41. SURAH YA SIN

 

 

INTRODUCTION TO THE SURAH

 

It is believed to be the 41st surah revealed in Mecca. This surah takes its name from the expression “يسYa Sin” in its first verse. The surah is also referred to by other names, such as”The Heart of the Qur’an”, “Surah Müdafaa-i Kaziyye”, “Surah Muimme”, “Surah Azima”.

Some sources^[1] suggest that verses 12 and 47 were revealed during the Medina period; however, their compatibility with the surrounding passages does not support these claims.

 

By emphasizing the ‘testimony’ and ‘evidence’ of the Qur’an, which contains divine laws, the surah highlights that Muhammad (pbuh), the son of Abdullah, was a messenger sent to warn a community whose ancestors were not warned and had thus become desensitized, and that he was on a straight path. In the subsequent verses, the psychological state of those who oppose tawhid is described, the story of a city visited by messengers is narrated, warnings about the Day of Judgment are given, and scenes of resurrection and the afterlife are vividly depicted. The surah concludes with a reaffirmation of belief in the oneness of God and the Hereafter, the core tenets of the true religion.

 

Furthermore, the attributes and impact of the Qur’an are highlighted, particularly in verses 69 and 70, where it is stressed that the Qur’an was revealed to guide those who are “alive”. However, despite this clear message, some rumors have been made about the surah to keep Muslims away from the Qur’an, and due to such narrations, some of which are attributed to our Prophet, people’s orientation to the true message of the surah has been neglected. Since we believe that wrongs should be exposed as well as truths, we present a few of them:

 

* Whoever reads Ya Sin Surah when he wakes up in the morning, he will be granted throughout the day until evening. Whoever recites this surah in the early hours of the night will be granted ease throughout the night until dawn.

*There is no doubt that everything has a heart. The heart of the Qur’an is Ya Sin. Whoever recites this surah at night will be given relief that night. Whoever reads it during a day will be given relief on that day. Undoubtedly, the Qur’an is removed from the people of Paradise. They don’t read anything except Ta Ha and Ya Sin.

*Whoever reads Ya Sin on Thursday night, his sin is forgiven in the morning.

*Whoever enters the cemetery and reads Ya Sin, Allah will lighten their torment that day. Hasenat is written for that person as many times as the number of letters.

*Whoever visits the graves of his parents or one of them every Friday and reads Ya Sin next to them, Allah forgives him in the number of each letter.

* For the sake of Allah, anyone who reads Ya Sin at night will be forgiven.

*Read it next to your dead. Allah gives him ease.^[2]

 

These narrations divert attention from the core warning function of Surah Ya Sin, and by extension, the Qur’an.

 

41 / Surah Ya Sin

 

 

The meaning of the verses:

¹Ya/10, Sin/60.

^2-6The Qur’an that contains the laws/that is prevented from corruption which is sent down by the One Who is the Most Exalted, the Most Powerful, the Most Honorable, the Invincible/the Subduer, the Possessor of vast mercy so you may warn with it those people whose ancestors were not warned and thus who are apathetic is the evidence that you are among those messengers and indeed you are on a straight path.

⁷Indeed, the Word has come into effect upon many of these people whose ancestors have not been warned. Now, they do not believe.

⁸Surely, We have put iron shackles on their necks. So high they reach to their chins. Thus their noses are aloft. ⁹And We have put a barrier before them and a barrier after them. Thus We have surrounded them. Now they do not see. ¹⁰And it is the same for them whether you warn them or not, they will not believe.

¹¹Surely, you warn the one who follows the Qur’an which is a reminder and who fears Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] in awe with respect, love, knowledge even in unseen, unheard, unfelt places. Give him the good tidings of forgiveness and a very noble reward.

¹²Indeed, it is only We, We Who resurrect the dead. And We write what they have sent forth before and their work. Then, We have enumerated everything in “an explicit pioneer/the Qur’an”.

¹³Present to those apathetic people the example of the people of that city. When the messengers came to it.

¹⁴When We sent them two messengers, and they denied both of them. Then We strengthened with the third one and they said: “Indeed, we are messengers to you”.

¹⁵Then they said: “You are only humans like us. And Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] has not sent down anything. You are only telling lies”.

^16,17And the messengers said: “Our Rabb knows that we are truly messengers sent to you. And our duty is only to convey clearly”.

¹⁸Then the people of that city said: “Surely, you are an evil omen for us. If you do not desist, indeed we will stone you to death and a painful punishment will touch you from us”.

¹⁹And the messengers said: “Your evil omen is with yourselves. Is it because you have been reminded? Rather, you are a transgressing people”.

^20-25Meanwhile, there came a man from the farthest side of the city, running. He said: “O my people! Follow the messengers! Follow those who do not ask you any payment, for they have found “the righteous path that is guided”. What is the matter with me so I should not worship the One Who created me from nothing? And you will be returned only to Him. Do I ever take idols from among those that are inferior to Him? If Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] intends a punishment upon me, help and intercession of the idols will not avail me at all and those idols can not save me. Indeed, I would be in an explicit astray if I took idols. Surely, I have believed in your Rabb. So heed me!”.

^26,27It was said: “Enter Jannah [Heaven/Paradise]!”. And he said: “I wish my people could know that my Rabb has forgiven me and made me one of those who are honored”.

^28,29And We did not send down an army upon his people, and We would not. Only a scream! Then you see that they were extinguished.

³⁰O! Alas for the servants for they ridiculed every messenger who had come to them.

^31,32Have they not seen that We manipulated, destroyed many generations before them and they will not return to them? They all will be gathered and brought present before Us.

³³And dead earth is a sign for apathetic people. We have given life to it and brought grains forth from it and they eat from it.

^34,35And We placed gardens of palm trees and grapevines so they may eat its crops and what they produce with their hands. We caused springs to burst water in them. Will they still not repay for the blessings that they have been given?

³⁶Purified is the One, Who forms pairs from the plants of the earth, from their own selves and from many things that they would not know, from all deficiencies.

³⁷And the night is a sign for apathetic people. We strip the day off the night so they are immediately in the darkness.

³⁸And the sun which runs for the end that was predetermined for itself is also a sign for apathetic people. This is the arrangement of Allah Who is almighty and the One Who knows everything.

³⁹And the moon for which We have determined phases until it returns like an old, dry date stalk, is also a sign for apathetic people.

⁴⁰It is not appropriate for the sun to reach the moon. And the day is not allowed to overtake the night. And in an orbit they all swim.

^41,42Surely, it is a sign for apathetic people that We carried their descendants on a laden ship and that We have formed for them the likes of it that which they may ride.

^43,44And if We willed, We would drown them in the water – except for a mercy and an enjoyment; a respite from Us until a time – and there would be no one to respond to their cries. And they would not be saved.

^45,46And when it was said to them: “Enter under the guardianship of Allah against the troubles that will come to you in Akhirat [Afterlife] so you may be shown mercy, and what had came to former peoples may not come to you in what you have done in the past and you will do in the future/in your past and future mistakes” and any of the Ayat of their Rabb came to them, they only became those who stayed away from it.

⁴⁷And when it was said to them: “Spend from that which Allah has provided you; provide sustenance for others as well”, the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb said for those who have believed: “Is it we who will give opportunities to the one whom Allah could have given if He had willed so he might earn his living? You are in a clear astray”.

⁴⁸And apathetic people say: “If you are among those who are truthful, when is the threat that has been promised?”.

^49,50And while they are disputing between one another, they will come up against a single scream which will seize them. Then they will not be able to give even their wills. And they will not be able to return to their families, to the people close to them.

⁵¹And the Sur will be blown. And then they will hasten to their Rabb from their graves at once.

⁵²They will say: “Woe to us! Who has raised us/waken us up from where we have been sleeping? This is that which Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] had promised. The messengers that were sent told the truth”.

⁵³And there will be only a single scream. And then they will be “ready” before Us. ⁵⁴So no one will be treated unjustly by any means today. And you will be recompensed only for what you did.

⁵⁵Truly, the companions of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] will have an occupation while they are amused.

⁵⁶They and the partners presented to them will recline on their couches, under shadows.

⁵⁷Only for them will be the fruits. They will have all they wish.

⁵⁸”Salam [health, peace, happiness…]!” will be the word from Rabb, Who is the possessor of vast mercy.

⁵⁹And o sinners! Stand apart today!

^60-62Did I not enjoin upon you, saying: “O mankind! Do not worship satan, indeed he is an explicit enemy to you, but worship Me; this is the straight path and indeed satan already led many generations astray from among you”? Were you still not the ones who used their reason? ⁶³This is Jahannah [Hell] which you have been promised.

⁶⁴Lean onto it today for that which you denied/disbelieved consciously! ⁶⁵Today We will seal their mouths; their hands will speak to us and their feet will testify to that which they have earned.

⁶⁶If We had willed, We would have made them blind/depleted their lineage so they would have wandered. Then, how could they see?

⁶⁷And if We had willed, We would have deformed them wherever they were so they would not be able to proceed nor return.

⁶⁸And whoever We grant long life, We reverse him/make him upside down in formation. Despite this, will they still not use their reason?

^69,70And We did not teach him the poetry. That would not suit him anyway. It is only a reminder; the Qur’an sent down to warn those who are alive and to prove that the Word is true upon those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb.

⁷¹Have they not seen that We have indeed formed various livestock for them from what our strength put forth, and they own them.

⁷²And We made them inferior for them. Therefore, their rides are from them. And they eat from them.

⁷³And many more benefits and drink are in them. Will they still not repay for the blessings they have been given and be ungrateful?

⁷⁴And they have taken deities/gods from among those that are inferior to Allah so they may be helped.

⁷⁵They are not able to help them. Yet, those who take so-called gods are soldiers who are ready for them.

⁷⁶So, let their speech not grieve you. Surely, We know what they conceal and what they disclose.

⁷⁷And has that person not seen that We formed him from a drop of semen/a drop of water/liquid, and now he is an explicit enemy?

⁷⁸And he has presented for Us an example, not considering his own formation: He said: “Who will resurrect those bones? While they are decomposed!”.

^79,80Say: “The One Who formed them the first time will resurrect them. And He is the One Who knows every formation very well. He is the One Who made fire/oxygen from a green tree for you. Now, you burn oxygen.

⁸¹Is the One Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth, not the One Who possesses the power to form many more like them? Yes, indeed, He is! And He is the One Who forms perfectly, knows very well.

⁸²Indeed, when He intends a thing, His command/affair is to say to that thing “Be!” and it immediately is.

⁸³Then, Allah Who has the possession and the dominion of everything in His hands is purified from all deficiencies. And only to Him you will be returned”.

 

Analysis of the verses

 

Verse 1:

 

¹Ya/10, Sin/60.

 

The first verse consists of two disconnected/independent letters called “Huruf-u Mukattaa”. As is known, disconnected letters do not inherently possess any specific meaning. However, as we have explained several times before, it is possible that these cut letters represent numbers, since the letters were used instead of numbers at the time the Qur’an was revealed. To remember, in the time of Kalem, we stated that the table showing which number the letters represent is called “EBCED” and we presented this “ابجد Abced” table there. We also mentioned in our discussion of the initial Huruf-u Mukattaa that these letters might serve as forms of admonition.

 

In classical sources, various interpretations have been attributed by many scholars to the letters “Ya Sin”:

*This is one of the names of the prophet.

*This is one of the names of Allah.

*This means “O human” in the language of the Tayy tribe of Arabs.

*This means “O Sayyid (O Master)”.^[3]

 

However, none of these interpretations have a solid foundation. It should be noted that the issue regarding the “Mukattaa Letters” has not been clarified yet and it awaits the Qur’anic soldiers who will seriously study it.

 

 

Verse 2-6:

 

^2-6The Qur’an that contains the laws/that is prevented from corruption which is sent down by the One Who is the most exalted, the most powerful, the most honorable, the invincible/the subduer, the possessor of vast mercy so you may warn with it those people whose ancestors were not warned and thus who are apathetic is the evidence that you are among those messengers and indeed you are on a straight path.

 

This group of verses, comprising a noun phrase with two predicates and a clause with two responses, has been rendered collectively because we believe that it would be better understood if it was expressed in a single sentence. This is also in accordance with the original sentence structure of the verses.

 

As can be seen, the Ya Sin sura is a continuation of the previous Jinn surah. Therefore, the expression “you” here is also “Say!” in Surah Jinn. It is aimed at our prophet, who is the addressee of his statements. There are many points of emphasis in this group of verses:

 

Emphasis on Qur’an’s being”Hakim”:

 

Here, an important characteristic of the Qur’an is highlighted term “حكيم Hakim” is applied to describe it. The word “judge” is a noun in the form of exaggeration and its main meaning is “the one who makes many laws”. Since the word “judge” is also one of the attributes of our Lord, here it means “enacted, containing many laws” in the sense of mef’ul. This meaning is the exact equivalent of the word “muhkam”. As a matter of fact, at the beginning of Surah Hud, our Lord said:

 

^1-4Alif/1, Lam/30, Ra/200. This Qur’an is a book, which contains the laws, rules and principles/that is prevented from being corrupted in order to ensure that you worship none other but Allah; only worship Allah, and to prevent you from doing wrong; acting against your own good by associating others with Allah and to prevent chaos; which is explained in detail by the One Who is the best law maker, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible, the One Who knows best inner/hidden sides of everything: “Indeed, I am a warner and the bringer of good tidings for you from Him. And ask your Rabb for forgiveness and repent to Him so He may let you enjoy until the end of a predetermined term. And so that He may give bounties to every person who has the virtue. And if you turn away, I fear the punishment of a great day which is against you. Your return is only to Allah. And He is the One Who is competent over everything”.

(Hud 1-4)

 

Also, in the 7^th verse of the chapter of Aal-i Imran, “He [Allah] is the One who has sent down the Book to you. Some of it [from that book] are muhkam verses. The expression -which is the mother of the book-…” also clearly states that the Qur’an contains ambiguous verses.

 

In order to understand these expressions well, it is necessary to learn the word “wisdom”, which is mentioned for the first time in the 5^th verse of the chapter of al-Qamar.

 

            HIKMET

 

Its details are in the 3-5^th chapter of the Surah Al-Qamar. As we have explained in detail in the analysis of the verses, “Wisdom” means the law, motto and principle established to prevent oppression and corruption.

 

            MUHKAM

 

The word “محكم Muhkam” means “containing a decree”. Therefore, “muhkam verses” means verses that contain principles that prevent people from turmoil and oppression. These verses are clear, unambiguous, and have only one meaning. In other words, no other meaning can be deduced from these verses other than the meaning they express.

 

It means; “The hakim, muhkem, that is, the Qur’an containing laws” is proof that our Prophet is the messenger of Allah and is on the right path.

 

The word “Hakim” has appeared 97 times in the Qur’an, and it has been used as the attribute of Allah in 92 places and as the attribute of the Qur’an in 5 places. The other four verses in which the word is used as an attribute of the Qur’an are as follows:

 

⁵⁸We recite this to you from the Ayat and from the reminders/the Qur’an that contains laws.

(Al-i Imran/ 58)

 

¹Alif/1, Lam/30, Ra/200. These are the Ayat of that book which contains laws

(Yunus/ 1)

 

^2-5These are the Ayat of that book which contains laws as a guidance to the righteous path and mercy upon those who establish Salah [establish and maintain the institutions that support financially and spiritually; enlighten the community], who give zaqah; the tax that the believers sincerely give as a liability of belief and duty of servitude so that the religion of Allah may be spread, maintained and Salah may be established, and those who certainly believe in Akhirat [Afterlife], who do good deeds –they are upon a righteous path from their Rabb. And they are the ones who will reach the salvation-.

(Luqman/ 2-5)

 

⁴And surely, the Qur’an is very exalted in the main source that is with Us and it contains laws, it is incorruptible/prevented from corruption.

(Zuhruf/ 4)

 

Emphasis on the Fact that the “Hakim” Qur’an was Revealed by the Mighty and Merciful Allah

 

In the verse, our Lord has brought himself to the forefront with the adjectives “العزيزAziz” and “الرّحيم Rahim” from his Esma-i Hüsna. The attribute “Aziz” means that he is omnipotent, and therefore punishes those who betray his messenger and message; The attribute “Rahim” emphasizes His immense mercy towards those who support His messenger and cling to his message.

 

Emphasis on the “Hakim” Qur’an as Evidence That Our Prophet Is Among the Messengers:

 

People who were unable to refute the miracle of the Qur’an, as conveyed to them, acknowledged that the Qur’an could not have been created by our Prophet. They accepted that the Qur’an could only be a revelation from Allah and subsequently believed that the one conveying it to them was indeed the messenger of Allah.

If it should be remembered, the chapter of Najm also started with this emphasis, and it was declared that our prophet did not deviate, did not go astray, and did not speak out of his whims, by showing the Qur’anic verses that had been revealed:

 

¹Every descending of the Ayat which have descended group by group is the evidence that, ²your companion has neither gone astray nor has he transgressed. ³And he does not speak of his vain, transitory desire. ⁴What he says to you; those groups of Ayat that have descended, are nothing but the revelations which have been revealed to him. ⁵The One Who has mighty powers, Who is supreme in intelligence, Who has established the dominion has taught to your companion what he says.

(Necm/ 1–4)

 

Emphasis on the heedlessness of That Day’s Society Due to Their Forefathers Not Being Warned

 

In the 6th verse, the last verse of the verse group, which is our subject, the situation of the society to which our prophet was sent to convey the “Hakim” Qur’an revealed to him was mentioned. According to the verse, this society had fallen into heedlessness because their ancestors—up to ten generations—had not been warned. As a result, they became indifferent to religion, faith, Allah, and the Hereafter.

 

Although it seems possible to derive other meanings from the verse, the meaning of “a society whose ancestors were not warned” is preferable, with the indication of the following verses.

 

⁴⁴And We did not give them such books which they would study. And We had not sent a warner to them before you.

(Sebe/ 44)

 

¹⁹O People of the Book! When intervals between the coming of messengers increased, there has come to you Our Messenger who conveys/makes clear to you so you may not say: “No harbinger of good tidings and no warner has come us”. There has definitely come to you the harbinger of good tidings and warner. Allah is the One Who is competent over everything.

(Maide/19)

 

³Or do they say: “He has invented it”? Rather, the Qur’an is the truth which has come from your Rabb so you may warn a people to whom no warner came before you, so they may follow the righteous path they are guided.

(Secde/ 3)

 

^46,47And when We called, you were not beside the Mount Tur. Quite opposite, We revealed to you what happened there, We made you a messenger so you may warn a people, to whom no warner/prophet was sent before you, and as a sign of the mercy of your Rabb, as a reminder for them to receive, to prevent them from saying, “Our Rabb! If only You had sent us a prophet thus we could have followed your Ayat and become believers” when a disaster came upon them for what their own hands had done.

(Qasas/46, 47)

 

Regarding Ya Sin/6, various interpretations have been proposed in the past about the expression “لِتُنْذِرَ قَوْماً مَٓا اُنْذِرَ اٰبَٓاؤُ۬هُمْ kavmen ma unzira abaühum…”. These claims are not new. Qatade argued that the preposition “مَٓا ma” has no grammatical position(i’rabdan), while Razi expressed his opinion that “مَٓا ma” should be an verbal noun or a relative pronoun (mastariyye or ism-i mawsul). Similarly, Qurṭubī, based on Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, and again Qatada, stated that “ما ma“ is a relative pronoun(mawsul), which was also supported by Baydawi and Zamakhshari.

 

If “مَٓا Ma” in the verse is understood as an infinitive, it means “So that you may warn that nation as their fathers were warned…“; If it is understood as a relative pronoun (ism-i mawsul), it means “So that you may warn a people whose fathers were not warned… because they were heedless.”

 

Some of them considering the messages of the verses of Nisa/ 165, Shuara/ 208-209, En’am/ 131, Isrā/ 15 (not to destroy without sending a messenger or warning) and because of the expression at Fatr/24 “In every community there has certainly been a warner.”, they do not accept “مَٓا ma” as Nafiyya, on the grounds that there will be a contradiction, and they inclined to understand it as infinitive/mastariyye or mevsul.

 

Of these verses,

Nisâ/165: (… للناس for all people…)

Shuarâ/ 208-209: “ من قريةmin garyetin (KENT (nekre should be taken into account))

En’âm/131: ( القرى Kurâ (towns)

Isra/ 15: (general principle)

 

Another point we should pay attention to here is that in Ya Sin/6, ” people whose ancestors were not warned”

 

Also, note that Ya-Sin/6 mentions “people whose ancestors were not warned “, while Fatir/24 states: “Every nation had a warner among them.” That is, in one of the verses, the expression “قومkavm” and in the other “امةummat” took place. The words “ummah” (nation) and “qawm” (people) are not synonymous in meaning and scope.

 

This brings to mind Surah Ar-Ra’d/7:

 

⁷And those who disbelieve; consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb/those who do not believe say: “Why has no evidence/sign been sent down to him from his Rabb?”. You are only a warner. And there is a guide for every people.

(Ra’d/7)

 

The “هاد Had” mentioned here is not the warner of the messenger of Allah, but the sages of the society mentioned in the 116^th verse of Hud:

 

¹¹⁶ Here are the owners of “bakıyye” [words, works, virtues] from the eras before you; If only wise people, the People of the Book, tried to discourage corruption on earth! But the few we rescued from them did so. By accepting that he is a partner of Allah and knowingly denying the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb, it is wrong; those who did business to their own detriment, however, pursued the prosperity they indulged in and became criminals.

(Hud / 116)

 

Indeed, among the forefathers of the society the Messenger was sent to, there were Hanif individuals like Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl, Quss ibn Saida, Abdul-Muttalib, Abu Talib, Amr ibn Tarb, Uthman ibn Huwairith, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, and others.

 

Thus, there is no contradiction among the verses.

 

Disagreeing with the views in the classical sources, our preference for interpreting “مَٓا ma” in verse Ya sin/6, as “Nâfiye/ negation ” is based on the verses in Surah Sajdah/3 and Saba/44:

 

⁴⁴And We did not give them such books which they would study. And We had not sent a warner to them before you.

(Sebe/ 44)

 

³Or do they say: “He has invented it”? Rather, the Qur’an is the truth which has come from your Rabb so you may warn a people to whom no warner came before you, so they may follow the righteous path they are guided.

(Secde/ 3)

 

The misunderstanding of the subject was prevented by Allah by using different words, in one of these two verses, “وَمَٓا اَرْسَلْنَٓا اِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِنْ نَذ۪يرٍۜ vema erselna ilayhim gableke min nezyrin”, in the other “… لِتُنْذِرَ قَوْماً مَٓا اَتٰيهُمْ مِنْ نَذ۪يرٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَlitünzira kavmen ma etahüm min neziyrin min gablike”.

 

The variations in expressions used in these two verses prevent misunderstandings, showing that the first society the Prophet addressed (the Meccans) had neither received a messenger nor been warned. Considering that the word “اٰبَٓاؤُ۬Âbâü” is “الجمع القلة cem-i killet”, denotes “a limited number of ancestors” (up to ten generations), we can also restrict the interpretation accordingly.

 

In these verses (Ya Sin/6, Saba/44, Al-Sajda/3), the expression “those to whom no warner had been sent before you” refers to “the contemporaries of the Messenger of Allah” and does not include their ancestors. Consequently, these verses cannot be used to interpret Ya Sin/6. Based on this, the claim that the preposition “ma” in Ya Sin/6 should be understood as either a masdariyya (infinitive particle) or mawsul(relative pronoun)—indicating that “the Prophet’s ancestors were also warned, and a warner had come to them”—is unfounded. We find this claim incorrect for the following reasons:

 

1. A) To derive such a meaning from the verses, one would need to neglect the phrase “min gablike (before you)” in the verses. Ignoring this phrase is the only way to obtain such a meaning, but this would be a forced interpretation.
2. B) Another point is this: To derive the meaning of “such a people whose ancestors were warned,” the preposition “ma” would have to be omitted from the verse, forming the sentence “Kavmen uenzire abauehum” (a people whose ancestors were warned). This would align better with grammatical and rhetorical rules. However, this is not the form found in the verse.
3. C) In numerous Qur’anic verses (Sad/7, Al-Baqara/170, Al-Ma’idah/104, Al-A’raf/28, Al-An’am/148, Al-Nahl/35, Luqman/21, Al-Saffat/69-70, Al-Zukhruf/19-25), the contemporaries of the Messenger of Allah argued that the warnings given to them were not conveyed to their ancestors. They claimed that their inherited belief systems lacked such warnings and that they were in the same position as their ancestors. Furthermore, the Qur’an confirms the ignorance of their ancestors regarding these warnings.
4. D) Extending the term “ancestors” to far earlier generations, such as those of the Prophet Ibrahim, renders the word “abaü” (ancestors) meaningless due to its plural form indicating a limited number. Additionally, even during the time of Prophet Ibrahim, the divine practice was to send a warner to every community. It is therefore unreasonable to consider that the Arabs were warned by prophets sent thousands of years earlier or to distant lands like Palestine or Egypt. Prophets such as Ibrahim, Isma’il, Ishaq,…. Musa, and ‘Isa were not geographically or temporally relevant to them.
5. E) If the ancestors had indeed been warned, the warners should have been mentioned in the Qur’an to make their warnings more impactful. The Qur’an frequently references well-known warners (Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, Shu’ayb, Musa, ‘Isa) and the communities they addressed (Ad, Thamud, the people of Lut, the people of Ibrahim, etc.), as well as the warnings given to them. These references underscore the effectiveness of their warnings.
6. F) Furthermore, the Arabs contemporary with the Messenger of Allah would have needed to know who these warners to their ancestors were.

From this, we conclude that the parents and ancestors of the Messenger of Allah were not warned and are therefore not subject to punishment.

 

This raises the question: “Was the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, assigned only to Arab society?” However, the original text does not contain any expression imposing such a restriction. As is well known, our Lord’s commands regarding this matter are as follows:

 

We did not receive any warning from the parents and great ancestors of the Messenger of Allah; Therefore, we believe that they are people who will not be punished.

 

¹Every descending of the Ayat which have descended group by group is the evidence that, ²your companion has neither gone astray nor has he transgressed. ³And he does not speak of his vain, transitory desire. ⁴What he says to you; those groups of Ayat that have descended, are nothing but the revelations which have been revealed to him. ⁵The One Who has mighty powers, Who is supreme in intelligence, Who has established the dominion⁵² has taught to your companion what he says.

(An-Najm 1-5)

 

¹⁶⁶But Allah bears witness to that which He has revealed to you –He has revealed it with His knowledge-. And all the Ayat bear witness too. And Allah is sufficient as witness.

(An-Nisa 166)

 

Here it comes to mind, “Is the messenger of Allah, Muhammad, assigned only to the Arab society?” question is possible. However, there is no expression in the original text that imposes such a restriction. As it is known, the commands of our Lord regarding this matter are as follows:

 

²¹⁴And warn your closest kindred.

(Ash-Shu’ara/ 214)

 

⁴And We sent them every messenger only with the language of his people so he might make clear. Then Allah leads astray whomever He wills/whoever wills and He guides whomever He wills/whoever wills to the righteous path. And He is the One Who is the most exalted, the most powerful, the most honorable, the invincible/the subduer, the best law maker, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible.

(Abraham/ 4)

 

Naturally, a warner begins his mission with his own family, relatives, and community. That is, the warning ring first starts from the region of the stimulus itself, then expands. As a matter of fact, our Lord, who told our prophet to start warning from his own tribe, actually sent many verses stating that he was sent to all humanity:

 

^15,16O People of the Book! Indeed, Our Messenger who makes clear to you most of that which you have been concealing from the Book and overlooks many has come to you. And indeed, a light and an explicit Book from Allah has come to you. Allah guides those who seek His pleasure to the paths of salamat [peace, safety, happiness] by that Book. He brings them out from all darkness into the light and guides them to the straight path with His knowledge.

(Maide/ 15)

 

²⁸And We have sent you only as a bringer of good tidings and a warner to mankind, but most of the people do not know.

(Sebe/ 28)

 

¹⁵⁸Say: “O mankind! Surely I am the messenger sent by Allah, the owner of the heavens/universe and the earth, the only supreme god, the One Who gives life and the One Who takes life, to you all. Then, believe in and obey His Messenger, who believes in Allah and His words to guide you to the righteous path; the Prophet from the Mother City; from Mecca”.

(A’raf/ 158)

 

¹⁹Say: “What thing is greater in testimony?”. Say: “Allah is witness between me and you. And this Qur’an has been revealed to me so I may warn with it you and all those it reaches. Do you truly testify that there are other deities with Allah?”. Say: “I do not”. Say: “He is the One and the Only God and I surely am away from what you associate with Him”.

(An’am/ 19)

 

¹⁰⁷And We have sent you only as a mercy/for mercy for  universes.

(Anbiya/ 107)

 

^46,47And when We called, you were not beside the Mount Tur. Quite opposite, We revealed to you what happened there, We made you a messenger so you may warn a people, to whom no warner/prophet was sent before you, and as a sign of the mercy of your Rabb, as a reminder for them to receive, to prevent them from saying, “Our Rabb! If only You had sent us a prophet thus we could have followed your Ayat and become believers” when a disaster came upon them for what their own hands had done.

(Kasas/ 46, 47)

 

 

Verse 7:

 

⁷Indeed, the Word has come into effect upon many of these people whose ancestors have not been warned. Now, they do not believe.

 

This verse is remarkable as it provides information about the future. Because it is stated in the verse that many of the insensitive and polytheist leaders of Makkah, who are referred to as “they”, will no longer believe, that is, they are in Hell, and will eventually go to Hell. Historical events unfolded exactly as stated in the Qur’an: individuals like Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab, and Walid ibn Mughirah, despite living years after the revelation of this verse, did not believe, thereby fulfilling “the word” upon them.

 

The realized “Word”

 

As noted in our analysis of Surah Qaf^[4], this ‘Word’ refers to a specific decree, decision, or principle established by our Lord at the time of creation. Our Lord clearly stated this decision in verses 84 and 85 of the chapter of Sad, and then mentioned it many times:

 

⁸⁴Allah said: “This is the truth. And the truth I say: “⁸⁵I will definitely fill Jahannah [Hell] of you and those of them who follow you; all of you”.

(Sad/ 84, 85)

 

¹³Had We willed, We would have given everyone the righteous path. Yet the word from Me has been decreed : “I will definitely fill Jahannah [Hell] with people of known, unknown, the past, the future all together”.

(Secde/ 13)

 

This decree, often referred to as “al-Qawl” or “the Word” (Al-Isra/16, Al-Naml/82, 85, Al-Qasas/51, 63, Al-Saffat/31, Fussilat/25, Al-Ahqaf/18), and occasionally as “Kalimat Rabbik” or “the Word of your Lord” (Hud/119, Al-An’am/115, Al-A’raf/137, Yunus/19, 33, 96, Al-Mu’min/6, Fussilat/45, Al-Shura/14, Al-Saffat/171, Ta Ha/129), signifies the principle that Hell will be filled with those (humans and jinn [everyone]) who reach this outcome through their own free choice. As our Lord explains in verses 69-70 of this surah, He mercifully sends messengers and scriptures to guide humanity, leaving them free to choose their path. Furthermore, He has decreed that punishment will not be inflicted without first sending a messenger:

 

¹⁵And Moses entered the city at the time of inattention by the people of the city. Then he found two men, one from his side and one from the side of the enemy, who were trying to kill each other. Then the one who was from his side asked Moses for help against the enemy. Then, Moses punched the other and he died immediately. Moses said: “This is from the work of the satan, surely, He is a clear, misleading enemy”.

(Isra/ 15)

 

 

Verses 8–10:

 

⁸Surely, We have put iron shackles on their necks. So high they reach to their chins. Thus their noses are aloft. ⁹And We have put a barrier before them and a barrier after them. Thus We have surrounded them. Now they do not see. ¹⁰And it is the same for them whether you warn them or not, they will not believe.

 

This group of verses serves as an explanation of the reasons behind the statement in verse 7, “They do not believe.” It describes the psychological state of those who will not believe.

 

“إقماحikmah”, which is the infinitive of the word “مقمحونmukmehûn” in the verse, means “to raise one’s head and turn a blind eye”. With this word, our Lord has made a characterization of stubborn unbelievers and stated that these types are arrogant people who raise their heads back to show that they reject the invitation. The arrogance and stubbornness of people who fall into this type, which causes them not to see, examine and accept all the evidence, is symbolized by the iron ring inside their necks.

 

The Barriers in Front of Them and Behind Them

 

The infidels’ inability to see the truth, learn from the past, or think about the future is described in another verse as follows:

 

²⁵And We made them surrounded by their contemporaries/Iblises like a shell so they made what was before them and what was behind them [all around them] attractive to them. And the “Word” that was in effect for all former peoples which passed before them was fulfilled upon them. Indeed, they were the ones who lost and suffered.

(Fussilet/ 25)

 

As understood from verse 25 of Surah Fussilat, the barriers in front of and behind infidels represent the influence of certain close associates (their Iblis) who beautify falsehoods for them. Their attachment to worldly desires and the allure of material possessions, status, and offspring prevent them from escaping their delusions. However, should they abandon their arrogance, free themselves from these desires, and act wisely, they could potentially save themselves.

 

The Futility of Warning

Verse 10 states, “It is the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe.” A similar expression is found in Surah Baqarah:

 

⁶Surely, as for those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb; it is same for them whether you warn them or not: they will not believe.

(Al-Baqara/ 6)

 

It should be noted that these verses do not suggest that delivering the message (of Islam) is unnecessary. The Prophet is obligated to continuously fulfill his duty of delivering the message. The wording in these verses emphasizes that it is “the same for them,” not “the same for you.” Thus, the Prophet must persist in his mission, but his efforts will not impact the arrogant among his audience.

 

The expressions “We have made, We have covered them” in these verses should not be misunderstood to mean that Allah forces disbelief upon them. Rather, their state of disbelief is attributed to Allah because He is the Creator of the actions people freely choose through their own will. This principle, discussed in the context of “sealing hearts and stamping them” in Surah At-Tin, is elaborated upon there.^[5]

 

 

Verse 11:

 

¹¹Surely, you warn the one who follows the Qur’an which is a reminder and who fears Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] in awe with respect, love, knowledge even in unseen, unheard, unfelt places. Give him the good tidings of forgiveness and a very noble reward.

 

From this verse, it becomes clear that the heedless community mentioned in verse 6, whose ancestors were not warned, is divided into two groups. Alongside the arrogant and obstinate infidels blinded by wealth, status, and pride, there exists another group that follows the Quran, fears Allah even in unseen and solitary moments, and is urged to heed the Prophet’s warnings.

Awe (Khashya)

As previously explained in detail in Surahs A’la and A’raf, “khashya” is defined as “a fear of being away from longing, born of knowledge and awareness, which engenders admiration and respect.”

Fearing the Most Merciful in Unseen Circumstances

This phrase highlights two key qualities that make believers worthy of Allah’s favor:

 

• Their reverence for the Most Merciful (Rahman) even though He cannot be seen, heard, or sensed in a tangible way. This awe surpasses any fear they may feel for worldly forces or powers.

 

• Despite knowing that Allah is the Most Merciful, they refrain from sinning, not because they presume forgiveness but because of their conscious decision to avoid wrongdoing, saying, “Even though my Lord will forgive, I will not commit this sin.”

 

This concept of “awe in unseen circumstances” as an expression of true faith is also mentioned in other verses:

 

^32,35This is what was promised for every one who turns much, who protects himself/the relation with Allah much, who fears Rahman; Allah, the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created in awe with respect, love and knowledge even in such places where he is not seen, not heard; not felt and who is devoted to Him. –“Enter therein with Salam [health, peace, happiness…]. This is the day of eternity.”- There is for them whatever they wish. And with Us is more.

(Qaf/ 32, 33)

¹²Indeed, forgiveness and a great reward will be for those who fear their Rabb in awe with respect, love, knowledge in unseen, unheard, unfelt desolate place.

(Mulk/ 12)

 

^48,49And surely, We gave Moses and Aaron the criterion and a light and the reminder for those who fear their Rabb in awe with respect, love, knowledge in the unseen, unheard and unfelt desolate place, who are apprehensive of the moment of Qiyamat [Resurrection], who have entered under the guardianship of Allah.

(Anbiya/ 48, 49)

 

¹⁸And no sinner bears the sins of another. Even if the one who has many sins/who is very wealthy calls another to make him bear his sin, none of his sin will be taken from him to be borne by another one. – Even if he is a relative – Surely, you only warn those who fear their Rabb in awe with respect, love and knowledge in the desolate places and those who establish Salah [establish and maintain the institutions that support financially and spiritually; enlighten the community]. Whoever purifies himself is purified for himself. And return is only to Allah.

(Fatir/ 18)

 

 

Verse 12:

 

¹²Indeed, it is only We, We Who resurrect the dead. And We write what they have sent forth before and their work. Then, We have enumerated everything in “an explicit pioneer/the Qur’an”.

Three points are emphasized in this verse.

 

1. Resurrection of the dead and its being solely the work of Allah:

In this verse, our Lord uses the phrase “We” 3 times, incorporates emphatic particle through repetition, and structures the sentence as a nominal sentence for extraordinary emphasis. These elements highlight the enormity, seriousness, and the reality that the resurrection of the dead can only be accomplished through Allah’s power.

The act of “resurrecting the dead” can also be understood metaphorically as reviving infidels who are as good as dead by bringing them to faith or as enlightening the ignorant through knowledge and awareness.

 

1. Recording everything people do:

The second part of the verse states that all good and bad deeds a person performs during their life, as well as the positive and negative impacts of these deeds after their death, are meticulously recorded. This means that a person’s record of deeds does not close after their death; they will also be held accountable for the traces and consequences of their actions in the world.

 

^1-5When the heavens/universe split asunder, when the stars fall and scatter, when the seas are split and erupted, when the graves are scattered; one will know that which he has sent forth before him and that which he has left behind.

(Infitar/ 5)

 

¹³That day, man will be informed with that which he sent ahead and what he left behind.

(Qiyamah/ 13)

 

^18,19O you who have believed! Enter under the guardianship of Allah; and let every one look to what he has prepared for tomorrow. And enter under the guardianship of Allah. Indeed, Allah is aware of what you do. And do not be like those who do not care about Allah: So, Allah makes them not care about themselves. It is those who have gone astray from the path.

(Hashr/ 18, 19)

 

⁸⁵And whoever helps by interceding for good and good cause, there is a share for him from this. And whoever helps by being proof for evil and helping it or opening the path of evil, there is a share of sin from it. Allah is the One Who is competent over everything.

(Nisa/ 85)

 

^24,25And when it was said to them: “What has your Rabb sent down?”, they said, “Legends of the former ones” so that they may bear their own sins in full and also bear a portion of the sins of those whom they led astray because of their ignorance on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]. Be careful, how evil is that which they bear!

(Nahl/ 24, 25)

 

¹²And the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb said to the believers: “Follow our path, and we will definitely carry your mistakes/sins”. But, they are not to carry anything from their mistakes/sins no matter what happens. They surely are liars.

¹³They will definitely carry their burdens and many other burdens along with their own burdens. And on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection], they will absolutely be questioned about that which they invented.

(Ankabut/ 12, 13)

 

1. Counting Everything in a “Clear Leader“

The third part of the verse often refers to the “record of deeds.” As seen in the 49th verse of Surah Al-Kahf, everything will be written down in the “record” [the book of deeds].

 

⁷¹On that day, We will call all people with their leaders. And on that day, whoever is given his book in his right hand will read his own book and they will not be treated unjustly, not even as the wick of a lamp/the filament of a seed.

(Isra/ 71)

 

⁵²And everything they did is in records. ⁵³Small and great, everything was written line by line.

(Qamar/ 52, 53)

 

However, we prefer to understand the term “إمام مبينimam-ı mubin [a clear leader] ” as referring to the “clear Qur’an” (Qur’an-i Mubin). This is because Allah has explicitly laid out the necessary roadmap for humanity within the Qur’an: clarifying good and evil, beauty and ugliness, truth and falsehood, belief and disbelief, and the causes leading to either Paradise or Hell.

Therefore, in our view, the expression “imam-mubin” here signifies that everything is present in the divine guide that has been revealed.

 

Verses 13–32:

 

¹³Present to those apathetic people the example of the people of that city. When the messengers came to it.

¹⁴When We sent them two messengers, and they denied both of them. Then We strengthened with the third one and they said: “Indeed, we are messengers to you”.

¹⁵Then they said: “You are only humans like us. And Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] has not sent down anything. You are only telling lies”.

^16,17And the messengers said: “Our Rabb knows that we are truly messengers sent to you. And our duty is only to convey clearly”.

¹⁸Then the people of that city said: “Surely, you are an evil omen for us. If you do not desist, indeed we will stone you to death and a painful punishment will touch you from us”.

¹⁹And the messengers said: “Your evil omen is with yourselves. Is it because you have been reminded? Rather, you are a transgressing people”.

^20-25Meanwhile, there came a man from the farthest side of the city, running. He said: “O my people! Follow the messengers! Follow those who do not ask you any payment, for they have found “the righteous path that is guided”. What is the matter with me so I should not worship the One Who created me from nothing? And you will be returned only to Him. Do I ever take idols from among those that are inferior to Him? If Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] intends a punishment upon me, help and intercession of the idols will not avail me at all and those idols can not save me. Indeed, I would be in an explicit astray if I took idols. Surely, I have believed in your Rabb. So heed me!”.

^26,27It was said: “Enter Jannah [Heaven/Paradise]!”. And he said: “I wish my people could know that my Rabb has forgiven me and made me one of those who are honored”.

^28,29And We did not send down an army upon his people, and We would not. Only a scream! Then you see that they were extinguished.

³⁰O! Alas for the servants for they ridiculed every messenger who had come to them.

^31,32Have they not seen that We manipulated, destroyed many generations before them and they will not return to them? They all will be gathered and brought present before Us.

If you pay attention, from the first revealed surah of the Qur’an, after every warning, a depiction of Paradise and Hell is presented before people. This feature continues in this surah as well. After highlighting that the mission of the messengers, as stated at the beginning of the surah, is to “warn” (inzar), and that those who listen to the revelation benefit from this warning while those who ignore it doom themselves to Hell, this section presents vivid depictions of Paradise and Hell as lessons. However, the narrative here is entirely unique, resembling a three-act play:

 

Act One, Scene One

The scene portrays a city square packed with people. Two messengers enter the scene, followed by a third, and together they address the crowd in unison:

• Messengers:
  “Surely, we have been sent to you [as messengers].”
• The crowd:
  “You are nothing but mortals like us. The Most Merciful has not sent down anything; you are only lying.”
• Messengers:
  “Our Lord knows that we have been sent to you. Our duty is only clear communication.”
• The crowd:
  “We consider you an omen of bad luck. If you do not desist, we will stone you to death, and a painful punishment from us will surely afflict you.”
• Messengers:
  “Your bad omen is with yourselves. Is it because you have been reminded? No, rather, you are a transgressing people.”

 

Act One, Scene Two

From the farthest part of the city, a man comes running onto the scene and addresses the crowd:

• The man:
  “O my people! Follow the messengers! Follow those who ask for no reward from you and are rightly guided. Why should I not worship the One who created me and to whom you will all be returned? Should I take gods other than Him? If the Most Merciful intends harm for me, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor will they save me. Indeed, if I were to do so, I would be in manifest error. Truly, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me!”

 

• The curtain falls. A voice from the background says:
  “Enter Paradise!”

Act Two, Scene One

The setting is Paradise. The believing servant who had been honored and immersed in blessings reflects on his people:

• The servant:
  “If only my people knew how my Lord has forgiven me and made me one of the honored ones!”

Act Three, Thousands of Scenes

In verses 28 and 29, it is stated:
“And We did not send down upon his people after him any army from the heavens, nor would We have done so. It was but one mighty blast, and behold! They were extinguished.”

A loud blast is heard, signaling the Day of Judgment, and everything descends into chaos. (At this point, readers should recall the depictions of the Day of Judgment outlined in earlier surahs.)

The curtain falls again, and from the background, a voice speaks (metaphorically representing God’s voice):

“Woe to the servants who mocked every messenger that came to them! Did they not see how many generations We destroyed before them, and that these people will not return? Indeed, all of them will be brought before Us.”

 

The narrative in verses 13–32, as described above, requires no additional commentary. However, due to distortions in some accounts, it is necessary to clarify the truth.

 

The City to Which the Messengers Were Sent

Classical sources^[6], relying on dubious reports from figures like Ka’b al-Ahbar and Wahb ibn Munabbih, narrate detailed but baseless stories. According to these accounts, the city was “Antioch,” and the messengers were not God’s prophets but rather disciples of Jesus named John, Paul, and Simon. The righteous man who ran to support them was supposedly Habib al-Najjar. Allegedly, both the messengers and the righteous man were killed by the townspeople.

These stories contradict historical evidence in many ways. For instance, the accounts claim the events occurred during the reign of King Antiochus. However, historical research reveals that 13 kings named Antiochus ruled, the last of whom reigned until 65 BCE—long before Jesus’ time. Furthermore, no Christian documents indicate that Jesus sent disciples to Antioch. In fact, the “Acts of the Apostles” in the New Testament shows that Christian missionaries first went to Antioch several years after Jesus’ ascension.

This evidence suggests that no prophet or messenger of God was sent to Antioch. Even if individuals went to preach there on their own, calling them divine messengers and interpreting the Qur’anic verses accordingly is erroneous. Additionally, historical records do not mention any divine punishment befalling Antioch. Thus, the city mentioned in the Qur’an cannot be Antioch.^[7]

Others have speculated that the city might be where Noah lived, the land of Thamud, or Mecca. However, the location of the city is not as significant as the message and its presentation. The city could be any place on earth because similar events have occurred in every community that received a messenger since Noah’s time. The Qur’an highlights that such patterns of rejection and warnings are universal, serving as a cautionary tale for the Quraysh and other audiences.

The purpose of this allegorical narrative is to warn the Quraysh:
“Just as those before you rejected the truth and suffered dire consequences, so too will your fate be if you persist in your stubborn denial.”

 

There are many other verses describing the behavior against the apostles in the past:

 

^7,8And those deniers said: “What kind of messenger is he that he eats, walks in the streets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him? So it would be a warner with him! Or why has not a treasure been given to him or a garden been given to him from which he eats?”. Those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah also said: “You only follow a man affected by magic”.

(Furqan/ 7, 8)

 

²⁰Before you, We indeed sent messengers who ate, walked in bazaars. And We made some of you, a tool for trial for purification for some of you. – Will you have patience? – And your Rabb is the One Who sees very well.

(Furqan/ 20)

 

^2,3They listen to every new reminder that has come to them from their Rabb only while they are at play and with their hearts amused. And those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah concealed this whisper among themselves: “Is this anything except a human like you? So, do you follow magic while you see?”.

(Anbiya/ 2, 3)

 

²³Thamud denied those warnings too; they said: “^24,25A single man among us, will we follow him? If we do so, we will definitely be in an astray and madness. Has the Reminder; the Book been left to him from among us? No! Rather, he is a liar and arrogant”.

(Al-Qamar/ 23-25)

 

And Isra 94, 95, Muminun 24, 25, Abraham; 11: Anbiya 7, 8: Believer 33, 34: Nisa, An-Naml 47: A’raf 131.

 

 

The Righteous Servant Who Came from Afar

In verses 20–25, the righteous servant enters the scene, rushing from the outskirts of the city. He conveys his serious messages to his people with great courtesy. Our Lord conveys this divine message through the servant’s words with such artistic eloquence that these verses are considered examples of rhetorical and literary mastery and are included in educational materials. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to fully translate this extraordinary artistry into another language.

The divine messages conveyed through the righteous servant are frequently highlighted in the Qur’an. For example:

 

³⁸And if you surely asked them: “Who is the One Who formed that heavens/universe and the earth?”, they would definitely say: “Allah!”. Say: “Then have you ever thought about those whom you invoke from among those that are inferior to Allah? If Allah intended to harm me, are they the ones who can remove His harm? Or if He intended a mercy for me, are they the ones who can prevent His mercy? Say: “Allah is sufficient for me. Those who rely, let them rely only upon Him”.

 

(Zumer/ 38)

 

¹⁷Say: “If Allah intended evil for you or a mercy for you, who is it that could protect you against Allah? And they can not find for themselves a familiar who guides, protects from among those that are inferior to Allah, nor a helper.

(Ahzab/ 17)

 

¹¹Those among Bedouin Arabs, who have remained behind; who have not come with you, will soon tell you: “Our properties and families occupied/forbade us. Ask Allah for forgiveness for us”. They say with their tongues what is not within their hearts. Say: “If Allah intended a harm or a benefit for you, who could prevent Him? Rather, Allah is aware of what you do”.

(Al-Fath/ 11)

 

The righteous servant, passionately proclaiming divine truths, says:

“Would I take gods besides Him? If the Most Gracious intends harm for me, their intercession will be of no use to me whatsoever, nor can they save me. Indeed, if I do so, I would be in clear error.”

He concludes his speech by saying:

“Indeed, I have believed in your Lord; so, listen to me!”

The servant’s final statement implies:

“Even if you do not recognize Him, the Lord in whom I believe is also your Lord.”

 

After the speech of the righteous servant, verse 26 consists of two sentences.

• The first is, “It was said: ‘Enter Paradise!’”,
• and the second is, “(He) said: ‘If only my people knew of how my Lord has forgiven me and made me among those honored!’”

These two sentences, if not considered within the context of the symbolic narrative of this passage, disrupt the flow of the paragraph and seem incompatible with it. Indeed, it is evident that in past works, this issue caused significant difficulty. However, when the symbolic narrative is taken into account, the first sentence of verse 26, “Enter Paradise!”, should not be seen as a continuation of events but rather as a voice addressing the righteous servant from the background as the curtain closes. This expression reflects the mercy and grace of our Lord for His servants who have believed and performed righteous deeds. As mentioned in verse 49 of Surah Al-A’raf, this expression appears in many other verses of the Qur’an as well:

 

^32,35This is what was promised for every one who turns much, who protects himself/the relation with Allah much, who fears Rahman; Allah, the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created in awe with respect, love and knowledge even in such places where he is not seen, not heard; not felt and who is devoted to Him. –“Enter therein with Salam [health, peace, happiness…]. This is the day of eternity.”- There is for them whatever they wish. And with Us is more.

(Qaf/32-35)

 

^30-32And when it is said to those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah: “What has your Rabb sent down?”, they will say: “Good”. Good is for those who produce good in this world. Yet, the home of Akhirat [Afterlife] is certainly better. And how beautiful is the home of those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah; gardens of Eden! They will enter there. Rivers flow underneath it. For them will be therein that which they wish. Thus recompense will Allah those who have entered under the guardianship of Himself. Those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah are the ones whom angels will comfort and remind one by one what they did in the past and what they failed to do while being obliged to. And they will say: “Salam [health, peace, happiness…] be upon you! Now enter Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] as the recompense of the deeds you have done!”.

(An-Nahl/ 30-32)

 

“^68-70O My servants who have believed in Our Ayat and have been Muslims! There will be no fear for you today and you will not grieve. Enter Jannah [Heaven/Paradise], you and your partners, being the hosted ones! ^71-73 –Trays and cups of gold will be circulated around those who entered under the guardianship of Allah. And there will be whatever the selves desire and delight the eyes.- And you will abide therein eternally. And this is Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] which you are made to inherit for what you did. There are many fruits for you. You will eat from them”.

(Az-Zukhruf/ 70)

 

^27-30O the one who has found relief by having eliminated all question marks in their mind! Act in accordance with the principles of Allah, as pleased with your Rabb and He is pleased with you! Enter among My servants at once! And enter My Jannah [Heaven/Paradise]!

(Al-Fajr/ 27-30)

 

^45,46Surely, those who enter under the guardianship of Allah will be in gardens of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] and within springs: “Enter there in peace and safely!”.

(Al-Hijr/ 46)

 

The second sentence of verse 26, in which the righteous servant says in the Paradise scene, “If only my people knew how my Lord has forgiven me and made me among those honored!”, reflects the reality of Allah’s promises to those who believe and perform righteous deeds: He removes all fear and sorrow from them, forgives them, and grants them the great reward of Paradise. In other words, the righteous servant’s words fulfill the following verse:

 

^49,50Say: “O people! I am only an explicit warner/a warner who clarifies for you. And those who have believed and do amendatory deeds; forgiveness and a noble provision will be only for them”.

(Al-Hajj/ 49, 50)

 

The Qur’an does not provide details about the ultimate fate of the messengers and the righteous servant who are central figures in the event. However, some individuals, who have gained notoriety for fabricating hadiths, have claimed that they were torn apart and killed, presenting these baseless rumors as if they were facts in books.

Verses 28 and 29, while narrating the end of a disbelieving nation, also evoke the outcomes of communities like Noah’s, ‘Ad’s, Thamud’s, and the Israelites, serving as a reminder of the “Sunnatullah”—the divine pattern in the relationship between prophets and their people.

Verses 30–32, following this symbolic narrative, present a general message to the audience (societies) from the background as the curtain falls:

“Woe to those servants who would mock every messenger sent to them! Did they not see how many generations We destroyed before them, who will never return to them? And indeed, all of them will be brought before Us.”

This message serves as a significant warning to societies, urging them not to harm themselves.

 

¹⁰⁰And did it not guide; influence those who inherited the earth; last owners of it after its previous owners: “If We willed, We would recompense them for their sins. We seal their hearts so they do not hear”.

(Al-A’raf/100)

 

¹²⁸Then, have all those generations We destroyed before them, in the dwellings of whom they walk around, not become a guidance for them? Indeed, there are many evidences in this for those who have reason.

(Ta-Ha/ 128)

 

¹³⁷Indeed, many implementations have passed before you. Now, travel across the earth and see how was the end of the deniers.

(Al-i Imran/137)

 

 

Verses 33–36:

³³And dead earth is a sign for apathetic people. We have given life to it and brought grains forth from it and they eat from it.

^34,35And We placed gardens of palm trees and grapevines so they may eat its crops and what they produce with their hands. We caused springs to burst water in them. Will they still not repay for the blessings that they have been given?

³⁶Purified is the One, Who forms pairs from the plants of the earth, from their own selves and from many things that they would not know, from all deficiencies.

 

In the opening verses of Surah Ya Sin, the theme of warning an indifferent and unresponsive society continues in this group of verses.

After enumerating the blessings granted to humanity in verses 33 and 34, the phrase in verse 35, “Will they not show gratitude?” serves as a subtle admonition against ingratitude.

This passage directs attention to two key concepts: the “dead earth and the blessings brought forth from it” and the “creation of all known and unknown entities in pairs.”

 

Dead Earth and the Blessings It Brings Forth

The statement in verse 12, “Indeed, it is We who revive the dead,” is exemplified in verse 33 with the imagery of the “dead earth.” Barren, lifeless land is revived by rain, yielding plants, fruits, and vegetables, with springs gushing forth. The blessings derived from the dead earth are not limited to natural growth. As mentioned in verse 35, humans can also transform these natural resources into other forms of sustenance, such as sugar from beets, molasses from grapes, olive oil from olives, tahini from sesame seeds, and bread from wheat.

The revival of dead earth as evidence of resurrection is a theme frequently addressed in the Qur’an:

 

¹¹And Allah is the One Who has sent down water from the sky in a certain measure. Then We have given life to a dead land with it. Thus you will be brought forth.

(Az-Zukhruf/ 11)

 

^9-11We sent down a blessed water from the sky. We made grow with it gardens and grains to harvest, large and tall date trees whose sprouts are one upon other, as provision for the servants. And We gave life to a dead land with it. Thus is the resurrection.

(Qaf /9–11)

 

On this subject, an explanation was made in the analysis of the chapter of Qaf before.

 

This topic has been previously elaborated upon in the analysis of Surah Qaf.

After brief explanations in verses 6–8, our Lord continues unveiling the pages of the universe’s book in these verses, highlighting the themes of rejuvenation and resurrection. The depiction of “emergence,” akin to life springing forth from the barren earth after rainfall, is presented as a tangible demonstration of resurrection for the infidels.

These verses are addressed to people living in arid climatic conditions, especially in Arabia, in a language they can fully understand. Because the people of Arabia see that sometimes even a drop of precipitation does not fall for five years, and in the lands where neither plant nor animal life can live due to scorching, even with a very small amount of rain, grasses grow, insects take action, and almost dead nature comes to life.

Our Almighty Lord implicitly states the following in these verses: “He has made the earth a suitable place for living creatures to live, and has created a thousand and one kinds of fascinating plants in vineyards and gardens by combining the inanimate soil of the earth with the lifeless water of the sky, and these plants provide sustenance for humans, animals, insects and all living things. And your thought that Allah, who makes life and life, is not able to resurrect after death is an unwise assumption. You see with your own eyes how a completely dry and lifeless region comes to life as soon as the rain drops fall, how dead roots suddenly come to life, how a thousand and one kinds of insects come out of that dead soil and start running. Here is the clear proof that resurrection after death is not impossible.”

Elsewhere in the Qur’an, similar examples of rainfall reviving barren lands are presented as analogies for resurrection:

³³And dead earth is a sign for apathetic people. We have given life to it and brought grains forth from it and they eat from it.

(Ya Sin/ 33)

 

²⁴And again, among His Ayat is that He shows you the lightning to give you fear and hope. And He sends down a water from the sky and He gives life to the earth after its lifelessness with it. Indeed, there are many evidences/signs in this for a people who will use their reason.

(Rum/ 24)

 

⁵⁰Then, observe the effects of the mercy of Allah; how He gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed, He definitely resurrects the dead and He is the One Who is competent over everything.

(Rum/ 50)

 

¹⁹It is He Who brings out the living from the dead, and the dead from the living and gives life to the earth after its death. And thus you will be brought out.

(Rum/ 19)

 

Additionally, similar meanings can be found in Surah An-Nahl (65), Surah Al-Ankabut (63), Surah Fatir (9), Surah Al-Jathiyah (5), and Surah Al-Hadid (17).

 

It should be known that the honorable Qur’an is just like fertile water. With it, dead, rotten individuals and societies can be revived.

 

Creation of All Known and Unknown Entities in Pairs

The creation of pairs—whether male and female in biological life forms or the dualities in known and unknown entities—is emphasized in other verses:

 

¹⁰Allah formed the heavens/universe without pillars, you see that. And He built mountains on the earth so that it might prepare a table for you/it may be suitable for agriculture and dispersed all kinds of creatures, small and large, therein. And We sent down water from the sky, thus We made grow there plant from every precious pair.

(Luqman/ 10 )

 

⁴⁹And We formed two mates from all things so you may give thought/remember.

(Az-Zariyat/ 49)

 

In verse 36, the phrase “الازواجezvac / pairs” refers to this concept, which was only scientifically understood with advancements in the 20th century. Modern discoveries in atomic structure and the existence of antimatter, antiparticles, and other such phenomena align with the Qur’anic description. Detailed explanations of these concepts, consistent with the Qur’an, can be found in scientific and technical literature.

 

 

Verse 37:

³⁷And the night is a sign for apathetic people. We strip the day off the night so they are immediately in the darkness.

 

Our Lord’s admonitions continue here, addressing the heedless society to which the Prophet was sent as a messenger. From this verse through verse 41, the miracles in the relationship between night and day and the characteristics of the movements of the sun and the moon are presented.

As is known, as the Earth rotates on its axis, the side facing the Sun moves away, plunging into darkness. This transition between light and darkness occurs gradually, according to the speed of Earth’s rotation. The phrase “stripping the day away from the night” in the verse refers to this gradual process; as one region is stripped, another is covered at the same rate and pace. The accurate description of the relationship between night and day, even before the emergence of the theoretical understanding of the solar system, is a miracle. This miracle is mentioned in other verses as well:

 

³⁷And the night and the day and the sun and the moon are among His evidences/signs. Do not submit to the sun and the moon. And if you worship only Allah, submit to Allah Who formed them.

(Fussilat / 37)

 

⁵⁴Indeed, your Rabb is Allah Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth in six phases, then established dominion on the greatest throne, covers the day with the ever pursuing night and created the sun, the moon and the stars as they are under His command. Know well that forming and maintaining systems belongs only to Him. Allah, Who is Rabb of all universes , how generous is He!

(A’raf/ 54)

 

⁶¹This is because Allah causes the night enter the day and causes the day enter the night. Indeed, Allah is the One Who hears very well, sees very well.

(Hajj/ 61)

 

The description in the verse focuses not so much on the physical formation of night and day as on their impact on life. It is now well understood that the existence of all living things on Earth, as well as water, air, and other elements, depends on the delicate balance created by the precise distance between the Earth and the Sun. If this distance were either shorter or longer than it currently is, life as we know it would not be possible, and even the structural characteristics of inanimate objects might differ.

The phrase “stripping the day away from the night” draws attention to these delicate balances, demonstrating to those of sound mind and perception that there must be a powerful Creator who designed and established this system.

 

 

Verse 38:

³⁸And the sun which runs for the end that was predetermined for itself is also a sign for apathetic people. This is the arrangement of Allah Who is almighty and the One Who knows everything.

When observed with the naked eye, the Sun appears as a stationary star, but as the verse indicates, it is actually in motion. This motion is twofold: the Sun rotates on its axis and also travels through the galaxy with the planets and their satellites, essentially “swimming” in space.

The phrase “This is the design of the All-Powerful, All-Knowing” emphasizes the elegance, precision, and divine calculation of the Sun’s movements. The term “design” (translated from the Arabic word takdir) carries the meaning of “precise measurement or calculation.” This is consistent with the explanation^[8] by Sayyid Qutb, provided in the commentary on verse 49 of Surah Qamar, where it was stated that everything occurs according to Allah’s measured and deliberate knowledge.

This meticulous calculation is highlighted in other verses of the Qur’an:

 

⁹⁶He is the One Who splits the daybreak. He made the night resting time, the sun and the moon by calculation. This is the determination, arrangement of the most exalted, the most powerful, the most honorable, the invincible/the subduer, the One Who knows very well.

(An’am/ 96)

 

¹²Then Allah made them in two phases as heavens and assigned the work of every heaven within it. We adorned the closest heaven with lanterns and the protection. This is the arrangement of the One Who is the most exalted, the most powerful, the most honorable, the invincible/the subduer, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible, knows very well.

(Fussilat / 12)

 

¹²And We made the night and the day two evidences/signs. Then We erased the evidence/sign of the night and brought the evidence/sign of the day so it may improve thinking by shedding a light and being beneficial, which makes you see to seek for the blessings from your Rabb and to be able to count and calculate years. And We have explained everything in detail.

(Isra/ 12)

 

⁵He is the One Who made the sun a shining light and the moon a reflected light and determined phases for the moon so that you may know the numbers and the count of the years. Allah formed this only in truth. He explains the Ayat in detail for a people who will know.

(Yunus/ 5)

 

^32-34Allah is the One Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth, Who sends down water from the sky and brings forth some fruits with it from the earth as provision for you. And Allah gave the ships to your service/created them in such characteristics that you may benefit, so they may sail through the sea by His command, and He gave rivers to your service as well. He gave the sun and the moon which constantly revolve to your service/created them in such characteristics so you may benefit. And He gave the night and the day to your service as well. And He gave you from all you asked of Him. You can not count the favor of Allah even if you wish to! Indeed, man is one who does very wrong; acts against his own good and is very ungrateful.

(Ibrahim/32, 34)

 

We believe that humanity’s current knowledge and capabilities do not allow us to fully grasp the depth of these verses, and future generations, God willing, will understand them better.

There is also detailed information in scientific and technical literature about the phrase “the Sun runs its course.”

 

 

Verse 39

 

³⁹And the moon for which We have determined phases until it returns like an old, dry date stalk, is also a sign for apathetic people.

 

The term “القمرُ (al-Qamar) in the verse has been read by the Kufans in the accusative form as “القمرَ” (al-Qamara). Both Abu Ubayd’s codex and the codices available to us are based on this recitation. However, linguists, including Al-Farra and Abu Hatim, have unanimously preferred reading it as “القمرُ” (al-Qamaru) in the nominative form (with eutree).

Since our preference aligns with the latter, we found it unsuitable to translate the verse as “As for the Moon, We have appointed stations for it,” and instead produced the above rendering, which aligns better with the context and provides continuity to the passage.

This verse, like others, presents miracles and directs the heedless society’s attention to these miracles as a form of warning.

 

The Stations of the Moon

As is well-known, the Moon’s appearance changes daily as seen from Earth. Starting as a crescent (hilāl), it becomes a full Moon on the 14th day and then gradually returns to its original shape. Because these phases occur without any deviation, humans have observed and named them since ancient times.^[9]

For example, Arabs assigned the following names to the Moon’s phases:
Sharṭan, Buṭayn, Surayya, Dabaran, Haq’a, Hen’a, Zira’, Nasrah, Taraf, Jabhah, Zubrah, Ṣarfa, Awwa, Simak, Ghafir, Zubana, Iklil, Qalb, Shawla, Na’im, Baldah, Sa’d Dhabih, Sa’d Bula’, Sa’d Su’ud, Sa’d Lahbiya, Far’ Dalw, Mu’akhkhar, and Rashā.

The term “stations of the Moon” in the verse refers to these daily positions, each offering a different appearance. Together, these successive positions represent the Moon’s orbital journey around Earth, likened in the verse to “an old, dried-up palm branch.”

Scientific and technical literature also provides detailed information about the Moon’s orbit and its stations.

 

 

Verse 40:

 

⁴⁰It is not appropriate for the sun to reach the moon. And the day is not allowed to overtake the night. And in an orbit they all swim.

 

This verse declares that the orderly movements of the Sun, Earth, and Moon will not falter, as they are calibrated by a divine computation.

A similar verse is found in Surah Al-Anbiya:

 

³³And He is the One Who formed the night, the day, the sun and the moon. They all float in an orbit

(Anbiya/ 33)

 

The phrase “all of them swim along in an orbit” at the end of the verse extends beyond the Sun and Moon to include all celestial bodies, affirming the existence of this same order in the stars. Detailed discussions about this can also be found in scientific literature.

 

 

Verses 41–44:

 

^41,42Surely, it is a sign for apathetic people that We carried their descendants on a laden ship and that We have formed for them the likes of it that which they may ride.

^43,44And if We willed, We would drown them in the water – except for a mercy and an enjoyment; a respite from Us until a time – and there would be no one to respond to their cries. And they would not be saved.

 

In this group of verses, a new sign is presented to the heedless society, continuing the warnings.

Classical sources suggest that the “fully loaded ark” refers to Noah’s Ark. However, the phrase “their progeny” in the verse contradicts this interpretation. We believe the verse refers to ordinary ships, with God highlighting one of His physical signs—the buoyant force of water. Ships float due to this divine law, enabling humanity to benefit from them. This divine law, allowing ships to float, is also cited as evidence in other verses:

 

³¹Have you not seen/thought about that ships sail through the seas by the favor of Allah so He may show you His evidences/signs? Indeed there is an evidence/a sign in this for everyone who has patience and repays for the blessings he is given.

(Luqman / 31)

^12-14And He formed all pairs and you mount their backs and settle on them. And He made of animals and ships for you that which you ride so you may say by remembering the blessings of your Rabb when you settle on them: “Purified is Allah, Who has given these to our service/created these in such characteristics so we may benefit. Otherwise, we could not subdue these. Indeed, only to our Rabb we will return”.

(Az-Zukhruf / 12-14)

¹²The two seas are not alike; one is sweet, quenches your thirst and flows down while you drink; the other one is salty, scorches. You eat a fresh meat from each of them and you extract ornaments from them which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it so that you may seek what you deserve of His bounty and repay for what you have been given.

(Fatir/ 12)

 

Here, attributing the actions of humans (e.g., sailing) to God through phrases like “We carried” and “We created” underscores that these actions are made possible through divine creation.

 

A Mercy from Allah

It is well-known that strong storms and large waves in the sea can sometimes be devastating for ships. This verse informs us that sea travel occurs by Allah’s mercy. Sailors naturally feel the perils of the sea but find solace in recognizing that their journey is sustained by Allah’s mercy.

The phrase “temporary enjoyment” indicates that this protection is not eternal, and, like all worldly things, it too has an end.

In Surah Ash-Shu’ara(verses 8, 67, 103, 121, 158, 174, 190), Allah shows many signs to humanity as a mercy:

 

⁵¹Look! How was the end of their trap, We indeed destroyed them and all their people. ⁵²Here are their houses roofs of which were collapsed and abandoned due to their wrong deeds they committed by associating others with Allah. Indeed, there is an evidence/a sign in this for a people who know.

(An-Naml/ 51, 52)

 

⁸⁶Have they not seen that We created the night so they may rest and created the day bright so it may improve thinking by shedding a light and being beneficial. Indeed, there are definitely evidences/signs in this for a people who believe.

(An-Naml/ 86)

 

 

Verses 45, 46:

 

^45,46And when it was said to them: “Enter under the guardianship of Allah against the troubles that will come to you in Akhirat [Afterlife] so you may be shown mercy, and what had came to former peoples may not come to you in what you have done in the past and you will do in the future/in your past and future mistakes” and any of the Ayat of their Rabb came to them, they only became those who stayed away from it.

 

These verses are the opening verses of a different paragraph that recounts the conditions of the infidels. Here, it is described how the heedless society, upon receiving the necessary warning, shows indifference and turns away, closing their eyes and stopping their ears.

The phrase “Be conscious of Allah for your past and future deeds” in verse 45 is generally understood in the following ways:

• Protect yourselves from the punishments that befell previous nations and the torment awaiting you in the Hereafter.
• Avoid past and future sins.
• Guard against the consequences of your past actions and what remains of your life.
• Beware of worldly and otherworldly torment, both known and unknown faults.

Our interpretation of this phrase is in line with the meaning conveyed in verse 12, where it says, “And We record their deeds and what traces they leave behind.” This implies that the things before and after a person refer to their actions during their life and the lasting effects of those actions after their death. Therefore, through this warning, Allah is urging people to be mindful of the deeds they perform while alive and the consequences those deeds will have after their death, so they may avoid harm.

Verse 45 is a conditional sentence, but its consequence [the result] is not explicitly stated in the verse. In this case, either the predicate of verse 46 will be considered as applying to verse 45 as well, and both verses will be expressed with a single predicate, or, following the implication of verse 46’s predicate, an additional predicate meaning “they turned away” will be inferred for verse 45. We have preferred the first option and presented both verses as one sentence.

 

 

Verse 47:

 

⁴⁷And when it was said to them: “Spend from that which Allah has provided you; provide sustenance for others as well”, the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb said for those who have believed: “Is it we who will give opportunities to the one whom Allah could have given if He had willed so he might earn his living? You are in a clear astray”.

 

In this verse, which continues to depict the state of the heedless infidels, they are warned to use their compassion and mercy to save themselves.

While the social duties of feeding the poor and caring for orphans were first raised in the chapters of Fajr, Duha, and Ma’un, the infidels, when told “spend from what Allah has provided for you; spend and ensure provision for others,” responded mockingly and avoided this duty. The response of the infidels, in our view, includes a kind of rejection/denial: “If Allah is capable of everything and provides sustenance for all, then why do you ask us to feed the poor? Shouldn’t He be doing it Himself?”

 

Spending in the Path of Allah/Infak

The root of the word “infak” comes from “n-f-q,” which originally meant the “death of horses and other animals.” The word later came to mean “disappearance” or “consumption.” The derived form(if’al bab -“the Form II verb pattern” or “the causative verb form.”) “infâk” refers to the act of “spending wealth, money, or life,” implying the consumption or use of something. The word “nafaka,” which is derived from the same root, refers to “consumable goods” like food, drink, and clothing.^[10]

The expressions of “infak” discussed in the Qur’an imply both “spending in the way of Allah” and “providing sustenance; supplying consumables.” The context of the verse determines the preferred meaning of “infak,” and in some verses, both meanings should be considered.

The infidels’ avoidance of spending for the public good shows that they are not only lacking in intellect but also in compassion.

 

 

 

 

Verse 48:

 

⁴⁸And apathetic people say: “If you are among those who are truthful, when is the threat that has been promised?”.

 

Since verse 45, the community that has been exposed for losing both their intellect and emotions, expresses their disbelief in this verse. Their question, “When will this promised (threat) happen?” is not a sincere inquiry for knowledge but rather a question of denial and mockery. This question from the infidels appears in several places in the Qur’an:

 

²⁹And they say: “When is this that you promise, if you should be among truthful?”.

³⁰Say: “For you is a predetermined time of the day so that  you will neither remain an hour back nor will you precede it”.

(Sebe/ 29, 30)

 

²⁵And they also say: “When is this threat, if you should be among those who are truthful?”.

²⁶Say: “The knowledge of this threat is definitely with Allah. I am only a clear warner”.

(Mulk/ 25, 26)

 

This issue is also mentioned in Yunus/48, Anbiya/38, and Naml/71.

 

The Promised (Threat)

This “promised (threat)” that appears hundreds of times in the Qur’an refers to Allah’s promise to punish the infidels both in this world and the Hereafter. As evidenced in the following verses:

In verse 52, it says, “the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] had promised. The messengers that were sent told the truth.” In verse 63, it says, “This is Jahannah [Hell] which you have been promised.”

 

 

Verses 49, 50:

 

^49,50And while they are disputing between one another, they will come up against a single scream which will seize them. Then they will not be able to give even their wills. And they will not be able to return to their families, to the people close to them.

 

In response to the infidels’ question, “When is this (threat) going to happen?” the answer is not given in terms of a specific date, but in terms of what kind of day it will be. The infidels did not ask this question to learn the time but to mock and deny.

According to the verse, that day will come unexpectedly with a sudden cry, when they will be busy with their affairs, quarreling, without having any opportunity to delegate their responsibilities or find replacements. The coming of that day is expressed in another verse:

 

⁶⁸And the Sur will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens/universe and whoever is on the earth will be struck and will fall except whom Allah wills. Then the Sur will be blown again and then they will stand and will be looking on.

(Zumer/ 68)

 

 

Verses 51–54:

 

⁵¹And the Sur will be blown. And then they will hasten to their Rabb from their graves at once.

⁵²They will say: “Woe to us! Who has raised us/waken us up from where we have been sleeping? This is that which Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] had promised. The messengers that were sent told the truth”.

⁵³And there will be only a single scream. And then they will be “ready” before Us. ⁵⁴So no one will be treated unjustly by any means today. And you will be recompensed only for what you did.

 

The response to the desensitized people’s question, “When is this promised day?” continues in this group of verses, where the events that will occur on that day are described in detail. According to the verses, the Trumpet (Sur) will be blown, and everyone will rush in groups toward their Lord. The infidels will express their regret. The questioning will begin, and everyone will receive the recompense for their deeds without any injustice.

 

The Sur(trumpet) and its blowing

The expression “the blowing of the Sur(Trumpet)” is reminiscent of the blowing of a horn, similar to the one used in ancient times—typically made from the horn of a large animal—to signal gatherings or warn of danger. It also resembles the sound of a whistle used by a referee to start or end a game or the ringing of a bell to mark the start and end of lessons in a school.

 

With the first blowing of the Sur, all living beings will perish. With the second blowing, the dead will be revived, and they will rise from their graves and be gathered before the Supreme Court.

 

The blowing of the Sur is mentioned in many places in the Quran:

 

⁶⁸And the Sur will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens/universe and whoever is on the earth will be struck and will fall except whom Allah wills. Then the Sur will be blown again and then they will stand and will be looking on.

(Zumar/ 68)

 

⁹⁹And on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection], We will leave those who associate others with Allah surging over each other like waves. And the Sur will be blown. Thus We will gather all of those who associate others with Allah together.

(Kahf/ 99)

Other verses such as Mu’minun 101, Haqqah 13, An’am 73, Ta Ha 102, Neml 87-90, and Naba 18 also speak about the blowing of the Trumpet.

The blowing mentioned in verse 51 refers to the second blowing of the Trumpet. As stated in verse 68 of Zumar, the first blowing results in the “annihilation” mentioned in verse 49, and the second blowing leads to the “resurrection” mentioned in verse 51. This resurrection is also described in other verses:

 

⁴³On that day, they will come out from their graves rapidly. As if they are running towards something that is erected.

⁴⁴With their eyes looking down in humiliation, being covered with humiliation. That is the day with which they have been threatened!

(Ma’arij/ 43, 44)

 

^6-8So, turn away from them. The day when the Caller will call them to an unknown/odd thing, on that day they will emerge from their graves running fast to that inviter with their eyes humbled. As if they are locusts spreading. Those infidels; who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb will say: “This is a difficult day”.

(Qamar/ 6–8)

 

²⁸Your formation and your resurrection after death is just like of a single one. Surely, Allah is the One Who hears best, sees best.

(Luqman/ 28)

 

In verse 52, the word “بعثناba’athna” (we resurrected) is recorded as “اهبّناahbabna” (we awakened) in the Ubayy codex, which means “to awaken.”^[11] Thus, we have included the meaning “awakened” in the verse’s interpretation.

After this awakening, the infidels will say, “This is what the Most Merciful promised, and the messengers told the truth.” Many other verses depict the realization of the infidels that the promised Day has arrived:

 

^19,20Now it will be a single compelling shout. And you will see that they stand there. And they will say: “O woe to us! This is the Day of Religion!”.

-“²¹That is the Day of Distinction which you have been denying!”-

(Saffat/ 20, 21)

 

⁵⁵And on the day when Qiyamat [Resurrection] will occur, the sinners will swear that they remained not more than an hour. Thus they were deluded.

⁵⁶And those who were given the knowledge and faith will say: “Surely, in the decree of Allah, you remained until the day of resurrection. This is the day of resurrection after death. But you did not know this”.

(Rum/ 55, 56)

 

¹³It indeed will be one shout.

¹⁴And then you will see that they are on the area.

(Naziat/ 13, 14)

 

⁷⁷And the unseen, the unheard, the past and the future of the heavens/universe and the earth belong only to Allah. And the moment of Qiyamat [Resurrection] is just like a blink of an eye or it is closer. Indeed, Allah is the One Who is competent over everything.

(Nahl/ 77)

 

Similar references are found in Isra 52, Ta Ha 102-104, and Yunus 45.

 

From these verses, it is understood that there is no long interval between death and baath [resurrection]—only a moment, as if instantaneous. Therefore, contrary to certain rumors, there is no life termed “grave life” or any so-called “punishment of the grave.”

 

 

 

Verse 54:

 

⁵⁴So no one will be treated unjustly by any means today.

 

Verse 54 emphasizes that everyone will certainly receive the recompense for their deeds. The Quran repeatedly assures that no injustice will be done, and all evil recompense will be due to the individual’s own actions:

 

⁴⁰And the recompense of an evil deed is an evil one like it. But whoever pardons and amends, his reward is from Allah. Surely, He does not like those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Himself.

(Shura/ 40)

 

⁴⁷And We will place “the scales of justice and equity” for the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]; no one will be treated unjustly at all. Even if it is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And We are sufficient as accountant.

(Anbiya/ 47)

 

⁴⁰Surely, Allah does not do injustice, even as much as weight of an atom. And He multiplies good deeds. And He bestows a great reward from Himself.

(Nisa/ 40)

 

²²And Allah formed the heavens/universe and the earth in truth and to recompense everyone with what he has earned. And they will not be treated unjustly.

(Jathiya/ 22)

 

 

Verses 55-58:

 

⁵⁵Truly, the companions of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] will have an occupation while they are amused.

⁵⁶They and the partners presented to them will recline on their couches, under shadows.

⁵⁷Only for them will be the fruits. They will have all they wish.

⁵⁸”Salam [health, peace, happiness…]!” will be the word from Rabb, Who is the possessor of vast mercy.

 

In the paragraph consisting of verses 51–54, after providing cautionary information about the initial stages of the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter, the fate of the pious (muttaki) is brought into focus.

According to the general message of the paragraph, the pious will not be kept waiting for long in the Hereafter and will soon attain the blessings prepared for them. There, they will engage in activities that prevent boredom, accompanied by companions, reclining on couches in the shade, enjoying all kinds of fruits placed before them. This is because their Lord desires for them to be in peace and well-being.

There are hundreds of verses in the Qur’an that describe the condition of the people of Paradise and depict the compositions of Paradise. We share two of these verses and leave the rest to the reader’s imagination:

^68-70O My servants who have believed in Our Ayat and have been Muslims! There will be no fear for you today and you will not grieve. Enter Jannah [Heaven/Paradise], you and your partners, being the hosted ones!

(Zukhruf/ 68)

 

²⁶For those who do good, there will be better and more. No darkness will cover their faces nor humiliation nor scorn. These are the companions of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise]. They will abide therein eternally. ²⁷And those who have earned evil, the recompense of an evil is like of it. And humiliation will encompass them. There will be no protector for them from Allah. Their faces will be as they are covered with a piece of dark nights. They are the companions of the fire. They will abide therein eternally.

(Yunus/ 26)

 

In verse 56, the mentioned “spouses” are not the husband-and-wife relationships from this world. These are companions provided by our Lord in Paradise for fellowship and enjoyment. Spouses in the worldly sense might, in the Hereafter, even turn out to be adversaries chasing after each other to claim their rights (see Abasa/33–37). The following verses serve as commentary on the verses under discussion:

 

^17-20Surely, those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah will be in Jannah [Heaven/Paradise], in blessings, reclining on the couches lined row upon row and enjoying what their Rabb has given them. And their Rabb will protect them from the punishment of Jahannah [Hell]. And We will pair them with large-eyed ones. –“Eat and drink; enjoy with pleasure for what you did!”.-

²¹And as for those who believed and descendants of whom followed them in faith; We will join their descendants with them. We will not deprive them anything of their deeds. Everyone is retain for what he earned.

²²We will provide them with the fruits and meat in abundance from whatever they desire.

²³They will exchange a cup that is free from vain talk, nonsense and wasting their time/delaying the good/being reluctant for the good/harming.

²⁴And around them will revolve young boys who belong to them; they are like pearls hidden in mother of pearl.

^25-28They will turn to each other and ask: “We were indeed fearful among our families. Allah favored us and protected us from the penetrating punishment. Surely, we used to invoke Him. Indeed, He is the One Who is the most beneficent and the most merciful”.

(Tur/ 17–28)

 

^51-57Surely, those who entered under the guardianship of Allah will be in a secure place; within gardens and springs as a bounty from your Rabb. They will sit facing each other and wear garments of thin silk and shining atlas. Thus it is! We will pair them with the large, black-eyed ones/the most ideal types. There they will ask every kind of fruit in secure therein. They will not taste any death other than the first death. And Allah will protect them from the punishment of Jahannah [Hell]. This is what the great salvation is.

(Duhan/ 51–57)

 

 

Other references include Rahman/56, 70–72 and Saffat/40–49.

 

 

Verses 59-64:

 

⁵⁹And o sinners! Stand apart today!

^60-62Did I not enjoin upon you, saying: “O mankind! Do not worship satan, indeed he is an explicit enemy to you, but worship Me; this is the straight path and indeed satan already led many generations astray from among you”? Were you still not the ones who used their reason? ⁶³This is Jahannah [Hell] which you have been promised.

⁶⁴Lean onto it today for that which you denied/disbelieved consciously!

 

After describing Paradise and its inhabitants, the narrative shifts to address the disbelievers, beginning with the interrogation stage, the second phase of the Resurrection. It should be noted that the torment of the disbelievers starts with rebuke and humiliation during the questioning. This is a psychological punishment and represents the first of the three branches of torment that will be applied to the disbelievers (as analyzed in Mursalat Surah).

 

²⁹Proceed to that which you deny! ^30,31Proceed to a shadow which is owner of three arms that neither shadows nor protects from the fire!

³²Indeed, it throws/rains sparks like the palace; ³³as though sparks were yellow male camels. ³⁴Woe, on that day, to the deniers!

(Mursalat/ 29–34)

 

-“^47,48Seize him and drag him into the midst of the blazing fire. Then pour over his head from the punishment of scalding water.”-

-“^49,50Taste it! Surely, you were a powerful and exalted person! Indeed, this is that about which you were in doubt”.-

(Duhan/ 47- 50)

 

Classical commentators have interpreted the term “separation/being chosen” in verse 59 to mean division based on sects or dispositions, providing various explanations. However, the Qur’an provides its own interpretation:

 

¹⁴And on the day when the Hour rises, that day they will become separated.

(Rum/ 14)

^43-45Therefore, turn your face to the religion which is  straight/which protects before the irreversible day comes from Allah. On that day, they will be divided in groups so Allah may recompense those who have believed and done amendatory deeds. Indeed, He does not like the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Him and the fact that He is Rabb. Whoever disbelieves; denies the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb, his denial/disbelief is against himself. And whoever does righteous deed, it is those who have prepared a bed/a comfortable place for themselves.

(Rum/ 43-45)

 

^22,23Gather those who did wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah and their spouses and those whom they worshipped from among those that are inferior to Allah. Then guide them to the path of Jahannah [Hell]. ^24,25And stop them, they will definitely be questioned: “What has happened to you so you do not help each other?”.

(Saffat/ 22, 23)

 

^28,29And on the day We will gather all of them and say to those who associated others with Allah “To your places! You and your partners!”, We will definitely separate them and their partners will say: “You have not been worshipping only to us! Now, sufficient is Allah between us and between you as a witness. We were certainly unaware of/apathetic to your worship”.

(Yunus/ 28, 29)

 

The indifferent/ desensitized people, when asking, “When is this promised [Day of Judgment]?” will be told, as stated in verse 64: “This is the Hellfire you were promised.” This directive for their dispatch, apparently made as they stand before Hellfire, is essentially an admonition. These warnings are consistently conveyed in the Qur’an as a manifestation of Allah’s mercy:

 

^28,29And you will see every community with a leader kneeling. Every community with a leader will be called to their own book: “Today you will be recompensed for the deeds you did. This is your book that speaks the truth to your face. Surely, We have been having what you did recorded”.

(Jathiya/ 28, 29)

 

 

Servitude to Satan

 

The “Satan” referred to here is Iblis. Serving Iblis means following his temptations without questioning them. Hastily undertaken actions without proper deliberation and evaluation are always detrimental to a person. For this reason, any sudden impulse or unrefined thought should be subjected to reasoning and contemplation before being acted upon. Our Lord has provided warnings about this in the Qur’an on numerous occasions.

 

^42-45Once he said to his father: “O my father! Why do you worship those which do not hear, do not see and do not benefit you at all? O my father! Surely, a knowledge which did not come to you has come to me. Therefore, follow me so I may guide you to a straight path. O my father! Do not worship satan. Indeed satan disobeyed Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created]. O my father! Surely I fear that a punishment from Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] touches you and you become for satan a familiar who guides, protects and helps”.

(Maryam/ 44)

 

However, the warnings in Surah A’raf should be the first to come to mind regarding servitude to Satan:

 

²⁶O mankind! We sent down to you clothing to cover your evil and dresses to adorn. And clothing of “being under the guardianship of Allah”; it is better. Here, this is from the Ayat of Allah so they may think and remember.

²⁷O mankind! Do not let satan to avert you from the true religion as he stripped your father and mother of their clothing to show them their evil thus driving them out from green, lush gardens/paradise! Because he and his tribe see you from where you can not see them. We made devils the ones who guide, help to those who do not believe.

(A’raf/ 26, 27)

 

Apart from these, there are hundreds of verses in the Qur’an commanding that no one besides Allah should be worshiped.

 

 

Verse 65:

 

⁶⁵Today We will seal their mouths; their hands will speak to us and their feet will testify to that which they have earned.

 

The literal meaning of this verse is that Allah will silence the mouths of wrongdoers and grant their hands and feet the ability to speak. Its figurative meaning is that the hands and feet bear the traces of the actions they performed, and these traces become evident for all to see. This verse is further explained in Jathiyah 29:

 

²⁹And you will see every community with a leader kneeling. Every community with a leader will be called to their own book: “Today you will be recompensed for the deeds you did. This is your book that speaks the truth to your face. Surely, We have been having what you did recorded”.

(Jathiyah/ 28, 29)

 

Thus, it becomes clear that all actions and the entirety of life are being recorded, even visually.

 

²⁴On that day, their tongues, hands and feet will bear witness against them to what they did.

(Nur/ 24)

 

It is also beneficial to read Mu’minun/ 103–108 on this matter.

 

The state of the wrongdoers described here pertains to their situation on the Day of Judgment. Their guilt will be evident, so there will be no need for them to speak during the interrogation. However, in Hell, their tongues will be loosened, and they will be able to speak freely. As stated earlier, Allah’s questioning on the Day of Judgment is not for the purpose of learning but for exposing and making known their deeds, like a teacher asking a student a question, but for exposing.

 

 

Verses 66, 67:

 

⁶⁶If We had willed, We would have made them blind/depleted their lineage so they would have wandered. Then, how could they see?

⁶⁷And if We had willed, We would have deformed them wherever they were so they would not be able to proceed nor return.

After presenting the depictions of the people of Paradise and Hell, a new clarification is provided regarding the desensitized disbelievers. This clarification states that while they were left free and unrestrained in this world, they were also given every opportunity to find the right path. Implicitly, it is being said: “We left them free and comfortable. We could have blinded them, but we didn’t. If we had, how could they see or benefit from their surroundings? We could have transformed their forms, turning them into stones, trees, monkeys, or pigs. But instead, we gave them all opportunities, resources, and capabilities. Yet, they failed to appreciate and misused everything.”

 

 

Verse 68:

 

⁶⁸And whoever We grant long life, We reverse him/make him upside down in formation. Despite this, will they still not use their reason?

The condemnation of the desensitized continues in this verse as well. Despite witnessing how humans gradually regress in creation as they age, they still fail to comprehend. This highlights their failure to make use of the opportunities provided to them, which is a condemnable behavior.

The regression in human creation refers to the physical and mental weakening that occurs with aging. As people age, they become more childlike in their dependence—struggling to walk, needing help with basic tasks, and even facing incontinence. This resemblance extends to mental capacities as well. In essence, just as humans are weak at birth, they return to a similar state of frailty in old age.

The implication of the verse is: If they fail to notice other signs, will they not even recognize this reversal within themselves? Will they not comprehend that their weakness is evidence of their design and eventual return to their Creator?

 

²⁸Allah wants to lighten from you. And indeed human was formed very weak.

(Nisa/ 28)

 

³⁷And they will cry out there: “Our Rabb! Let us free so we may do better deeds than what we did”. – Did We not grant you life enough during which you would know the book that We have sent, so that those who constantly think and are reminded would think and are reminded. And a warner came to you as well. Then taste it! Now there is no helper either for those who did wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah. –

(Fatir / 37)

 

⁷⁰And Allah is the One Who formed you and then He will take your lives; will remind you one by one what you did in the past and what you failed to do while being obliged to. Some among you are made to reach to the most deprecit age of the life so they may not know anything after the knowledge. Indeed, Allah is very knowledgeable and very competent.

(Nahl/ 70)

 

⁵O people! If you doubt that you will be resurrected after you die, know that We formed you from dust, and then from a drop of semen, and then from an embryo, and then a disfigured piece of flesh so We may make clear to you what you are. And We keep whom We will in the wombs for a specified term. Then We bring you out as a child so that then you may reach time of maturity. And some of you are reminded that which you did in the past and failed to do while being obliged to/lives of some of you are taken. And some of you are made to reach to miserable time of his life to have no knowledge after his previous knowledge. And then you see the earth barren; then it quivers, swells and grows plants of every beautiful kind when We send down water on it.

(Hajj/5)

 

 

Verses 69, 70:

 

^69,70And We did not teach him the poetry. That would not suit him anyway. It is only a reminder; the Qur’an sent down to warn those who are alive and to prove that the Word is true upon those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb.

 

These two verses are about the Qur’an and are part of a separate passage. Classical sources^[12] mention that a man named Uqbah bin Abi Mu’ayt accused the Prophet of being a poet to discredit him. These verses were revealed in response to such allegations.

Similar accusations against the Prophet can be seen in other verses:

 

⁵Yet they said: “These are a mixture of dreams; rather, he has invented it; rather, he is a poet. Then let him bring us an evidence/a sign like those which were sent before him”.

(Anbiya/ 5)

 

³⁰Or do they say: “He is a poet; we await him to be hit by misfortune of the time”?

(Tur/ 30)

 

In these verses, Allah declares that He did not teach the Prophet poetry and that the Qur’an is not poetry but rather a reminder. This refutes the claims that the Qur’an is poetry and that the Prophet was a poet.

The distinction between the Qur’an and poetry lies in their different natures.

 

What is poetry?

Poetry, which has been defined hundreds of times, can briefly be described as “an art of resemblance.” Poetry is never “real.” Thus, poetry does not present the reality of an object or event but rather offers an embellished expression of its likeness, imitation, or counterfeit (referred to as zuhrufu’l-kavl). The best analysis of poetry, in our view, was conducted by Plato, who lived between 428–348 BCE. According to Plato, poets deal with appearances rather than realities, creating copies of copies and thereby distancing people from the truth.^[13] This perspective suggests that just as children can be deceived by toys, societies can also be misled and confused by poetry (metaphors), and ideologies can be diluted. History, particularly Islamic history, offers countless examples of this. For instance, Jalal al-Din Rumi is one such example.

Our Lord has highlighted this aspect of poetry in Surah Al-Shu’ara:

 

²²¹Will I inform you upon whom devils descend/upon whom they impose notions? ²²²Devils descend for all slanderers who waste their time/who delay the good/who are reluctant for the good/who harm and they impose upon them notions. ²²³They pass what is heard but most of them are liars. –^{An-Naml 6}Indeed, this Qur’an is being imposed in you by Allah, the One Who is law maker and the One Who knows best.

²²⁴And those poets; surely those who deviate follow them.

^225,226Do you not see/have you not ever thought about that they roam in every valley aimlessly and tell that which they have not done? ²²⁷Except for those who believe and do amendatory deeds, remember Allah often and defend themselves when being treated unjustly. Those who treat unjustly will soon know to what return they will be returned.

(Al-Shu’ara/ 221–227)

 

The Qur’an, however, is not poetry (metaphor, imitation, or a product of imagination) but “the Truth”:

 

¹⁹²And surely, this clear book is sent down by Rabb of all universes.

^193-195The Trustworthy Soul [divine messages, trustworthy knowledge] descended into your heart in an explicit Arabic language so you may be of those warners with that explicit book. ¹⁹⁶And indeed, the Trustworthy Soul [divine messages, trustworthy knowledge] was certainly in the books of those before you.

(Al-Shu’ara/ 192–196)

 

²¹⁰And it was not devils who placed the book which is explicit, which clarifies into your heart.

²¹¹It does not suit to them, and they are not capable.

²¹²Indeed, they are kept away from hearing/revelation.

(Al-Shu’ara/ 210–212)

 

This characteristic of the Qur’an has been referred to by our Lord as “the Truth” (Al-Haqq) in hundreds of verses.

 

To warn the living

 

The statement in verse 70, which emphasizes that the Qur’an is a reminder meant only to warn the living, indicates that it is impossible to convey, deliver, or show anything to the dead. Reading the Qur’an to the dead is comparable to explaining traffic rules to someone who has died in an accident due to reckless driving. The warning to be delivered through the Qur’an is directed at the living, as stated in another verse:

 

¹⁹Say: “What thing is greater in testimony?”. Say: “Allah is witness between me and you. And this Qur’an has been revealed to me so I may warn with it you and all those it reaches. Do you truly testify that there are other deities with Allah?”. Say: “I do not”. Say: “He is the One and the Only God and I surely am away from what you associate with Him”.

(Al-An’am/ 19)

 

 

Materializing the “Word”

 

As explicitly stated in the verses under discussion, the Qur’an not only serves to warn the living but also plays a role in fulfilling the Word of Allah by acting as a “reminder.” Since our Lord has declared that He will not punish without warning, sending a messenger, or establishing laws, the warning provided through the Qur’an ensures the realization of the Word:

“I will surely fill Hell with all humans and jinn (everyone).” For this Word to materialize, people need to be warned. Through its role as a “reminder,” the Qur’an fulfills this function. After the revelation of the Qur’an, no one will be able to claim, “I was not warned, no messenger came to me, I was wronged.” Thus, the conditions for fulfilling the Word explained in verse 7 of this chapter will have been met.

 

 

Verses 71-73:

 

⁷¹Have they not seen that We have indeed formed various livestock for them from what our strength put forth, and they own them.

⁷²And We made them inferior for them. Therefore, their rides are from them. And they eat from them.

⁷³And many more benefits and drink are in them. Will they still not repay for the blessings they have been given and be ungrateful?

These verses continue to criticize the heedless society described in verse 48, which speaks of their denial. These heedless individuals are reprimanded for failing to take heed of the signs in living beings and for ignoring the evidence around them. They are told:

“We created for you animals much more powerful than yourselves, like camels and cattle. We made them subservient to you for riding, eating, and benefiting from their milk, hides, wool, and even their manure. Have you ever thought about how this is possible? Will you not show gratitude?”

 

  الشّكر (Shukr) Gratitude

 

The word Shukr is the antonym of ingratitude and means “to respond actively to a favor.” Initially used to describe animals such as camels and sheep fattening and producing milk in return for being fed, it later came to signify expressing gratitude in any way possible for blessings received.^[14] In light of this meaning, the key takeaway from the use of Shukr in this verse is that true gratitude cannot be mere words.

Our Lord’s statement—directed primarily at the Quraysh polytheists and then at all of humanity blessed by His favors—”Will they not then give thanks?” (Ya Sin, 73) can be interpreted as follows:
“Let everyone express gratitude for the blessings they have received by reflecting these blessings through their wealth and lives!”

Similar expressions appear in other verses:

 

^79,80Allah is the One Who created, arranged the animals for you so you may ride some of them. And you eat from some of them as well. And there are many other benefits for you in them. And Allah is the One Who created, arranged the animals so you may reach a desire within your hearts on them. And you are carried upon them and upon ships.

⁸¹And Allah shows you His evidences/signs. Then which of the evidences/signs of Allah do you deny?

(Al-Mu’min / 79–81)

 

⁵It is He Who formed livestock. There are things which warm you and many benefits in them. And you eat some of them as well.

(An-Nahl / 5)

 

⁸And Allah formed horses, mules and donkeys so you may ride them and they may be your assets. And it is He Who forms that which you do not know.

(An-Nahl / 8)

 

 

Verses 74, 75:

 

⁷⁴And they have taken deities/gods from among those that are inferior to Allah so they may be helped.

⁷⁵They are not able to help them. Yet, those who take so-called gods are soldiers who are ready for them.

 

The members of an unresponsive community have adopted weak and useless gods besides Allah in the hope that they would benefit them. However, these weak and helpless entities or persons can never aid them. Yet, by believing in these false deities, they themselves sustain these misguided beliefs.

 

Indeed, these powerless and harmful false gods owe their continued existence to the heedless individuals who display excessive devotion to them, defend them with their wealth and lives, and thus act as their soldiers. If it were not for the misguided individuals who consider them deities, these helpless and pitiful false gods would not be regarded as deities at all.

 

The pronouns in verse 75 can be interpreted to different nouns, allowing for both the meaning that “the unresponsive are guardians for the idols” and that “the idols are guardians for the unresponsive.” Based on the flow of the text in this passage, we prefer the interpretation that “the unresponsive are guardians for the idols.” The alternative interpretation, “the idols are guardians for the unresponsive,” as seen in the verses below, pertains to a scenario that would only occur in the Hereafter:

 

⁹⁸Indeed, you and those whom you worship from among those that are inferior to Allah are the wood/fuel of Jahannah [Hell]; you will enter there.

^99,100If those whom were worshipped from among those that are inferior to Allah were gods, they would not enter there. And they all will abide there eternally. They will have a moan there. And they will not hear anything there.

(Anbiya / 98-100)

 

⁷³O people! An example is presented, now listen to it: Even if those whom you invoke from among those that are inferior to Allah gather together, they can never form a fly. And should the fly harm them, they can not save it. Weak are the demanded and the demander.

(Hajj / 73)

 

¹⁶And as for the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb and disbelieve in Our Ayat and the meeting of Akhirat [Afterlife]; they will be ready in the punishment.

(Rum/ 16)

 

^22,23Gather those who did wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah and their spouses and those whom they worshipped from among those that are inferior to Allah. Then guide them to the path of Jahannah [Hell].

(Saffat/ 22, 23)

 

 

 

Verse 76:

 

⁷⁶So, let their speech not grieve you. Surely, We know what they conceal and what they disclose.

This verse is a parenthetical statement intended to both console the Prophet, who was accused of being a poet, and threaten those spreading these rumors. Such attacks were frequently directed at the Prophet, and Allah consistently consoled and uplifted him.

 

⁶⁵And do not let their speech grieve you. Indeed, dominion, glory and honor belong to Allah entirely. He is the One Who hears best, knows best.

(Yunus/ 65)

 

77–82. Verses:

 

⁷⁷And has that person not seen that We formed him from a drop of semen/a drop of water/liquid, and now he is an explicit enemy?

⁷⁸And he has presented for Us an example, not considering his own formation: He said: “Who will resurrect those bones? While they are decomposed!”.

^79,80Say: “The One Who formed them the first time will resurrect them. And He is the One Who knows every formation very well. He is the One Who made fire/oxygen from a green tree for you. Now, you burn oxygen.

⁸¹Is the One Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth, not the One Who possesses the power to form many more like them? Yes, indeed, He is! And He is the One Who forms perfectly, knows very well.

⁸²Indeed, when He intends a thing, His command/affair is to say to that thing “Be!” and it immediately is.

This passage emphasizes the evidence of resurrection, providing proof of Allah’s power to bring the dead back to life.

Verse 77 references “that man/that person,” highlighting a specific type of individual. As explained in verse 78, this refers to a man who, using decayed bones, questions the possibility of resurrection. According to narrations, this man was named Ubayy ibn Khalaf. He crushed decayed bones in his hands, blew the dust into the air, and mockingly asked the Prophet, “Who will revive these bones when they are decayed?”

The infidels’ argument that even bones decay and, therefore, the idea of re-creation is far-fetched is mentioned in numerous verses of the Qur’an:

 

^15-17And they say: “This is nothing but explicit magic. Will we really be resurrected when we have died and become dust, bones? And our ancestors before us as well?”.

(Saffat/ 16)

 

⁶⁶And that human says: “When I have died, will I really be brought forth alive?”.

⁶⁷And does that human not think that We truly formed him, while he was nothing before?

(Maryam/66,67)

 

^2,3But they wonder that a warner has come to them from among themselves; and the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb said: “This is an amazing thing! When we have died and have become dust? This is a distant return.”

(Qaf/ 2, 3)

 

¹⁰And they said: “Will we really be in a new formation when we are lost within the earth?”. Indeed, they are the ones who consciously deny/disbelieve in that they will meet their Rabb.

(As-Sajda/ 10)

⁴⁹And they said: Will we truly be resurrected with a new formation when we have become a pile of bones and crumbled into dust?”

(Isra/ 49)

 

And also: “And Saffat 53, Al-Isra 98, Al-Mu’minun 35.”

For further references on this matter, also see: Al-Mu’minun 82, Al-Waqi’ah 47, and An-Nazi’at 11.

All objections raised against the Prophet’s message have been addressed with convincing evidence, each time providing a response. The response given to the individual raising this particular objection—referred to here as “that fellow”—is presented in the above verses 79–81:

“The One who created them the first time will bring them back to life. And He is well-versed in every kind of creation. He is the One who produces fire for you from the green tree, and behold! You kindle from it. Is not the One who created the heavens and the earth capable of creating the likes of them? Yes, indeed! And He is the Supreme Creator, the All-Knowing.”

 

The following verses are some of the answers given to other “guys” of this type:

 

⁵⁷Indeed, formation of the heavens/universe and the earth is greater than formation of the mankind. But most of the people do not know.

(Al-Mu’min / 57)

 

^27-33Are you more difficult in formation or the heavens/universe? It is Allah Who constructed the heavens/universe; then He raised its ceiling, then He organized it, made its night dark and brought out its light. And then He spread the earth as an enjoyment for you and your livestock/He brought forth from the earth its water and its pasture, and He set the mountains firmly.

(An-Nazi’at / 27–33)

 

^60,61It is We Who have decreed death among you. And We are not the Ones Who can be prevented in replacing you with your likenesses and build you in that which you do not know.

(Al-Waqi’ah / 60, 61)

 

The phrase in verse 81 referring to Allah as “well-versed in creation” points to the diversity of His creative acts. Scientific and technical books contain detailed information about the variety in creation. As stated in the verses 19–24 of Surah Ar-Rum, Allah brings the living out of the dead and the dead out of the living. Other examples of His varied creation include creating from soil, creating from water, creating in pairs, creating the heavens, creating the earth, and the diversity of languages and colors.

 

The statement in verse 80, “He is the One Who made fire/oxygen from a green tree for you. Now, you burn oxygen.” is understood in classical sources to refer to the Merh and Afar trees found in the Hijaz region, which produce fire when their branches are rubbed together like flint. Later interpretations suggested this could allude to electricity generated from fire or even petroleum, with some claiming the verse references oil.

 

Our interpretation is that the phrase “fire from the green tree” refers to the oxygen released by green plants, showcasing one of the greatest miracles. This is because fire requires oxygen to exist. Oxygen gas is produced by green plants through chlorophyll, which facilitates the photosynthesis process. Combustion, or “burning,” is a chemical reaction involving the combination of flammable substances with oxygen.^[15] Nearly all free oxygen in the atmosphere results from this process.^[16]

 

The phrase “Now, you burn oxygen.” emphasizes that not only the Arabs of Hijaz but all of humanity utilize this source of fire.

 

“He is the One Who made fire/oxygen from a green tree for you.”

In this verse, the rhetorical device of Lazımiyyet Mecaz-ı Mürsel has been employed. This figure of speech involves mentioning the “necessary condition” (lazım) to imply the “resultant entity” (melzum). Here, saying “produces fire” means “produces oxygen” because fire requires oxygen as its necessary condition. Without oxygen (melzum), fire (lazım) cannot exist.

Oxygen is indispensable not only for combustion but also for the survival of living beings. Therefore, the statement in verse 80, “He is the One who produces fire for you from the green tree,” conveys the message that Allah is in control not only of the creation of life but also of its sustenance.

Detailed information on respiration and photosynthesis can be found in scientific and technical books.

 

 

Verse 83:

 

⁸³Then, Allah Who has the possession and the dominion of everything in His hands is purified from all deficiencies. And only to Him you will be returned”.

 

This final verse serves as a summary of Surah Ya Sin and simultaneously underscores the essence of religion: the belief in the oneness of Allah (tawhid) and the hereafter (akhirah).

Allah is the one who knows best

^[1]           (Süyuti; el İtkan)

^[2]           (Tirmizi el-Hakim, Nevadirü’l-Hadis)

^[3]           (Razi; el Mefatihu’l Gayb, Kurtubi; el Camiu li Ahkami’l Kur’an)

^[4]           (Tebyinü’l-Kur’an; v ?????

^[5]           (Tebyinü’l Kur’an;?????)

^[6]           (Kurtubi; el-Camiu li Ahkami’l-Kur’an)

^[7]           (Mevdudi; Tefhimü’l-Kur’an)

^[8]           (Tebyinu’l-Kur’an; v?????

 

^[9]           (Kurtubî, explanations on verse 39)

^[10]         (Lisanu’l Arab, Tacu’l Arus)

 

^[11]         (Kurtubi; el-Camiu li Ahkami’l-Kur’an)

^[12]         (Mukatil)

^[13]         Plato; The State, 10

^[14]         (Lisanü’l-Arab; c:5, s:163–165 ve Tacü’l-Arus; c:7, s:48–51)

^[15]         (Ana Britannica; c:32, s:97)

^[16]         (Ana Britannica; c:24, s:154)