتِ :37 In the last sentence of verse
Sl (Therefore, such people will have the double reward for what they
did, and they will be at peace in the upper chambers (of Paradise) .- 34:37),
mentioned there is the state of the people of 'Iman (faith) and good deeds
for they are the ones acceptable with Allah. Whether or not they are
recognized in this world, their return in the Hereafter will be double or
manifold. The word: is (dif) with a kasrah of the letter: it's (dad) is a
verbal noun which means 'like a thing' or 'the likes of a thing'. The sense
is that the way wealthy people keep amassing their wealth in the worldly
life, Allah Ta'ala would increase the return for His accepted people in the
Hereafter many times over. For example, the return for one deed would
be ten of its likes, or ten times as much. Then, it is not so restricted either.
Granted the person's sincerity in deed and in view of other causes and
considerations, the return of one such deed can go up to seven hundred

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times. That returns at this high scale would also be given as stands
proved from Sahih ahadith. It is interesting that this too is not restricted.
It could be more than that. In short, these people of faith and good deed
shall be residing in the elevated chambers of Paradise in perfect peace
and forever shielded against all sorrows.
The word: Bu'x (ghurufat) is the plural form of: as (ghurfah). It
denotes a part of the mansion considered distinct and high as compared to
other parts.
Verse 39
قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّىُ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُلَهُ وَمَآ
أَنْفَقْتُمُ مِّنُ شَىْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ، وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَِّقِينَ ﴿٣٩﴾
Say, "Surely, my Lord extends provision for
whomsoever He wills out of His servants, and straitens
(it) for him. And whatever thing you spend, He replaces
it. And He is the best of the sustainers. [39]
Commentary
This verse has appeared a little earlier (36) almost in the same words.
As obvious, the same thing has been mentioned here, however, it has a
difference. At this place, there is an addition of: osus (out of His
servants) after: ¿ . (whomsoever He wills) and: 'J (lahu: for him or
whomever) after : ◌ُيَقُدِر (yaqdir : straitens). From the statement : مِنْ عِبَادِه (min
'ibadihi: from His servants), it is gathered that this rule of guidance has
been put forth for His particular servants, that is, for the believers, and
the purpose is to alert people of faith that they should not start loving
wealth and comfort to the extent that their hearts choke when it comes to
spending at occasions and on rights enjoined by Allah Ta'ala. As for the
earlier verse (36) that carries the same text, it was addressed to
disbelievers and polytheists who prided on the worldly assets of wealth
and children and declared these to be the proof of their success in the
Hereafter. Thus, any discordance between the addressee and the purpose
of address stands eliminated. Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanavi, in his
khulasah of Tafsir Bayan ul-Qur'an, has taken the same approach by
first adding 'the believers' in parenthesis while explaining this verse.

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Surah Saba' : 34 : 39
Another difference between these two verses pointed to by some
commentators is that mentioned in the first verse was the distribution of
sustenance between different human beings, that is, Allah Ta'ala gives
more of wealth and property to some, and less to some others - all in His
wisdom and in the light of universal considerations. And in this verse,
only one person and his different states have been mentioned, that is, this
one person has, at times, more with him, then, comes another time and
the same person has much less as well. The word: 'J (lahu: for him) which
appears in this verse after: ja (yaqdiru: straitens) releases an indication
in this direction. This approach too leaves no discordance behind. Rather,
the first verse turns out as relating to different individuals and the
present verse, to different states of one single person.
The sentence: "وَمَا أَنْفَقْتُمُ مِّنُ شَىْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُه (And whatever thing you spend,
He replaces it. And He is the best of the sustainers.) in verse 39 literally
means: 'For anything that you spend, Allah Ta'ala gives you a return
from His unseen treasures - at times, within this world and at times, in
the Hereafter and at times, in both.' In things happening around us, we
see that water comes down from above, animals and humans use it freely,
needs of farms and forests are satiated, and no sooner does that supply of
water gets used up, than another supply descends to replenish it. Similar
is the case of wells dug for water that, no matter how much water is spent
out of these, it stands replenished by nature from other sources of water
beneath the bed. Man eats up his food leaving the impression that he has
finished it, but Allah Ta'ala provides him with other food in its absence.
Physical exercise burns out calories of food and other workings of nature
turn it into energy. In short, whatever man spends out in this world, it is
the customary practice of Allah Ta'ala that He would replace it with
something else similar to it. Something happening contrary to this, as an
exceptional case, - either to punish one, or for the sake of some other
creational consideration - will not be deemed as contrary to this customary
Divine practice.
According to a Hadith of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah 4% in Şahin of
Muslim, the Holy Prophet & said, "Everyday when people rise to see
another morning, two angels descend from the heavens and pray: bet ati
O Allah, bless the one who spends [out of what You) منفقا خلفا واعط ممسكًا تلفا
gave him or her] with its return, and let the one who withholds [what

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Surah Saba' : 34 : 39
You gave him or her] find it wasted." And according to another Hadith,
the Holy Prophet 5 said, "Allah Ta'ala has told me: You spend on people,
I shall spend on you."
There is no promise of a return for spending that is not in
accordance with the Shari'ah
Says a Hadith of Sayyidna Jabir dee
that the Holy Prophet said,
"Good deed is sadaqah (an act of charity in the way of Allah). When
someone spends on himself or his children and family, that spending too
falls under sadaqah. It brings thawab (reward from Allah). And one who
spends to protect his integrity and honor, this too is sadaqah. And
whoever spends whatever he does in obedience to the command of Allah,
He has taken it upon Himself that He will give him its return - except
that which is spent in (wasteful, extra to need) building or sinful activity,
for there is no promise of a return for it."
After hearing this Hadith from Sayyidna Jabir dee, his disciple, Ibn
al-Munkadir asked him: 'What is the meaning of spending to protect one's
honor?' He said, "There may be a person about whom one apprehends
that, should he not give him something, he would go about maligning him
in all sorts of ways. In this case, giving to such a person is in order to save
one's honor.' (Reported by ad-Darqutni, Qurțubi)
With the decrease in the use of something, its production also
decreases
The hint embedded in this verse also tells us that as long as the things
of use provided by Allah Ta'ala for consumption of human beings and
animals keep being consumed, these keep being replaced by Him
constantly. The rule seems to be that the more the consumption of
something, the more its production. The multiple uses made of domestic
animals like goats, sheep and cows put them high on the list of
consumption. They are slaughtered. Their meat is eaten. Then, they are
also slaughtered under Islamic legal requirements, such as, the Qurbani
or sacrifice, and in Kaffarat (plural of kaffarah or expiation) and jinayat
(faults, offences against religious prohibitions). The more they are
consumed, the more increased becomes their frequency of production from
Allah Ta'ala. This is common experience everywhere. The number of
these animals, despite being under the knife all the time, remains the
highest in the world. The number of dogs and cats is not that high,