55. SURAH AL-AN’AM – Presentation of Islam and Quran

INTRODUCTION

The Sūrah takes its name from the word الْأَنْعَام (al‑An‘ām, “cattle”)—four‑legged, two‑hooved, ruminant, grass‑eating animals—mentioned in verses 136, 138, and 139. It is traditionally classified as a Meccan revelation and stands as the 55th chapter of the Qur’ān.

However, various authorities differ on which passages were Medinan. One group of sources assigns verses 20, 91, 94, 114, and 151 to Madīnah; another names verses 91, 92, and 98; while al‑Rāzī includes verses 20, 23, 91, 93, 114, 141, 151, 152, and 153 among the Medinan revelations. Conversely, some reports maintain that the entire Sūrah was revealed at once, recorded by the Prophet’s own scribes.

This chapter serves as a concise summary of the themes of earlier Sūras, with the institution of prophethood at its center. It emphatically upholds tawḥīd (Divine Unity), justice, resurrection, and the Day of Reckoning, while forcefully repudiating the erroneous beliefs and practices of its audience.

The meaning of the verses:

¹All praise is to Allah Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth, made all the darkness and the light; no one else may be praised. Yet, those who deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb equate some things with their Rabb.

²He is the One Who formed you from a clay. Then He decreed “end of the term”. And that predetermined end of the term is with Him. Yet, you still doubt about it.

³And He is Allah Who is in the heavens/universe and on the earth. He knows your secret and what you disclose. He knows that which you earn as well.

⁴And whenever an Ayat from the Ayat of their Rabb came to them, they surely turned away from it by keeping their distance.

⁵Then when the truth came to them, they definitely denied it. Then, the important news of that which they have ridiculed will soon come to them.

⁶Have they not seen that We manipulated/destroyed many generations to whom We had given all opportunities which We did not give you, upon whom We had sent the sky with its blessings and We made rivers flow underneath of them. We manipulated/destroyed them because of their sins and formed a new generation after them.

⁷And had We sent down to you a book that was written on papyrus/paper and they had touched it with their hands, those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb would definitely have said: “This is nothing but an explicit magic”.

⁸And they said: “Why has an angel not been sent down to this prophet?”. Had We sent down an angel, the matter would have certainly been concluded. Then they would not have been given a respite.

⁹If We had made the prophet an angel, We would still have made him in a man shape and they would have fallen in doubt like they did anyway.

¹⁰And surely, the messengers were ridiculed before you as well. Then, that which they ridiculed surrounded those among them who ridiculed.

¹¹Say: “Travel through the earth, then observe how was the end of those who denied!”.

¹²Say: “For whom are those things that are in the heavens/universe and on the earth?” Say: “For Allah”. He decreed mercy upon Himself. He surely will gather you to the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection] about which there is no doubt. Those who make themselves lose, they do not believe.

¹³And that which dwells in the night and in the day belongs to Him. He is the One Who hears best, knows best.

¹⁴Say: “Should I take a familiar who helps, guides, protects other than Allah Who created the heavens/universe and the earth from nothing, the One Who feeds but is not fed?”. Say: “I have been commanded to be the first of the Islam people”. And do not ever be of those who associate others with Allah!

¹⁵Say: “Indeed, if I disobey my Rabb, I fear the punishment of a great day”.

¹⁶Whoever is averted from associating others with Allah/disobeying Him; Allah will have mercy upon him on that day. And this is the explicit salvation.

¹⁷And should Allah touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good, He surely is the One Who is competent over everything.

¹⁸And He is the One Who subjugates those who rebel against Him as the subjugator over His servants. And He is the One Who is the best law maker, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible, the One Who knows inner/hidden sides of everything well.

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”.

²⁰Those to whom We gave the book know the Prophet as they know their own sons. Those who make their own selves lose, they do not believe.

²¹And who can do more wrong; act more against their own good than those who invent a lie about Allah or deny His Ayat? Surely, these ones who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah will not reach the salvation.

²²And on that day We will gather all of them. Then We will say to those who associate others with Allah: “Where are your partners whom you believed wrongly?”. ²³Then throwing of them into the fire is nothing but them saying: “Our Rabb! We swear by Allah that we were not among those who associated others with Him”.

²⁴See how they will lie against themselves! And that which they invented will depart from them and be lost.

²⁵And among them are those who heed you; but We made coverings layers upon layers upon their hearts and a heaviness in their ears so they would not understand it. They will not believe in it even though they see all evidences/signs. Even when those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb come to you, they say arguing with you: “This is nothing but the invented legends of the ancients”.

²⁶And they prevent from it and they keep themselves away from it. And they drag themselves to be manipulated/destroyed without perceiving.

²⁷If you could see when they are made to stand upon the fire, they will say: “Oh, if only we were returned to the world, we have not denied the Ayat of our Rabb and we have become of the believers!”.

²⁸Rather, what they have been concealing has now been disclosed. If they were returned, they would definitely return to that which was forbidden to them. Yes, they are truly liars.

²⁹And they said, “There is no life other than our simple worldly life, and we will not be resurrected either”.

³⁰And if only you could see them when they will be made to stand before their Rabb ! Their Rabb will say to them: “Is this not the truth?”. They will say: We swear by our Rabb it is the truth”. Their Rabb will say: “Then taste the punishment for you disbelieved; consciously denied the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb!”.

³¹Those who denied to meet Allah, they have definitely lost and suffered. When the moment of Qiyamat [Resurrection] comes unexpectedly, they will say, bearing their sins upon their backs: “O woe to us for the sins we committed in the world!”. –Behold! How evil is what they bear/their sins!-

³²And the simple worldly life is only diversion and amusement. The final settlement/the home of Akhirat [Afterlife] is definitely better for those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah. Will you still not reason?

³³We surely know that what they say definitely saddens you. But actually they do not deny you; but those people who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah consciously deny the Ayat of Allah.

³⁴And surely, the messengers before you were denied as well and they were patient against being denied and harmed until Our help came. And no one can alter the words of Allah. And indeed, some of the news of the messengers have come to you.

³⁵And if their keeping distance is hard for you, if you are able to, seek a hole into the ground or a ladder up to the sky and bring them an evidence/a sign! Had Allah willed, He would have definitely gathered them upon the guidance to the righteous path. Then never be among the ignorant!

³⁶Only those who listen will respond. The dead ones; only Allah will resurrect them. Then they will be returned only to Him.

³⁷And they said: “Why has an evidence/a sign from his Rabb not been sent down to him?”. Say: “Surely, Allah is the One Who is able to send down an evidence/a sign, but most of them do not know”.

³⁸And there are no moving creatures, small-large, and no birds flying with its two wings on the earth except that they are a community with a leader like you. We left nothing out/missing in the Book. Then they will be gathered to their Rabb.

³⁹And those who deny Our Ayat are the deaf and dumb who are in the darkness. Whoever wills, Allah leads him astray and whoever wills, Allah puts him upon the righteous path.

⁴⁰Say: “Have you ever thought about yourselves? If the punishment of Allah came to you or if the hour of the Qiyamat [Resurrection] arrived, would you invoke anyone else than Allah? –If your are righteous.-

⁴¹Actually you would invoke only Allah and He would remove what you ask for if He willed and you would forget that which you associated with Him.

⁴²And surely, We sent messengers before you to those peoples with a leader and We seized them with unbearable hardship; poverty and adversities so they might humble themselves.

⁴³And when Our harsh punishment came to them, should not have they humbled themselves? But their hearts hardened and satan made that which they were doing attractive to them.

⁴⁴And when they abandoned what they were reminded, We opened the doors of everything upon them. Then We suddenly seized them when they ‘rejoiced and became spoiled’ in that which they had been given. Then they became the ones whose hopes were lost.

⁴⁵Thus eradicated were the people who did wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah, by disbelieving. –And all praise is to Allah, Rabb of all universes; no one else may be praised.-

⁴⁶Say: “Have you ever thought, if Allah takes your hearing and sight and seals your hearts; which deity other than Allah can bring them to you?” Look, how We explain the Ayat. Then they turn away and forbid!

⁴⁷Say: “Have you ever thought about yourselves? If the punishment of Allah comes upon you unexpectedly or manifestly, will anyone but the people of those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah be manipulated/destroyed?”

⁴⁸And We send the messengers that are sent only as bringers of good tidings and warners: And whoever believes and amends, there will be no fear for them. They will not grieve either.

⁴⁹Punishment will touch those who deny Our Ayat for they go astray from the righteous path.

⁵⁰Say: “I do not tell you that ‘the treasures of Allah are with me’. I do not know the unseen, the unheard, the past and the future either. I do not tell that ‘I am an angel’. I only follow what is revealed to me”. Say: “Is a blind equal to the seeing? Will you not think?”.

⁵¹And warn those who fear that they will be gathered before their Rabb with what you are revealed so they may enter under the guardianship of Allah. They do not have any familiars who help, guide, protect nor supporters, intercessors from among those that are inferior to Him.

⁵²And do not send away those who call their Rabb morning-evening; always seeking His countenance! No liability is upon you from their account and no liability is upon them from your account. If you sent them away, you would be of those who do wrong; act against their own good!

^53,55And We have led some of them into the fire, tested them so they would say, “Is it these whom Allah favored among us?” and the path of the criminals may be disclosed/manifest for you. Is Allah not the One Who knows better those who repay for the blessings they are given? Thus We explain the Ayat in detail.

⁵⁴And when those who believe in Our Ayat come to you, say: “Salam [health, peace, happiness…] be upon you! Your Rabb decreed mercy upon Himself. Indeed, whoever of you commits an evil deed unintentionally and then repents and corrects; surely Allah is the One Who removes the sins of His servants, does not punish them and has much forgiveness, the One Who is the possessor of vast mercy!”.

⁵⁶Say: “Indeed, I have been forbidden to worship those whom you invoke from among those that are inferior to Allah”. Say: “I do not follow your vain, transitory desires. If I did, I would go astray and I would be of those who have not followed the righteous path that they were guided”.

⁵⁷Say: “I am upon an explicit evidence from my Rabb. But you have denied that evidence. That which you want to come quickly is not with me, the judgment belongs only to Allah, He is the One Who tells/fulfills the truth and He is the best of deciders”.

⁵⁸Say: “If that which you want to come quickly had been with me, the matter between you and me would have already been concluded. And Allah is the One Who knows best those who do wrong; act against their own good.

⁵⁹Keys to the unseen, the unheard, the past and the future are only with Him. No one knows them except Him. He also knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not even a leaf falls but that He knows it. No grain is there within the darkness of the earth and no moist or dry thing except that it is within an explicit book.

⁶⁰And He is the One Who takes your life in the night; reminds you one by one what you did in the past and what you failed to do while being obliged to; knows what you earn by the day; raises you up to fulfill that predetermined end of the term. Then your return is only to Him. Then He will inform you about what you have did.

⁶¹And Allah maintains sovereignity over His servants and sends protectors upon you. And when the death comes upon any of you, Our messengers take his life, with nothing more nothing less; remind him one by one what he did in the past and what he failed to do while being obliged to. ⁶²Then they will be returned to their real God, Allah. Be careful, judgment belongs only to Him and He is the swiftest of accountants”.

⁶³Say: “Who saves you from the darkness of the land and the sea when you call upon Him privately, humbling yourselves, ‘we will absolutely be among those who repay if He saves us from this’?”.

⁶⁴Say: “It is Allah Who saves you from it and from every distress. Then you associate others with Him. ¹¹⁴And should I seek for a judge other than Allah while He is the One Who has sent down to you the Qur’an in detail/truth-falsehood separated?”. And those to whom We gave the Book, they surely know that the Qur’an is sent down by their Rabb with the truth. Then, do not ever be among those who doubt concerning that they know that this book is sent down by Allah.

⁶⁵Say: “He is the One Who is able to send punishment from above you and from beneath your feet or to divide you into clans and make you taste the resentment of one another”. Look, how We diversify/explain in detail Our Ayat so they may understand very well.

⁶⁶You people, on the other hand, have denied it although the punishment/the Qur’an/explanation of the Ayat in detail is the truth. Say: “I am not the one upon you who arranges the affairs pursuant to a schedule and implements this schedule by supporting, maintaining it”. ⁶⁷Every important news has a predetermined time, you will know soon too. ¹⁰⁴Surely, there has come upon you from your Rabb the information that will open your eyes, make you follow the righteous path. Then, whoever sees the truth, its benefit is for himself and whoever is blind, its harm is for himself. I am not a watcher upon you!”

⁶⁸And when you see those who struggle in vain about Our Ayat/evidences/signs, keep away from them immediately until they enter into a new conversation. And even if satan makes you forget about it, when you remember, do not sit with those people who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah.

⁶⁹And those who enter under the guardianship of Allah are not liable for the accounts of those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah. But a reminder for them so they may enter under the guardianship of Allah!

⁷⁰And leave those who have taken their religion as amusement and diversion/who have taken amusement and diversion as their religion, whom the worldly life has deluded and remind with the Qur’an: If a person falls into a manipulation and destruction with what his own hands produced and earned, there will be no familiar who helps, guides, protects nor supporter, intercessor for him from among those that are inferior to Allah. Even though he wants to pay any price for his crime, it will not be taken from him. Those are the ones who fall into manipulation/destruction with what they earned. A drink of scalding water and a painful punishment will be for them for they were not grateful.

^71,72Say: “Shall we invoke those that do not benefit us and do not harm us from among those that are inferior to Allah? Or should we be turned back just like those whom the devils enticed and made them wander on the earth confused while they have companions who invite them to the right and good, saying ‘come to us!’ after Allah has guided us to the righteous path?”. Say: “Surely, the righteous path of Allah is what the true righteous path is. And we have been commanded to be Muslims for Rabb of all universes and to fulfill Salah; establish and maintain the institutions that support financially and spiritually; enlighten the community and to enter under the guardianship of Allah. And Allah is the One only to Whom we will be gathered”.

⁷³And He is the One Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth in truth. And the day He says, “Be!”, it immediately is. His word is the truth. On the day when the Sur will be blown, the dominion and ownership of everything is His as well. He is the One Who knows what is hidden and what is disclosed. He is the One Who is the best law maker, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible, the One Who knows inner/hidden sides of everything well.

***

⁷⁴And Abraham once said to his father Azar, “Do you take idols as your deities? Surely, I see you and your people in a clear astray”.

⁷⁵And thus We showed Abraham the dominion and governance of the heavens/universe and the earth so he might obtain evidence and be among those who believe in certainty.

⁷⁶Therefore, Abraham saw a star when the night covered him and he said: “This is my Rabb”. And when the star set he said: “I do not like those which set”.

⁷⁷And when he saw the moon rising, he said: “This is my Rabb”. And when it also set, he said: “Surely, unless my Rabb guides me to the righteous path, I will be among the people who have gone astray”.

^78,79And then when he saw the sun rising, he said: “This is my Rabb” this is greater. And then when it also set, he said: “O my people! Surely I am away from those which you associate with Allah. Indeed, as a man who has turned away from falsehood, I have turned my face to the One Who created the heavens/universe and the earth from nothing/Who will destroy the heavens/universe and the earth and I am not among those who associate others with Allah”.

^80,81And his people argued with him. Abraham said: “Do you argue with me concerning Allah while He has shown me the righteous path? I do not fear those which you associate with Him at all. – Except for that which my Rabb wills.- My Rabb encompasses everything in knowledge. Do you still not think? And how should I fear that which you associate while you do not fear to associate others with Allah even though He has not sent down any power/authority about them? So, if you should know, which of these two communities has more right to be safe?”.

⁸²Those who believe and do not mix the belief of associating others with Him/being against their own good with their belief, it is those for whom the security is. And they are the ones who follow the righteous path they are guided.

⁸³And these are the evidences that We gave Abraham against his people. We raise in degrees whomever We will. Indeed, your Rabb is the One Who is the best law maker, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible, knows very well.

⁸⁴And We gave him Isaac and Jacob. We showed them all the righteous path. We had shown the righteous path to Noah and his descendants, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron before. Thus We recompense those who do good-beautiful deeds.

⁸⁵And We showed Zachariah, John, Jesus and Elijah the righteous path as well. They all were of the righteous.

⁸⁶We showed Ishmael, Elisha, Jonas and Lot the righteous path. We favored all of them above the people of the time.

⁸⁷And We favored among their ancestors, descendants and brothers as well. And We chose them, guided them to the righteous path.

⁸⁸This is the guidance of Allah. He guides whomever He wills of His servants with it. Had they associated others with Him, surely all they had done would have been for nothing.

⁸⁹They are the ones to whom We gave the book, judgment and prophethood. Now, if they do not believe in them, We have definitely made a people who will believe in this/will not conceal this, the ones who implement this schedule by maintaining, supporting it.

⁹⁰Those are the ones whom Allah guided. Now you, follow their guidance/the revelation. Say: “I do not ask you a payment for it. It is only a reminder for the mankind”.

⁹¹And they did not appraise Allah truly/they could not know Allah appropriately when they said: “Allah has not sent anything to any human”. Say: “Who is the One Who sent down the Book which Moses brought to enlighten and guide the people, you used as text material piece by piece, disclosed some parts of it but concealed most of it; from which you and your ancestors learned many things you had not known before?”. Then you, say: “Allah!”. Then leave them amusing themselves with their vain deeds.

⁹²This is the Book full of blessings and confirming what is mentioned within, which We have sent down upon you so you may warn the Mother City and the people nearby. Those who believe in Akhirat [Afterlife] also believe in it and they protect their Salah [supporting financially and spiritually establish and the institutions that enlighten the community].

⁹³And who can do more wrong; act more against his own good than the one who invents a lie about Allah or says “I have been revealed” even though he has not been and says “I will also reveal like what Allah revealed”? If only you could see those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah when they are in violence of death and when authorities in charge extend their hands to them saying: “Discharge your souls. Today, you will be recompensed with n humiliating punishment for you have told lies about Allah and acted arrogantly towards His Ayat!”.

⁹⁴And you have certainly come to Us all alone/one by one as We formed you the first time and you have left behind that which We gave you. And We do not see your so-called supporters with you whom you believed that they were associates among you. Surely, you have been severed/torn apart and that which you believed wrongly has vanished.

⁹⁵Surely, Allah is the One Who splits and sprouts grain and seed: He brings the living out of the dead, it is He Who brings the dead out of the living. That is Allah! So how you are deluded?

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.

⁹⁷And Allah is the One Who made the stars so you may find the righteous path you are guided through the darkness of the land and the sea. Indeed, We have explained the Ayat in detail for a people who know.

⁹⁸And He is the One Who built you from a single self. Then a place of settlement and place of security… –We have definitely explained the Ayat in detail for a people who understand well.-

⁹⁹And Allah is the One Who sends down the water from the sky. Thus We brought forth plants of all things with it. And We brought forth from it grains, similar and non similar, arranged in layers; clusters hanging down from the sprout of date, grapevines and the sprout from which We brought forth olive and pomegranate. When these yield fruit, look at their fruits and ripening! There are evidences/signs in these for a people who certainly believe.

¹⁰⁰And they attributed unseen forces and entities to Allah partners. Yet is it He Who formed them. They invented sons and daughters without knowledge. –His glory is purified from that which they describe and high above it.- ¹⁰¹He is the One Who created the heavens/universe and the earth from nothing. How could He have a child while He has no companion? And it is He Who formed all things. And He is the One Who knows all best.

¹⁰²This is Allah, your Rabb! There is no deity except Him. He is the One Who formed all things. Therefore, worship Him. He is the One Who arranges upon everything pursuant to a schedule and implements this schedule by supporting, maintaining it.

¹⁰³Eyes can not reach Him but He can reach all eyes; He is the possessor of vast bounty, aware of all things.

¹⁰⁵Thus We diversify/explain in detail the Ayat so they may say to you, “You have studied/read and learned these” and We may make clear for a society that constantly informs itself.

^106,107Follow what is revealed from your Rabb except Whom there is no deity, to you. Stay away from those who associate others with Allah. Had Allah willed, they would not have associated. We have not made you a guardian over them, and you are not the one over them who arranges the affairs pursuant to a schedule and implements this schedule by supporting, maintaining it either!

¹⁰⁸And do not insult those whom they invoke from among those that are inferior to Allah so they will not insult Allah without knowledge by transgressing. Thus We made pleasing the deeds of every people with a leader. Then their return is to their Rabb. Then He will inform them about what they did.

¹⁰⁹And those who associate others with Allah swore by Allah with their strongest oaths that they would certainly believe in it if an evidence/a sign came to them. Say: “Evidences/signs are only with Allah”. Do you not understand that they would not believe even if evidences/signs came to them?

¹¹⁰And We turn away their hearts and eyes just as they did not believe in the first time. And We leave them blind and confused in their transgression.

¹¹¹And if We had sent down to them some powers, the dead had spoken to them and We had gathered all things in front of them, -except that Allah wills- they would not have believed. But most of them are ignorant.

^112,113Thus, for every prophet We made his concealed-apparent devils an enemy: Some of these inspire/whisper to some other alluring words so that, hearts of those who did not believe in Akhirat [Afterlife], due to their indulgence into the allurement of the worldly life, may incline towards them, they may be content of them and do what they were doing. –And if your Rabb had willed, they would not have done it. Then, leave them and that which they invent!-

¹¹⁵And the word of your Rabb is fulfilled in truth and in justice. There is no one that can alter His words. He is the One Who hears best, knows best.

¹¹⁶If you follow the majority of those who are on the earth, they will lead you astray from the path of Allah. Because they follow only “assumption” and they only do nonsense.

¹¹⁷Surely, your Rabb is the One Who knows best who has gone astray from His path. And He is the One Who knows better those who follow the righteous path they are guided.

¹²⁴And when an Ayah came to them, they said: “We will never believe until we are given like what was given to the messengers of Allah”. Allah knows better where He gives the duty of prophethood. A humiliation before Allah and a severe punishment will touch those who committed crimes for what they conspired.

¹²⁵And whomever Allah wants to guide to the righteous path, He opens up his heart for Islam. And whomever He wants to lead astray, He makes his chest extremely distressed as though he is ascending to the sky. Thus places/throws Allah the filth [things that inflict harm, punishment] upon those who do not believe.

***

¹¹⁹And what is the matter with you, why do you not eat upon which the name of Allah has been mentioned although He explained you in detail what has been made haram/forbidden to you except to that which you are forced? And surely, many lead astray by following their desires without knowledge. Surely, your Rabb is the One Who knows the transgressors very well.

¹²⁰Leave what is apparent and what is concealed of that which causes to waste time/to delay the good/to make reluctant for the good/to harm! Surely, those who earn wasting their time/delaying the good/being reluctant for the good/harming will be recompensed for that which they earned.

¹²¹And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned. Surely, it is a complete going astray from the path. And surely, devils inspire those who are close to them to dispute with you. And if you obey them, indeed you will become those who associate others with Allah.

¹²²Is the example of the one whom We gave life when he was dead and gave him a light so he might walk among the people like the example of the one who is in all darkness and not able to find a way out of it? Thus, the deeds of those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb have been shown to them ‘adorned and alluring’.

¹²³And We made the chiefs in every city the criminals of that city so they might conspire therein. But they do evil only against themselves and they do not perceive.

¹²⁶And this is the path of your Rabb, straight. Indeed, We have explained the Ayat in detail for a people who remember.

¹²⁷Peace, safety and health with their Rabb will only be theirs for what they did. And their Rabb is their helper, guide and protector.

¹²⁸And the day when Allah will gather all of them: “O secret group of enemy! You indeed increased of such people!…”

The ones who are close to them from among the people will say: “O our Rabb! We have earned from each other. And eventually We have reached the end of our term which You have appointed for us”. Allah will say: “The fire is your destination. You will abide there eternally except that Allah wills”. Indeed, your Rabb is the One Who is the best law maker, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible, knows best.

¹²⁹Thus We make some of those who do wrong; act against their own good closer to some others because of the sins they earned.

¹³⁰O company of hidden, apparent, today, future mankind! Did messengers from among you not come to relate My Ayat to you and warn you about that you will meet this day of yours? They will say: “We bear witness against ourselves”. The simple worldly life deluded them and they will bear witness that they were those who were infidels; those who consciously denied the divinity of Allah and the fact that He was Rabb.

¹³¹This is the because your Rabb is not the One Who manipulates/destroys the lands unjustly while their people are careless, unaware.

¹³²And there are degrees for all according to what they have done. And your Rabb is not unaware of/apathetic to what they do.

¹³³And your Rabb is free of need, the possessor of mercy. Just as He brought you from the descendants of another people, if He wills, He may take you away as well and bring whomever He wills after you.

¹³⁴Surely, that which you have been promised will definitely come. And you will not prevent it.

¹³⁵Say: “O my people! Do what you can, surely I do my best as well. Soon you will know for whom will the end of the Land be. Indeed, those who do; act against their own good by associating others with Allah will not reach the salvation”.

***

¹³⁶And they allocated a share for Allah from the crops and livestock Allah created and said according to their deviant belief: “This is for Allah; and that is for our partners”. The share which is for their partners does not reach Allah, and that which is for Allah reaches their partners. How evil is what they judge!

¹³⁸And due to their wrong belief, they said: “These are untouchable animals and crops. No one can eat these except whom we will. These are the animals whose backs are forbidden”. And they do not mention the name of Allah upon some animals by inventing a lie about Allah. Allah will surely recompense them for that which they invented.

¹³⁹And they said: “What is in the bellies of these animals belong only to our men and are forbidden to our women. If it is dead, then they have their shares”. Allah will give them their descriptions as recompense. Indeed, He is the One Who is the best law maker, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible, knows very well.

¹³⁷And their partners made killing of their children pleasing with reasons of burden, shame, sacrificing for gods for many of those who associate others with Allah so they might ruin themselves and confuse and corrupt their religion. Had Allah willed, they would not have done this. Then, leave them and that which they invent!

¹⁴⁰Those who killed their children foolishly due to ignorance and those who made haram/forbidden what Allah has provided for them by inventing a lie about Allah have indeed lost. They surely have gone astray and they are not the ones who have followed the righteous path they were guided.

¹⁴¹Allah is the One Who builds gardens with and without trellises, dates, crops with many kinds of fruits, olives and pomegranates, similar to one another and dissimilar. Eat of its fruit when it yields, and give its due right on the harvest day and do not diminish from its right. Surely, Allah does not like those who diminish the right.

¹⁴²And He is the One Who builds of the livestock which carry load and that which are used to make bed. Eat from that which Allah has provided for you. Do not follow the steps of satan. Indeed, He is an explicit enemy for you.

¹⁴³Eight mates: Two of sheep and two of goat. Say: “Has Allah forbidden two males or two females or what the wombs of two females enshrouded; children? If you are truthful, inform me with knowledge”.

¹⁴⁴And two of camel and two of cattle… Say: Has Allah forbidden two males or two females or children of two females? Or were you with Allah when He charged you this liability?” Who can do more wrong; act more against his own good than the one who invents a lie about Allah to lead people astray without relying upon any such information? Indeed, Allah does not guide that people of those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah.

¹⁴⁵Say: “I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything that is haram/forbidden for those who eat it other than carcass or spilled blood or the flesh of swine -flesh of swine is indeed impure, disturbing- or anything that is dedicated for anyone other than Allah; which is a sign of going astray from the righteous path. But whoever is forced, he may eat of these without transgressing and exceeding the necessity limit”. Indeed your Rabb is the One Who forgives much, shows great mercy.

¹¹⁸If you are believers in the Ayat of Allah, eat that upon which the name of Allah has been mentioned.

¹⁴⁶And We made haram/forbidden all animals with uncloven hooves to Jews. We made haram/forbidden to them also the fat of the cattle and sheep other than the fat that they carry on their backs or in their intestines or mixed with their bones. This is the way We recompensed them for their aggression. And indeed We are truthful.

¹⁴⁷If they deny you, then say: “Your Rabb is the possessor of vast mercy. And His punishment is not repelled from the people of criminals”.

¹⁴⁸Those who associate others with Allah will say: “Had Allah willed, we would not have associated, our ancestors would not have either and we would not have forbidden anything”. Those before them were like this until they tasted Our punishment. Say: “Is there a knowledge with you that you can produce for us? You follow only assumption and you only do nonsense”.

***

¹⁴⁹Say: “The absolute and perfect evidence belongs to Allah. Therefore, if Allah had willed, He would indeed have guided you all”.

¹⁵⁰Say: “Now, bring your witnesses who will testify that Allah has absolutely forbidden this”. If they testify despite this, do not testify with them. And do not follow the vain, transitory desires of those who deny My Ayat and who do not believe in Akhirat [Afterlife]. And they equate with their Rabb.

¹⁵¹Say: “Come, I will recite you what your Rabb has tabooed; made untouchable to you”.

‘Not to associate anything with Him,

to do good to mother and father – treat them good,

not to kill your children out of poverty/being made poor, -We provide for you and them.-

not to approach apparent and concealed of evil,

not to kill a self which Allah has forbidden except by right, -These are what He brought upon you as a liability so you may use your reason.-

¹⁵²And do not approach orphan’s property, -But until he reaches the age that he is able to distinguish between good and evil, you can approach in a way which is best and spend in the appropriate way.-,

weight in justice and equity and give full measure, -We never burden anyone other than what he is able to; other than what is within his capacity.-

be just when you speak even if it is against someone close to you,

and fulfill the covenant of Allah.’ –These are what Allah brought upon you as liabilities so you may be reminded and take lessons.-“

¹⁵³And surely, this is My path, straight. Follow it right away. And do not follow other paths so it will not take you away from His path. These are what Allah brought upon you as liabilities so you may enter under the guardianship of Allah.

¹⁵⁴Then We gave Moses the Book to explain all things in detail and as guidance and mercy with all necessary explanations for those who produced good so they might believe in that they would meet their Rabb.

^155-157And the Qur’an is a blessed book that We have sent down so some of you will not say, “The book was sent down to only two groups before us, Jews and Christians; but we could not read these books and we could not understand their language” or some of you will not say, “Had a book been sent down to us, we would have been on a righteous path better than them”. Therefore, follow it and enter under the guardianship of Allah so you may be shown mercy. A clear proof, guidance and mercy have come to you as well from your Rabb. Therefore, who can do more wrong; act more against their own good than those who deny the Ayat of Allah, turn away from them? We will recompense those who turn away from Our Ayat with the worst of the punishment for they have turned away.

¹⁵⁸Do they wait for anything except that angels should come or your Rabb should come or some of the evidences/signs of your Rabb should come? On the day when some of the evidences/signs of your Rabb will come, the faith of the one who has not believed before or has not earned any good through his faith, will not benefit him. Say: “Wait; surely we are the ones who also wait”.

¹⁵⁹Surely, those who divided their religion and have divided into groups; you are not of them in any way and behaviour. Surely, their affair is to Allah. Then Allah will inform them about what they did.

¹⁶⁰Whoever brings good, then there will be ten times the like of what he brings for him. And whoever brings evil, he will be recompensed only with the like of it and they will not be treated unjustly.

¹⁶¹Say: “Surely, my Rabb has guided me to the righteous path; to a religion standing tight, the religion and the lifestyle of Abraham who turned away from associating others with Allah, consciously denying the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb. Abraham was not among those who associated others with Allah”.

^162,163Say: “My Salah [supporting financially and spiritually; striving to enlighten the community], my servitude; all my worship, my life and my death are only for Allah, Rabb of all universes, Who has no partners. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims”.

^164,165Say: “Should I seek for another Rabb other than Allah while Allah is Rabb of all things?”. Whatever anyone earns belongs only to himself. The one who bears his burden does not bear the burden of another. Then, only to your Rabb will you be returned. Thus will Allah inform you about that over which you differed. And He is the One Who has made you the successors of those who left on the earth and raised some of you above others in degrees so He may test you with what He has given you. Indeed, your Rabb is fast in penalty and indeed, He is the One Who forgives much, shows great mercy.

ANALYSIS

Verse 1:

The Sūrah begins with the declaration that “praise” [all praise] belongs to Allah, that there is no one worthy of praise except Allah, and therefore only Allah is to be praised; immediately afterward, the disbelievers who equate Allah with others are condemned.

The phrase “the Creator of the heavens and the earth” in the clause that states whom those who praise should praise is to be understood as encompassing all of Allah the Almighty’s countless signs: raising the heavens without pillars; the flawless order of a system composed of the sun, the moon, and billions of stars; the setting of mountains like firm pillars upon the earth, on which innumerable living and non-living beings have been created; the opening of roads; the flowing of rivers; the creation of seas— and so on, beyond counting. That is to say, all the signs and wonders spread across hundreds of verses, some found in earlier sūrahs and some yet to appear in those that follow.

Here, the concepts of “darkness” and “light” are treated not literally but figuratively. Literal darkness is merely the absence of light and is not expressed in the plural “darknesses.” The reason “darknesses” is plural and “light” is singular in the verse is that “light” symbolizes the Qur’an and is therefore one, whereas “darknesses” are many—disbelief, shirk, nifāq—originating from Iblīs, Satan, the enemy; in short, ignorance. In other words, “light” is Allah’s revelation, the Qur’an, the “truth,” and it is one; falsehoods and darknesses are many, hence the verse uses “ظلمات zulumat [darknesses].” Another example of this appears in Sūrat al‑Baqarah:

²⁵⁷Allah is the familiar Who is helper, guide, protector of the believers; He brings them out from all darkness into the light. And as for the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb; their familiar who helps, guides, protects is Taghut and it brings them out from the light into the darkness. These are the companions of Jahannah [Hell]. They will abide therein eternally.

(Al-Baqarah/257)

The last part of the verse in question, “Then those who disbelieve equate them with their Lord”, is a message to the people of that day and of all times: “How is it then that you take other gods, prostrate yourselves before them, sacrifice to them, offer sacrifices to them, present your needs to them and ask for their help, and equate them with the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and praise them?”

Verse 2:

²He is the One Who formed you from a clay. Then He decreed “end of the term”. And that predetermined end of the term is with Him. Yet, you still doubt about it.

In this verse, which touches upon the past, present, and future of human beings, it is stated that the first creation was from “matter”, that a period of time has been decreed for every human being, and that knowledge of this determined period lies only with Allah and cannot be known by anyone. In the last part of the verse, it is stated that despite all these facts there are still people who doubt, and these people are condemned.

The preposition “ثمّ” [then/after], which occurs several times in the verse, does not refer to succession in time but in speech. Therefore, this particle meaning “after” should not be understood to mean that creation was realized first, followed by the end of time, and after that man began to have doubts. This is because Allah Almighty has pre-programmed all of this in accordance with His attribute of Rabb.

Some have interpreted the expression “from a clay” in the verse as “semen” and have given explanations accordingly:

The popular view is this: This means that Allah created human beings from Adam, who was created from clay. That is why Allah Almighty said, “It is He who created you from clay.”

In our opinion, another explanation is as follows: Man was created from semen and menstrual blood. Both of these derive from blood. And blood comes from food. Food is either animal or vegetable… If it is an animal, then the situation in the creation of that creature is like the situation in the creation of man. What remains is that it is a vegetable. Therefore, the fact that man was created from vegetable food is established. Indeed, these vegetable foods were created from mud [soil]. Thus, it is established that every human being was created from the earth. In our opinion, this explanation is closer to the truth.

However, the verse refers to the first creation of man, not his reproduction in the womb. The “clay” referred to in the verse is the first “substance” in the creation of man. In fact, in the verses of al-Muminun/12–14 and al-Hajj/5, where the first creation is mentioned, it is clearly stated that man was first created from inanimate matter and then reproduced with semen

The subjects of “the creation of the heavens, the earth and man” and “the appointment of a deadline for man” at the beginning of the Surah inevitably remind people of the afterlife and resurrection, as if to say to them, “The Power that has this power, that is able to do all these things, is also able to recreate and will revive you after death.” The disbelievers’ reaction to this is as follows:

^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)

The last sentence of the verse, “Then you are still in doubt,” means: “How can you still be in doubt in spite of all this evidence?”

We know from the previous chapters of the Qur’an that what Allah revealed through His Messenger did not suit the existing schemes of the arrogant leaders of Makkah. For this reason, these bigwigs opposed our Lord’s revelations by hiding behind many pretexts so that their own order would not be disturbed. At times they objected that a prophet had come as a human being like themselves and said, “Why didn’t an angel come?” and at other times they displayed incredulous astonishment by saying, “Is it possible to be resurrected after death?”

However, what they marveled at is a normal matter that people of sound mind can accept easily and with peace of heart. This is because Allah, the Most Merciful, the All‑Merciful, chose as a warner and admonisher a prophet who feels what they feel, speaks their language, understands them in every respect, and knows their capacity for endurance. Allah Almighty selected one of them as His messenger so that, if they persisted in their wrong attitude, he could draw their attention to the calamity awaiting them, be the first among them to shoulder the obligations and implement the message, set an example for the others, and show them how to find the right path. Yet it is clear from the verses that the polytheists found the very institution of prophethood strange—especially the resurrection proclaimed by this warning Prophet.

However, all the revelations from the first verse to this one show us that resurrection is the foundation of the Islamic belief system. For Islam, which calls for submission to Allah alone and obedience solely to His message, affirms that our Lord will never wrong anyone and that everyone will be recompensed for what they have done. That is, every deed will be repaid: the good will receive their rewards, and the evildoers will not escape the consequences of their actions. Sometimes these rewards are given on earth, and sometimes they are deferred until the final reckoning at the end of the journey. Therefore, there must be another world—the Hereafter—where that final reckoning will take place. In other words, resurrection is inevitable for the final reckoning.

⁴Indeed, We know what the earth diminishes of them. And with Us is a book that records and guards very well.

(Qaf/4)

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.

(Sajdah/10)

The reason why unbelievers think that resurrection is impossible is because they do not know the fact of creation and its parts in detail, that is, because of their ignorance. If all the secrets of the science of life were discovered, resurrection after death would not seem far-fetched. But Almighty Allah knows these secrets and creates accordingly:

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.

(Yâ-Sîn/79)

Our Lord knows what happens to those who decompose and become dust after death—what originally constituted their existence, which parts of their being disappear and which do not, what remains in existence (preserving itself) by changing form, and what the connections between these parts are. Since it is stated in the verse that this information is preserved, the fact that people rot and mingle with the soil after death does not mean that they have disappeared. The resumption of life from this soil (matter) has happened once before and continues to happen over and over.

⁴⁰So, is the One Who does all these not the One Who is able to resurrect the dead?

(Qiyamat/40)

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.

⁶This is because Allah is the truth, He is the only One Who gives life to the dead and indeed He is the only One Who is the most competent over everything.

⁷The day of Qiyamat [Resurrection] will certainly come. There is no doubt about it. And indeed, Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves.

(Hajj/5-7)

⁵Therefore, let man see from what he was formed; ^6,7he was formed starting from an ejected liquid which emerges from between backbone and breastbone; “estrogen” and “testosterone”.

^8,9No doubt that, the Creator is the One Who is able to return him on the day when all secrets are put forth. ¹⁰Then there is neither any power for him nor any helper.

(Tariq/5-10)

And AhQaf/33, Isra/98, 99, Baqara/260.

There were those who understood the expression “the named term is with Him” in the verse in question as “there is also a named term with Him,” and, with this understanding, tried to explain it as follows:

According to the opinion of the Islamic jurists, every human being has two termini: The first is the natural term; the second is the death that is not natural (normal), but comes through accidents and calamities… Natural deaths are as follows: if a person’s created constitution and innate characteristics could be protected from external influences, his life could be extended until such‑and‑such a point. As for deaths that come through accidents and disasters, these are deaths that occur due to some external cause—drowning, burning, the stings of poisonous insects, and similar calamities that incapacitate a person. Accordingly, the phrase “An appointed time in His sight…” in the verse means “An end known to Him,” or “an end recorded on the Preserved Tablet.” The force of the phrase “in His sight” here is like someone saying about an issue: “In my view, the matter is such‑and‑such.”

The subject of “death” has occupied many thinkers since ancient times and has been examined in detail in works of philosophy. Within the Muslim community, issues discussed under headings such as “death,” “the death of death,” “the demise of death,” and “the shortening and prolonging of the term” have been greatly emphasized, and differing opinions—even schools—have formed around them. The most famous contributors are the Ashʿarī and Muʿtazilī schools. Both attempted to clarify their views using the example of “the victim’s death.” As a result of these debates—whether a person’s killing of another was intentional or accidental—different perspectives emerged regarding the concept of “death.”

The correct resolution of the issue is possible by determining the lexical meaning of the word ajal, which appears fifty‑five times in the Qur’an along with its derivatives, and establishing in what sense it is used in the Qur’an.

Verse 3:

³And He is Allah Who is in the heavens/universe and on the earth. He knows your secret and what you disclose. He knows that which you earn as well.

Our Lord, who draws attention to His relationship with the universe and with human beings in the first two verses, goes on in this verse to give introductory information about Himself. In this context, our Almighty Lord reminds us that He is the only God in the heavens and the earth, and He emphasizes that nothing lies outside His control by stating that He knows what people have earned.

It is noteworthy that in the verse “He knows what you have earned,” the wording is “what you have earned” rather than “what you have done.” This indicates that what matters is not merely the acts themselves but the outcomes of those acts. For كسب kesb, which means “to gain/win,” is used for deeds performed to obtain a benefit or to avert a harm. Accordingly, the term kesb is not used for God’s actions.

A similar expression to the phrase “And He is Allah in the heavens and the earth,” which at first glance might seem to ascribe place to Allah, also appears in Sūrat al-Zukhruf:

⁸⁴And He is the One Who is deity in the heavens/universe and deity on the earth. And He is the One Who is the best law maker, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible, knows very well.

(Zuhruf/84)

However, it is not correct to understand such expressions both in verse 3, which is our subject, and in Zuhruf/84, as if they refer to “space”. Because it is not mentally possible to attribute space to Allah, and there are many verses in the Quran stating that Allah is free from space. In this case, it is necessary to refer to the Quran again to find the correct meaning of the verse:

(An’am/12)

⁶All that is in the heavens/universe, on the earth and between them and under the moist soil belongs to Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created].

(Ta Ha/6)

⁴He is the One Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth in six stages and established dominion on the greatest throne, the One Who knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it, what descends from the heavens/universe and what ascends to it. And wherever you are, He is with you. And Allah is the One Who sees best what you do.

(Hadid/4)

And Qaf/16, Baqara/115.

As the verses above demonstrate, saying “Allah is in the heavens and on the earth” signifies His complete sovereignty over everything above and below. We use similar locative expressions for people—for example, someone engrossed in a task is said to be “at such‑and‑such a job” or “in such‑and‑such a place,” indicating either the work performed or its location. Thus, “He is Allah in the heavens and the earth” means “Allah governs all realms above and below.”

Likewise, “what you conceal” refers to the intentions and thoughts hidden in the heart, while “what you disclose” denotes the outward actions carried out through one’s limbs.

Verses 4, 5:

⁴And whenever an Ayat from the Ayat of their Rabb came to them, they surely turned away from it by keeping their distance.

⁵Then when the truth came to them, they definitely denied it. Then, the important news of that which they have ridiculed will soon come to them.

In these verses, the nature of the unbelievers’ polytheism and doubt—mentioned in verses 1–2—is further explained, and they are warned about what awaits them.

The phrase “Important news of that which you used to mock will soon come to you” in the final clause of verse 5 echoes a similar warning in Sūrah ash‑Shu‘arā’. In our view, it foretells both the worldly and the ultimate punishments reserved for the polytheists and deniers—on the Day of Judgment and beyond. It may also allude to the unexpected outcome at Badr, where the believers triumphed and the polytheists were defeated—an outcome that neither side could have foreseen.

⁶Then they indeed denied. Soon will come to them the news of that which they have been ridiculing. ^{Al-Hijr 92,93}So, by your Rabb that We will definitely question all of them from that which they have done.

(Shuara/6)

Mukatil listed those who “deny the truth” and “those who turn away from the verses of Allah” mentioned in these verses as follows:

“Abu Jahl, Velid b. Mughire, Haccac’s two sons, Münebbih and Nebih, As b. Vail, Ubey b. Khalaf, Ukbe b. Ebi Muayt, Abdullah b. Ebi Ümeyye, Rabia’s two sons Utbe and Şeybe, Ebu’l-Bahteri, el-Haris, Mahreme b. Nawfel, Hisham b. Amr b. Rabia, Abu Sufyan, Sehl b. Amr, Umeyr b. Vehb b. Khalaf, al-Harith b. Kays, Adi b. Kays, Amir b. Halid el-Cümahi, Nadr b. Haris, Zemea b. Esved, Mut’im b. Adiy, Kurat, Ahnes b. Sharik, Huwayt and Umayya b. Successor”.

Verse 6:

In this verse, historical reminders are directed at the polytheists who denied Allah’s existence and unity and refused to serve Him, as well as at the sinners who turned away from His signs and rejected the truth. It warns them that they, too, may suffer the same fate of destruction as ʿĀd, Thamūd, Pharaoh, and others—and be replaced by other people.

The expression “Did they not see?” invites them to examine the ruins of those past nations and to draw lessons from their downfall.

Verses 7 – 9:

⁹If We had made the prophet an angel, We would still have made him in a man shape and they would have fallen in doubt like they did anyway.

In these verses, it is explained to what extent the skeptical polytheists mentioned at the beginning of the surah have reached in their stubbornness and denial, and their so-called doubts are answered. The polytheists’ demands for a “written book” expressed in verse 7 first appeared in the Surah al-Muddassir:

⁵²Rather, every person among them desires that he would be given scriptures spread.

(Muddessir/52)

As understood from verse 8, the polytheists posit their own condition regarding the “revealed Book”: “If Muḥammad (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa‑sallam) truly were sent by Allah as a Messenger, an angel should have descended from the sky and declared to the people, ‘This is the work of Allah—He has sent him as His Messenger; obey him or face punishment!’”

These objections—demanding an angelic envoy rather than a human prophet—are addressed repeatedly throughout the Qur’ān.

(Qaf/2, 3)

^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, 8)

In fact, the same logic was put forward for the prophet Noah:

^24,25Thereafter, the chiefs among his people who were infidels; those who consciously denied the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb said: “This is nothing but a human like you. He wishes to take precedence over you. Had Allah willed, He would surely have sent down the angels. We have not heard this among our ancestors. This is only a man possessed with madness. Then, wait for him in hope for a time”.

(Muminun/24, 25)

The requests of the unbelievers for angels to be sent are mentioned many times in the Surahs Yunus, Hijr, Hud, Isra and Furqan.

Our Lord responded to the polytheists’ demands that angels be sent down from the sky with two separate warnings in verses 8 and 9:

The answer given in verse 8 is the warning that “the angel being sent down” means “the time is over.” This warning is also expressed in other verses:

^14,15And even if We opened a door upon them from the heavens/universe and they ascended up through there, they would indeed say: “Our eyes have been dazzled/blurred. Actually, we are a people affected by magic”

(Hijr/8)

²²On the day on which they will see the angels; on that day, no good tidings will be for those sinners. And those who do not expect to meet Us will say: “It is forbidden, yes indeed!”.

(Furqan/22)

However, our Lord did not send an angel to compel the polytheists to believe outright; rather, He granted them time and opportunity to choose for themselves. Had an angel appeared as they demanded, their trial would have been nullified, and they would no longer have any chance to repent.

The second response to their demand—that the Messenger should be an angel—appears in verse 9. There, it is explained that if an angel were sent as a messenger, he would still take on the form of a “man,” so that his words could be comprehended, learned from, and acted upon. As the verse makes clear, the insincere skeptics would still refuse to believe: this time they would doubt whether he truly was an angel.

(Hijr/ 14, 15)

⁴⁴And if they saw a fragment falling from the heavens/universe, they would say: “These are clouds heaped up”.

(At-tur/44)

However, out of His mercy towards His creations, Almighty Allah chooses the messengers He sends from among themselves so that they can invite each other, talk and understand each other, and benefit from each other:

¹⁶⁴Indeed, Allah did a great favor to the believers by having sent them a prophet from among them who recited them His Ayat, purified them and taught them the book and the laws, rules and principles that are set forth to prevent injustice, corruption and chaos. But they had been in an explicit astray before.

(Al-i Imran/164)

Our Lord made the following statement in another verse regarding the messenger being an angel:

^90-93And they said: “We will not believe in you until you cause a spring to gush out from the ground. Or you must have a garden of dates and grapes. You must cause rivers to gush forth in force between them. Or you must make the heavens/universe fall upon us in pieces as you have claimed or you must bring Allah and angels before us. Or you must have a house ornamented with gold or you must ascend into the heavens/universe. But we will never believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book which we may learn and teach”. And say: “Purified is my Rabb from all deficiencies. I am nothing but a human messenger!”.

⁹⁴And what prevents the people from believing when the guidance/the Qur’an has come to them is only that they say “Has Allah sent a human as a messenger?”.

⁹⁵Say: “If it had been angels walking on the earth securely, We would certainly have sent down an angel as a messenger from the heavens/universe”.

(Isra/90- 95)

Verse 10:

¹⁰And surely, the messengers were ridiculed before you as well. Then, that which they ridiculed surrounded those among them who ridiculed.

In this verse, our Prophet—grieved by the falsehoods, excuses, and rejection of the polytheists—is comforted by being reminded that the same sequence of events befell earlier communities. Their mockery and rejection of their messengers ultimately surrounded and overwhelmed them, serving as an implicit warning to the Meccan idolaters. The term “siege” here evokes an image of the disbelievers weaving around themselves a cocoon of their own wrongdoing and punishment—much like silkworms spinning ever‑tightening threads. Throughout the Qur’ān, numerous passages recount how past deniers ridiculed and besieged their prophets, only to be overtaken by the very doom they sought to impose on the truth.

^6-8And We had sent many prophets to the former ones. They certainly ridiculed every prophet who came to them, then We seized and manipulated/destroyed those who were stronger than them in power. And the example of the former ones has preceded.

(Zuhruf/6- 8)

⁶⁵And if you asked them, they would certainly say, “We were only distracted, playing a game”. Say: “Is it Allah, His Ayat and His Messenger that you were mocking?”.

(At-Tawbah/65)

(An’am/33, 34)

Verses 11 – 16:

¹¹Say: “Travel through the earth, then observe how was the end of those who denied!”.

¹³And that which dwells in the night and in the day belongs to Him. He is the One Who hears best, knows best.

¹⁵Say: “Indeed, if I disobey my Rabb, I fear the punishment of a great day”.

¹⁶Whoever is averted from associating others with Allah/disobeying Him; Allah will have mercy upon him on that day. And this is the explicit salvation.

In these verses, our Lord employs a question‑and‑answer format to underscore that everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him, that He exercises absolute sovereignty over all living and non‑living creation, and that there should be no doubt He will convene mankind on the Day of Judgment.

In verse 11, those who ridicule the Qur’ān and mistreat the Prophet are invited to reflect on the fate of earlier communities who likewise rejected their messengers.

When considering the phrase “He has prescribed mercy upon Himself” in verse 12, one should understand that every act of divine compassion—sending prophets to guide humanity, revealing scriptures, granting respite in this world, and rewarding deeds in the hereafter—falls within the scope of God’s mercy and justice. All of these blessings are part of the mercy He has undertaken for Himself.

In verse 14, the challenge “Shall I take as a guardian other than Allah, who created the heavens and the earth from nothing and sustains them yet is not sustained?” calls the polytheists to critical reflection. Every false deity they worship depends on human support—whether Pharaoh exacting taxes to maintain his power or devotees erecting shrines to prop up the reputation of a saint. In contrast, Allah alone requires no one’s support, yet all creation depends entirely upon Him.

^56,57I formed everyone, that came and passed, whether you know or not, only to worship Me. I do not want any provision from them. And I do not want them to feed Me.

(Dhariyat56,57)

⁷If you disbelieve; consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb/If you will be ungrateful, know that, Allah is indeed the One Who does not need you at all and He does not approve disbelief; conscious denial of His divinity and the fact that He is Rabb/ungratefulness for His servants. And if you repay for the blessings you are given, He approves it for you. No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then your return is only to your Rabb. Thus He will inform you about what you did. Indeed, He is the One Who knows well what is hidden within the essence of the hearts.

(Az-Zumar38)

Verses 17, 18:

¹⁷And should Allah touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good, He surely is the One Who is competent over everything.

In these verses, our Lord declares that He is the Creator of all things—both good and evil—that He bestows bounty upon whom He wills and trials upon whom He wills, and that He can withdraw any gift He grants while none can withhold what He gives. He is the absolute al‑Qāhir (the Subduer), al‑Ḥakīm (the Wise Lawgiver), and al‑Khabīr (the All‑Aware) of His servants. By enumerating these attributes, Allah underscores His complete sovereignty over every aspect of existence, His exclusive authority over His servants, His perfect administration of all affairs, and His full knowledge of every hidden and manifest matter—reminding His servants to regain their composure and submit to His will.

²Whatever Allah grants humans from His mercy, no one can hold it back. And whatever Allah withholds, no one can release it. And Allah 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.

(Fatir/2)

It is not correct to infer from the verses in the passage that is our subject that God wants or harms His servant. Because all the harm, trouble, distress and evil that befalls the servant arises from his own self and his own actions:

⁷⁹That which comes to you of good is from Allah. That which comes to you of evil is from yourself. And We have sent you to the people as a messenger. And Allah is sufficient as a good witness.

(Nisa/79)

However, Allah is not pleased with harm coming to His servant:

(Az-Zumar7)

Considering the phrase meaning “if he wishes” in the verse, the sentence means that God allows his servant, whom he has blessed, to find the trouble he created in return for his bad behavior.

⁸³And when We bestow favor upon man, he distances himself and stays away. And when evil touches him, he is in despair.

(Isra/83)

In other words, the servant desires the trouble and the bad, and Allah allows that servant to find the trouble He has created.

Verse 19:

In this verse, which begins by affirming that there can be no greater or more reliable witness than Allah, it is explained that the Qur’ān was revealed to warn all people by presenting Allah Himself as a witness to the process of revelation. By asking the unbelievers whether they can actually testify that there are other deities besides Allah, the verse implicitly exposes the absurdity of their beliefs and claims. It concludes by assigning to our Prophet the task of clarifying what true and correct belief entails.

Allah has issued similar challenges elsewhere in the Qur’ān concerning “testimony”—showing that certainty can never rest on mere conjecture or guesswork but must be grounded in clear knowledge and compelling evidence:

¹⁵⁰Say: “Now, bring your witnesses who will testify that Allah has absolutely forbidden this”. If they testify despite this, do not testify with them. And do not follow the vain, transitory desires of those who deny My Ayat and who do not believe in Akhirat [Afterlife]. And they equate with their Rabb.

(An’am/150)

In verse 19, the phrase “you and whoever comes to you” makes clear that our Prophet’s message was not limited to the Arabs but addressed all people—across every land and until the end of time. A parallel expression in verse 92 confirms this universal scope. The verse’s closing reminder—that Allah alone is God and nothing may be associated with Him—recurs here and in many other Sūras.

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)

The following is written in the Asbabi revelation records about the reason for the revelation of this verse:

As for the first possibility, Ibn Abbas narrated the following: The notables of Mecca said, “O Muhammad! Didn’t Allah find anyone to make a prophet other than you? We do not see anyone who confirms you. We also asked the Jews and Christians about you. They said that you were a prophet.” They claimed that they did not have any statement or explanation with them. Then show us someone who will testify that you are a prophet!” They said, then Allah sent down this verse and said, “In order for them to accept and confess your prophethood, say, O Muhammad, “What is greater than Allah in terms of witnessing? Because the greatest of all things in terms of testimony is Allah Almighty.” When they accepted and confirmed this, they said, ‘Allah is a witness to my prophethood. Because He revealed the Quran to me. The Quran is a miracle. Because you are the interpreter and “You are eloquent people. However, you could not challenge the Quran. When that miracle happened, the fact that Allah revealed it in accordance with my cause is a testimony from Allah that I am faithful in my cause.” he said.

Verse 20:

²⁰Those to whom We gave the book know the Prophet as they know their own sons. Those who make their own selves lose, they do not believe.

After the undeniable facts are explained, another fact is expressed in this verse and it is stated that the People of the Book know our Prophet as well as they know their own sons; It is reported that unbelievers are just foolish people who destroy themselves and do not think about their future.

Some sources state that this verse is Madani:

According to what is reported, Hz. When the Prophet (pbuh) came to Medina, Hz. Omar (r.a) asked Abdullah Ibn Salam (r.a): “Allah Almighty sent down this verse to His prophet. How is this recognition process?” When asked; Abdullah Ibn Selam: “O Omar, I recognized him as soon as I saw him among you. Just like I recognized my son… Undoubtedly, I knew and recognized the Prophet Muhammad better than my own son. Because I may not know what women do. But I testify that, “This prophet is a true prophet from Allah,” he said.

Our view is that this verse is Meccan. Not only does its style and thematic unity align with the other Meccan passages of the Sūrah, but the mere reference to “the People of the Book” does not necessitate a Medinan setting. We find numerous Meccan verses addressing “those who were given the Book” (Aʿrāf 157; Furqān 7–8; Qāf 52–53; Isrāʾ 107–109, among others).

Moreover, the assertion that “the disbelievers know our Prophet well” also appears in Medinan verses, indicating that familiarity with the Messenger transcends any single period of revelation.

¹⁴⁶And those whom We have given the Book know the Prophet as they know their own sons. Surely, some of them definitely conceal the truth even though they know.-

(Baqara/146)

Verse 21:

Those who invent lies against Allah and deny Allah’s verses are described as the “most cruel” people in this verse, and their deeds are described as “oppression”. In our opinion, the reason for this qualification is to prevent people from lying, speaking falsely and putting forward opinions in the name of religion.

“Inventing a lie against Allah” essentially means distorting the words of Allah and claiming that He said things that He did not say. This includes actions and behaviors such as “speaking on behalf of Allah” and “claiming to be a prophet”. It is also within this scope to say that those whom some have made their own private circle, “have been given divine qualities, therefore they should be shown the same respect that would be shown to Allah, and that this has been approved by Allah, that is, Allah has allowed polytheism to be attributed to them.”

Many examples are given in the Quran of the lies that the polytheists and the People of the Book fabricated against Allah:

¹⁸And the Jews and the Christians said: “We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones”. Say: “If so, why does Allah punish you for your sins?” Rather, you are humans of what He has formed. He forgives whom He wills, punishes whom He wills. Only to Him belongs the possession and dominion of that which is in the heavens/universe and on the earth and in between. And only to Him will be the return.

(Maidah/18)

⁷⁹Woe to those who write a book with their hands and then say: “This is from Allah” to sell it for a price. Woe to them for what they have written with their hands! Woe to them for what they earn!

(Baqara/79)

⁷⁸And there is a fool and rogue group among the People of the Book who twist and turn their tongues towards the book so you may assume that it is from the book while it is not from the book. They say, “This is from Allah” while it is not from Allah. They lie about Allah while they know.

(Al-i Imran/78)

And Al-i Imran/181, Maidah/64, A’raf/28, Maidah/103, Isra/40, Nahl/57, En’am/7, Bakara/80.

In addition to the fabrications cited in the verses—such as “Angels are the daughters of Allah” and “Allah has forbidden the animals of Bahīrah and Ṣā’ibah”—the Jews and Christians have also propagated falsehoods of their own. They claim that the Torah and the Gospel contain provisions that their laws are immutable and that no prophet will follow Jesus.

From all of this, religious authorities and scholars should draw a clear lesson: when issuing fatwas in Allah’s name and elucidating the rulings of the faith, one must ground every judgment in the Qur’an and be thoroughly familiar with what Allah has revealed on the matter.

Verse 22:

²⁴See how they will lie against themselves! And that which they invented will depart from them and be lost.

These verses explain that polytheists will not find any other way other than denying their polytheism when they are questioned.

The question that is stated to be asked to the polytheists in verse 22 is also expressed in other verses:

⁶²And on that day, Allah will call them and say: “Where are My partners that you believed in wrongly?

(Qasas/62)

The word “fitnah” in the expression “their mischief” in verse 23 is generally understood as “excuse”. However, as we explained before, “fitnah” means burning, throwing into the fire, causing trouble in order to reveal the essence of the person. Therefore, from the use of the word here, it becomes clear that the liars who are questioned are also great liars who dare to lie before Allah.

LYING WILL NOT WORK IN THE AFTERLIFE

The behavior of the polytheists in question is expressed in the verse with past tense [past tense]. However, considering that the criminals will be out of their minds, confused and terrified during the interrogation at the apocalypse, it can be thought that it is possible for them to lie there too. As a matter of fact, many verses state that criminals lie in the afterlife (Ya Sin/65) (Fussılet/20, 21) (En’am/28) (Mücadele/18) (Müminun/112, 113) (Zühruf/77) (Mümin/69- 76) available:

Verse 25:

²⁵And among them are those who heed you; but We made coverings layers upon layers upon their hearts and a heaviness in their ears so they would not understand it. They will not believe in it even though they see all evidence/signs. Even when those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb come to you, they say arguing with you: “This is nothing but the invented legends of the ancients”.

²⁶And they prevent from it and they keep themselves away from it. And they drag themselves to be manipulated/destroyed without perceiving.

These verses describe the polytheists’ hostile attitude toward the Qur’an and condemn them for failing to recognize that such an attitude leads only to their own ruin. Their passions and ignorance have blinded their eyes and deafened their ears, rendering them unable to comprehend the Qur’an—even though they remain oblivious to this self‑inflicted impairment. As if their unconscious distancing from the truth were not enough, they dismiss the message as “old legends,” claiming, “We have been hearing this for a long time,” in an effort to prevent others from receiving its justice and guidance.

Almighty Allah explains the cause of the polytheists’ inability to see, hear, and understand: “We have set veils upon their hearts and heaviness in their ears,” so that they cannot grasp the truth.

According to the reports of asbāb al‑nuzūl, the occasion for the revelation of verse 25 was an incident in which Abū Sufyān, Walīd, Nāḍir, ‘Utbah, Shaybah, Umayyah, Abū Jahl, and their companions heard the Messenger of Allah reciting the Qur’an. They asked Nāḍir, “O Father of Kātīlah, what is Muḥammad saying?” He replied, “By Him who built the Ka‘bah, I do not know what he says, but he moves his tongue and recites tales of former times just as I too recite from the ancient peans.” Nāḍir was known for composing versified stories from Persia—of Rustam, Esfandiyār, and the like—and they boasted that some of Muḥammad’s verses resembled his own. Abū Jahl warned them not to concede even a single line, saying, “I would rather die than admit any of this is true.” It was in response to this arrogance and denial that the verse was revealed.

Some sources specify that this verse was revealed concerning the Prophet’s uncles—ten in number—who refused to support their nephew Muḥammad in conveying the truth and instead treated him with disdain.

Regardless of its original context, the verse’s warning applies to all who, in any era, stand opposed to Islam, remain indifferent, or seek to prevent others from heeding its call.

Verses 27 – 29:

²⁸Rather, what they have been concealing has now been disclosed. If they were returned, they would definitely return to that which was forbidden to them. Yes, they are truly liars.

²⁹And they said, “There is no life other than our simple worldly life, and we will not be resurrected either”.

In verse 27, we see the state and supplications of those in Hell who, blinded by their passions, closed their eyes and ears to the truth and slandered the way for others to protect their own interests.

Verse 28 explains that when these same people—now regretful—plead for another chance in this world, they are insincere. Our Lord, with His eternal knowledge, makes clear that even if they were released from Hell, they would persist in denial and polytheism, bound by the very passions to which they remain slaves. In other words, their expressions of remorse are a great lie—and, as Allah tells us, they will lie even on the Day of Judgment.

The phrase “what they had been hiding before came to light” indicates that, deep down, they did accept the reality of the afterlife and accountability; yet they feigned disbelief to serve their worldly ends.

¹⁰²Moses said: “You have definitely known that only Rabb of all universes and the earth has sent down the Ayat as evidence. And I certainly believe that you are destroyed”.

(Isra/102)

¹⁴And while their selves were completely convinced with these, they consciously denied them for they did wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah and because of their arrogance. – Look how was the end of the corrupters! –

(Neml/14)

⁴⁷And if all that is on the earth and the like of it with it belonged to those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah, they would definitely give it as ransom to be saved from the evil of the punishment on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]. And that which they never took into account will be made appear for them by Allah.

(Az-Zumar47)

Verse 30:

In this verse, a vivid scene is conveyed of the situation in the afterlife of those who deny resurrection after death and who do not accept life other than this simple life.

^13-16On that day, the deniers will be thrown into the fire of Jahannah [Hell]. –This is the fire you have been denying! Then, is this also a magic? Or, do you not see? Lean over it! Whether you have patience or you do not have patience, it is the same for you now. You will only be recompensed for what you did!-

(Tur/13-16)

The reason why the narration in the verse is done in the past tense is because its realization is certain, that is, the scene depicted will take place exactly the same.

Verses 31, 32:

In these verses, it is affirmed that those who deny the afterlife will certainly incur loss, that the Day of Judgment will arrive unexpectedly, and that this worldly life is nothing but play and amusement. By contrast, the Hereafter is far better for those who act righteously than any worldly diversion.

These words also remind us how brief our earthly existence truly is and warn that those who pin their hopes on fleeting worldly pleasures squander their chance at lasting, genuine happiness. Setting aside the years of childhood and old age—when worldly enjoyments are limited—anyone who forsakes the opportunity of eternal bliss for the transient pleasures of a short life has indeed suffered a grave loss. Not only do worldly entertainments obscure the truth, but indulging in them can pull one away from the taqwâ that leads to real joy in the Hereafter.

This, however, is not a call to reject all of life’s blessings. Rather, the overarching message is to prepare for the eternal life to come—through faith, righteous deeds, and piety—while never losing sight of Allah’s watchful presence in every action.

¹⁴Excessive and passionate desire for opposite sex, sons, heaped up gold and silver, fine branded horses, cattles bred for their meat and milk and crops has been beautified/made attractive to people. These are the enjoyments of the simple worldly life. And Allah is the One with Whom is the best return.

^15-17Say: “Shall I inform you of what is better than this? For the servants who have entered under the guardianship of Allah; who say, “Our Rabb! Indeed We have believed, then forgive our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire!”, who have patience; who resist, who are true, show respect constantly, who spend for the cause of Allah and ask forgiveness at the daybreaks; as their first work with clear mind, there will be gardens of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] underneath of which rivers flow and wherein they will abide eternally, pure spouses [who have not been stained by eye, thought; totally new] and approval from Allah. And Allah is the One Who sees the servants best.

(Al-i Imran/14-17)

⁸³That home of Akhirat [Afterlife]! We will prepare it for those who do not seek corruption and arrogance on the earth. And the outcome is for those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah.

⁸⁴Whoever brings a good, there will be a better one for him/there will be a good for him because of it. And whoever brings an evil; those who commit evil will be recompensed only with that which they did.

(Qasas/83, 84)

⁶⁴And this simple worldly life is only diversion and amusement. Indeed, the final home is definitely what is the life. If only they knew.

(Ankabut/64)

The fact that the Doomsday is called “السّاعةsaat [short time]” in verse 31 shows that the end of the Doomsday will occur in a very short time.

Verse 33 – 36:

³⁶Only those who listen will respond. The dead ones; only Allah will resurrect them. Then they will be returned only to Him.

Many truths are revealed in these verses in which our Prophet is addressed and consoled:

FIRST TRUTH: IT IS NOT THE PROPHET BUT GOD WHOM THE POLYTHEISTS REJECT

Historical records testify that before his appointment as Messenger, our Prophet was universally known for his honesty and integrity. Yet from the moment he began proclaiming Allah’s revelations, he faced the denials and destructive opposition of the polytheists—yet not a single one dared accuse him of lying or deceit about any worldly matter. Instead they would say, “We do not call you a liar; rather, we deny what you claim.”

In response to this hostile rejection, Almighty Allah reassures him in verse 33: “It is not you they reject as a liar, but rather Our message; why, then, should you be grieved when We are patient and grant them respite after respite?”

As you may recall, another verse affirming that our Prophet was rejected only after the truth reached him is found in Sūrah Qāf:

⁵Rather, they denied the truth when it came to them, that is why, they are in a confused condition.

(Qaf/5)

While analyzing this verse of the Surah Qaf, we also examined the concept of “Truth” and made detailed explanations about what this concept and the “Complicated Business” in which the polytheists are involved are. Due to the importance of the subject, we recommend re-reading the relevant section.

SECOND TRUTH: THE MESSHRIKS HAVE ALWAYS REJECTED THE MESSENGERS.

⁴If they deny you, surely messengers were denied before you as well. And matters are returned only to Allah.

(Fatir/4)

¹⁸⁴And if they have denied you now, know that the messengers who came with clear evidences, scriptures and the enlightening book before you were denied as well.

(Al-i Imran/184)

THIRD TRUTH: THE MESSENGERS WERE ALL PATIENT, AND GOD HELPED THEM ALL.

Patience is the most important indicator of being with God. Getting help from Allah is possible by being patient. For this reason, Almighty Allah gave orders to our prophet to be patient and also stated that he would help him:

¹³⁰Then be patient over what they say and introduce Allah/teach them with praise of your Rabb that He is purified from all deficiencies before the sunrise and before the sunset as well so you may be content!

Introduce Allah/teach at certain periods in the night and at both sides of the day that He is purified from all deficiencies!

(Ta Ha/ 130)

⁶⁰So, you, have patience. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. Never let those who have not believed in certainty loosen you.

(Rum/60)

¹⁷Be patient over what they say and remember our servant David who was the possessor of strengths. Indeed, he was the one who turned to his Rabb frequently.

(Sad/17)

Ve AhQaf/35, Tur/48, Müzzammil/10, Kalem/48, Bakara/153, Mümin/51, Saffat/171-173, Struggle/21.

FOURTH TRUTH: THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE MESSENGERS TO BE BORED OR SORRY, SINCE ONLY ALLAH CAN TURN INBELIEVERS INTO BELIEVERS.

³They; ^{Al-Hijr 91}those who assume that the Qur’an is nothing but a compilation of fragments that contain incantations, poems, myths, invented words, blasphemies; ³you may devastate yourself that they do not become the ones who believe!

(Shuara/3)

⁶Then, you would almost devastate yourself out of sorrow because of what they do if they do not believe in this Qur’an!

(Qaf/6)

FIFTH TRUTH: IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE MESSENGERS TO WORK MIRACLES.

³⁸Surely, We have sent prophets before you as well. And We gave them spouses and descendants [sons and daughters] as well. It is not for a prophet to bring an evidence/a sign without permission/knowledge of Allah. For every end of the term, there is a decree.

(Ra’d/38)

SIXTH TRUTH: ONLY THOSE WHO HEAR THE REVELATION WILL ACCEPT THE INVITATION.

SEVENTH TRUTH: IT IS GOD WHO LETS PEOPLE FREE TO BELIEVE OR NOT TO BELIEVE. ONLY GOD CAN RESURRECT THE DEAD.

An’am 35: “If it upsets you that the Meccan polytheists come running to you and do not believe immediately, and it does. Then go down to the bottom of the earth and go up to the skies. To achieve this, search for solutions and opportunities in the earth and in the sky; create miracles. You cannot do any of these, such a thing does not happen. Then leave them to God and focus on preaching!”

Verse 37:

In this verse it is noted that the polytheists demanded spectacular signs—“the splitting of the sea,” “the mountain rising as a canopy,” “the resurrection of the dead,” “angels sent down from the sky,” or “the heavens sent asunder”—and this demand is answered as follows. Had God granted them such an undeniable miracle, those among them who remained unbelievers would have proven worthy of complete destruction upon witnessing it. Yet His mercy prevents Him from exposing them to that doom. Although they fail to appreciate it, Allah withholds the very signs they insist upon as an act of compassion.

Another reason He does not grant their request is that Allah knows they seek these miracles out of sheer stubbornness and bigotry, not because they genuinely hope to benefit and believe; even if shown these signs, they would still refuse to accept them. From the phrase “But most of them do not know” we understand that this community is unaware that granting their demands would only deepen their denial. Had they understood this, they would have asked for signs to guide them—rather than to satisfy their own arrogance—and then Allah would have granted what they sought.

The following verses should also be remembered regarding the subject:

³²And once, they said: “O our Allah! If this is the truth itself that has come from You, then rain upon us stones from the sky immediately or give us a very painful punishment”.

(Anfal/32)

(Isra/90-93)

⁵⁹And what prevented Us from sending evidences/signs; manipulate/destroy, punish with a severe punishment was that former ones denied them. And We clearly and apparently assigned Thamud the duty of establishing social support institutions but they treated unjustly because of it. And We send those evidences/signs only as a warning.

(Isra/59)

⁴If We willed, We would send down a sign [evidence; ray, radiation and meteors, hurricane, flood] from the sky, just like what We did to ^{Al-Hijr 90}those testifiers¹⁵⁸ that they would have submitted to it.

(Shuara/4)

Verse 38:

In this verse, it is stated that all living things are connected within their own species, and that each species forms communities thanks to these bonds. This information, given by our Lord, is an undeniable miracle. Observing nature, we see that every species—with its distinct way of life and function—naturally gathers into groups, much like humans do. The verse implies that this communal structure applies not only to known and observed organisms but also to species yet undiscovered or scientifically unrecognized.

(An’am/59)

The “Book” mentioned in the verse is the Quran. Because in the Quran, all the prescriptions that people need are available completely and completely. The Quran does not exclude any principle that humanity will need. For this reason, the Quran has been shown as a miracle to those who expect a miracle:

⁵⁰And they said: “Why have not evidences/signs been sent down to him from his Rabb?”. Say: “Evidences/signs are only with Allah. I am only an explicit warner”.

⁵¹And is it not sufficient for them that We have revealed to you the Book that is recited to them? There is absolutely a mercy and a reminder in this for a people who believe.

(Ankabut/50, 51)

From the phrase “Then they will be gathered to their Lord” at the end of the verse, we understand that all living beings will be assembled on the Day of Judgment after death. This, however, does not imply that non‑human creatures—such as animals—will be held accountable or will claim rights from one another. God has placed all other living things at humanity’s service and has not required their responsibility. Their resurrection serves solely as a witness to the Day of Reckoning. Likewise, the expression “when the wild animals gather together” in Sūrah al‑Takwīr/5 does not describe the judgment‑day gathering itself, but rather depicts the astonishment of even wild beasts at the moment of the final reckoning.

Verse 39:

³⁹And those who deny Our Ayat are the deaf and dumb who are in the darkness. Whoever wills, Allah leads him astray and whoever wills, Allah puts him upon the righteous path.

In this verse, it is condemned that although humanity was created in “the best form,” people, driven by fleeting interests and passions, turn away from the countless signs and the clear, precise verses around them—thereby reducing themselves to the state of the deaf and dumb: irrational, contemptible, and lifeless.

The term “darkness” here—as noted in our analysis of the Sūrah’s opening—is not literal night, but the darkness of unbelief, polytheism, and discord.

Notice also the verse’s affirmation that “Allah lets stray whom He wills and guides whom He wills to the straight path.” This underscores that people are granted complete freedom to believe or reject.

The broader topic of “freedom of belief” has been explored under the concept of mashī’ah in light of Sūrah al‑Takwīr/29: “Had Allah willed, you would not have worshiped aught but Him.”

²⁷Allah keeps firm those who believe with a firm word/faith in the simple worldly life and in Akhirat [Afterlife]. And Allah leads those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Himself astray. And Allah does whatever He wills.

(Ibrahim/27)

^26,27Surely, Allah does not hesitate to present as an example a mosquito or that which is even smaller. Those who believe know that it is the truth, it is from their Rabb. The infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb say: “What did Allah intend to say with such an example?”. Allah leads astray many with the examples He presents and guides many with them. Allah leads astray only those who promise and make covenant and then break their promises that they made to Allah, those who break that which Allah has ordered them to unify; the unity of faith-good deeds and those who cause corruption on the earth, those who have gone astray from the righteous path. They are the ones who lose.

Baqara/26, 27)

^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.

(Maidah/16)

⁶⁹And We will surely guide those who strive in Our cause to Our paths. And indeed, Allah is with those who produce good.

(Ankabut/69)

^27-29,31And the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb say: “Why has not an evidence/a sign been sent down to him from his Rabb, if there was a Qur’an with which mountains would be moved, the earth would be broken apart or the deads would be made to speak…”. Say: “Surely, Allah leads astray whom He wills and guides to Himself those who cling sincerely; those who believe and whose hearts are assured by eliminating all question marks in their minds by remembering Allah”. Open your eyes! Hearts will only and only be assured by remembering Allah; eliminating all the questions in the minds. Those who have believed and have done amendatory deeds; only for them are all the good, good tidings and a beautiful return. In fact, all command belongs to Allah entirely. Have the believers still not understood that if Allah had willed, He would certainly have guided all people. As for those who deny, until the promise of Allah comes, a calamity will hit them or it will descend close to their lands for what they do, they will not be able to get away. Indeed, Allah does not break His promise.

(Ra’d/27-29,31)

Verses 40, 41:

⁴¹Actually you would invoke only Allah and He would remove what you ask for if He willed and you would forget that which you associated with Him.

If you recall, verse 38 reminded the Meccan polytheists—who demanded a miracle before they would believe—by drawing their attention to the countless living species, each with its own distinct mode of existence, that every creature around them is itself one of Allah’s innumerable signs. In the verses before us, another psychological trait of human nature is highlighted by pointing unbelievers to an aspect of their own experience. When confronted with calamity or the imminent threat of death, a person finds no refuge except in Allah. Indeed, in such dire circumstances even the most ardent idolaters forget their false deities and pray to Allah, and the most obstinate atheists find themselves compelled to seek His protection. In those moments of trial all forms of shirk vanish, and only Allah is invoked.

This characteristic of humanity is affirmed in numerous Qur’anic passages. Since these verses are collected in the commentary on Aʿrāf 189–195, we will cite only two examples here:

²²Allah is the One Who makes you travel on land and at sea. When you are in ships, ships sail with those who are in them with a good wind. And when the passengers rejoice, there comes a strong storm, waves come from every direction. And when they realize that they are surrounded, they supplicate Him as the ones who purify the religion for Allah: “If You save us from this, surely we will be the ones who repay”.

²³And when We save them from there, they commit transgressions without right on the earth as soon as they are saved. – O mankind! Your transgression is only against your own good as a gain of this worldly life. Then your return is only to Us. Then We will inform you about what you did. –

(Yunus/22, 23)

⁶⁷And when an adversity touches you at sea, those whom you invoke are lost, He, does not. And when He delivers you to the land and saves you, you distance yourselves immediately. And man is very ungrateful!

(Isra/67)

Mawdudi also made the following comments about these verses:

Ikrime, the son of Abujahil, one of the main enemies of Islam, also converted to Islam when he saw such a verse. Hz. When the Prophet conquered Mecca, Ikrima fled to Jeddah and from there he went to Abyssinia by sea. During the journey, a storm broke out that was strong enough to sink the ship. First, the passengers began to beg their gods and goddesses for help. But when the storm got so bad that they feared the ship was about to sink, they all shouted in unison, “Now is not the time to pray to anyone other than God, because only He can save us.” This opened Ikrimah’s eyes and heart: “If there is no one to help us here other than Allah, how can there be anywhere else? This is what Muhammad (pbuh) has been teaching us for twenty years and this is what we have been fighting against!” he thought. That moment was the most important moment in Ikrime’s life… He made a solid covenant with God as follows: “If I survive this storm, I will go directly to the Prophet Muhammad and become his follower.” God saved him from the storm and he fulfilled his promise. He not only became a Muslim, but also spent the rest of his life in the service of Islam by doing jihad.

Verses 42 – 45:

⁴²And surely, We sent messengers before you to those peoples with a leader and We seized them with unbearable hardship; poverty and adversities so they might humble themselves.

⁴³And when Our harsh punishment came to them, should not have they humbled themselves? But their hearts hardened and satan made that which they were doing attractive to them.

⁴⁵Thus eradicated were the people who did wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah, by disbelieving. –And all praise is to Allah, Rabb of all universes; no one else may be praised.-

In these verses, which console our Prophet in his sorrow over the unbelievers’ condition and warn the stubborn polytheists, our Lord lays out in clear and compelling terms both the nature of unbelief and its inherent absurdity. We are reminded of the fate of earlier peoples who ignored the messengers sent to them with unmistakable signs and counsel. To prompt them to return to Him, our Almighty Lord first tested them by diminishing their wealth and afflicting their lives. The term “difficulty” in verse 42 denotes financial calamities, while “troubles” refers to illness and other bodily afflictions.

⁴¹Corruption has emerged on the land and at the sea because of that which they have earned with their hands to make them taste some of which they have done so that perhaps the people will return; they will act in accordance with the principles of Allah.

(Rum/41)

In verse 44 it is explained that when people turned a deaf ear to the warning, Allah granted them relief and ease after their hardship. Yet this very comfort serves to heighten the warning: by lifting their distress, they grow even more heedless of Allah, become spoiled by their indulgences, and turn further away from the Messenger’s guidance. Indeed, this cycle—whereby wrongdoers persist in the vices encouraged by Satan, suffer the consequences, and are ultimately destroyed—is part of Allah’s established Sunnah.

Notice too that our Lord commands people, whenever hardship and calamity befall them, to call upon Him alone, for He is truly the One who answers prayers.

⁶⁰And your Rabb said: “Call upon Me, supplicate so I will respond. Surely, those who disdain worshipping Me will soon enter Jahannah [Hell], being despised”

(Mumin/60)

What is described here is not only what happened to the polytheists who lived in ancient times, but also the fate of all polytheists who will live in the world until the end of time.

Verses 46, 47:

In these verses, the polytheists are told that their shirk arises from their own heedlessness, and they are urged to believe in the one God they already know, without associating any partners with Him.

The message addressed to them is this: if Allah were to remove the faculty of hearing from your ears, the faculty of sight from your eyes, and seal your hearts—leaving you unable to perceive good or follow guidance, or rendering you like the insane—if He were to destroy your faculties or extinguish your hearts so that you could neither hear nor think, which god besides Allah could restore them? Yet right now you can hear, you can see, and your hearts can understand; you perceive this, do you not?

In verse 47, it is significant that those destroyed are described as the “people of the oppressors.” Throughout the Qur’an, the oppression singled out here is defined as shirk.

^80,81And his people argued with him. Abraham said: “Do you argue with me concerning Allah while He has shown me the righteous path? I do not fear those which you associate with Him at all. – Except for that which my Rabb wills.- My Rabb encompasses everything in knowledge. Do you still not think? And how should I fear that which you associate while you do not fear to associate others with Allah even though He has not sent down any power/authority about them? So, if you should know, which of these two communities has more right to be safe?”.

(An’am/80-82)

¹³And when Luqman said to his son, instructing him: “O my son! Do not associate others with Allah, surely, associating others with Allah is very wrong; acting against own good.

(Luqman/13)

According to the statement in verse 47, once polytheism extends from the individual to the social realm, destruction becomes inevitable. In these verses, the means of abandoning shirk are presented to the unbelievers’ reason: to employ the faculties of hearing, seeing, and understanding that Allah has bestowed, and to listen with sincerity to the Book He has sent.

^31,32Say: “Who is the One Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Or who is the One Who possesses ears and eyes; who is the One Who owns these? Who is the One Who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living? And who is the One Who arranges the matters?” They will immediately say: “Allah”. Then say: “So will you not still enter under the guardianship of Allah? Therefore He is Allah, your true Rabb. And what can be beyond truth except going astray! So how are you averted?

(Yunus/31, 32)

Verses 48, 49:

⁴⁸And We send the messengers that are sent only as bringers of good tidings and warners: And whoever believes and amends, there will be no fear for them. They will not grieve either.

⁴⁹Punishment will touch those who deny Our Ayat for they go astray from the righteous path.

These two verses provide another response to the “polytheists expecting miracles from the Messenger” attitude noted in verses 34 and 37 above. Here our Lord clarifies the Messengers’ duties, announcing the good news that Allah’s approval, His mercy, and the blissful Paradise in the Hereafter are reserved solely for those who believe and do righteous deeds. He also affirms that the Messengers are charged with warning those who deny Allah’s verses and that polytheists will face consequences both in this world and the next.

There are many Qur’anic verses stating that the Messengers’ duties are “to give good news” and “to warn” (e.g., Baqarah 25; Ahzab 47; Saff 13; Ya Sīn 11; Fussilat 13; Kāfirūn 36; Anbiyā’ 45; Baqarah 119, 213, 223; Nisa 138, 165; Kahf 2, 56; Saba 28; Fatir 23, 24, 37; Maryam 39, 97; An‘ām 5, 48; Tawbah 3, 112; Hajj 27, 34; Zumar 17; Isrā’ 9, 105; Furqān 56; Ahzab 45; Fatḥ 8; Mā’idah 19; A‘rāf 188; Yūnus 2, 87; Aḥqāf 9, 21; Ibrāhīm 44; Shu‘arā 115, 214; Muḍḍaththir 2; Mu’min 18; Ankabut 50; Saba 46; Ṣād 70; Mulk 26; Nūḥ 2).

In verse 48, “So whoever believes and does righteous deeds, there will be no fear upon them, nor will they grieve,” describes the outcome for those who respond to the invitation. The following statement in verse 49, “Those who deny Our signs will be punished for their transgressions,” likewise indicates the fate of those who reject the warning and turn away.

Verse 50:

Answering the polytheists’ mistaken notions and expectations about the Messenger continues in this verse. In response to their claim that “the Messenger must be a supernatural being and perform various miracles,” our Prophet is commanded to say, “I am not an angel, I do not possess knowledge of the unseen, nor are Allah’s treasures at my disposal.” In this verse, Prophet Noah is made to say something similar:

^25,26And indeed, We sent Noah as a messenger to his people: “Truly, I am an explicit warner for you. Do not worship anyone but Allah! I fear the punishment of a painful day about you”.

²⁷Then the chiefs among the infidels; those who consciously denied the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb of his people said: “We see you only as an ordinary human like us. We see that noone except the lowest ones of us who are narrow minded follows you. And we do not see any favor of yours against us. Rather, we think that you are liars”.

^28,31Noah said: “O my people! Have you ever thought about that if I am upon an explicit evidence from my Rabb and He has bestowed upon me His mercy and this fact has been concealed from you?! – Will we compel you to it even though you do not like it?” – ²⁹And he said: “O my people! I do not ask you any wealth. My payment is only from Allah. And I am not to drive away those who have believed. They certainly will meet their Rabb. But I consider you as an ignorant people”. ³⁰And he said: “O my people! If I drive them away, who will help me against Allah? And you, don’t you ever think? ³¹And I do not say to you that ‘treasures of Allah are with me’. And I do not know the unseen, the unheard, the unfelt, the past and the future. And I do not say to you that ‘I am an angel’. And I do not say about those whom you scorn, ‘Allah will not give them any good’. Allah is the One Who knows best what is within themselves. Then I would definitely be among those who do wrong; act against their own good”

(Hud/25-31)

In the verse that is our subject, the words about “God’s treasures” were not made to be said out of the blue by our Prophet. The polytheists asked our Prophet for things that could only be done with the power of Allah:

(Isra/90-93)

³⁷And they said: “Why has an evidence/a sign from his Rabb not been sent down to him?”. Say: “Surely, Allah is the One Who is able to send down an evidence/a sign, but most of them do not know”.

(An’am/37)

It was upon these requests that our Prophet was made to say that the treasures of Allah were not with him. These words express that the polytheists made wrong demands.

Prophet Moses had previously encountered similar demands:

⁵⁵And when you said: “O Moses! We will not believe in you until we see Allah manifestly” and a faint from intense fear hit you while you were looking on.

(Baqara/55)

⁶⁰And when Moses asked for water for his people and We said to him: “Implement your experience upon your stonehearted people!”. Then, twelve groups/people of cities were divided into many directions from his stonehearted people. The people of each city learned/marked where they would obtain their water. –Eat and drink; enjoy from the provision of Allah and do not transgress on the earth by causing corruption.-

⁶¹And when you said: “O Moses! We can never endure just one kind of meal, so call upon your Rabb so He may grow for us that which emerges from the earth; vegetables, gherkin, garlic, lentil and onion”. And Moses said to you: “Do you really wish to exchange that which is supreme with the lesser? Go to a town/Egypt, then you will have what you asked”. And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and then Allah was not pleased with them. That was because they disbelieved; consciously denied the Ayat of Allah and fought against the prophets unjustly. And this is because they disobeyed and transgressed.

(Baqara/60,61)

It is stated in the Surah Al-A’raf that our Prophet did not know the unseen:

¹⁸⁸Say: “I am not capable of getting any benefit or precluding any loss other than what Allah wills. If I had known the unseen, unheard, unfelt, the past and the future, I would definitely have wished to increase the good/used it to my own advantage. And I was involved in nothing evil. I am only a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe”.

(A’raf/188)

Our Prophet consistently rejected claims that he was “endowed with extraordinary powers.” Sadly, these misconceptions—explicitly refuted by the Qur’anic language—have persisted, and spurious legends about such powers continue to circulate.

The polytheists’ demands—and the Prophet’s reply, “I do not say that I am an angel”—are articulated similarly in Sūrah al-Furqān.

(Furqan, 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.

²¹And those who do not expect to meet Us said: “Angels/natural forces should have been sent down upon us” or “Why do we not see our Rabb?” Indeed, they believed in their arrogance within themselves and transgressed more and more by committing a great transgression.

²²On the day on which they will see the angels; on that day, no good tidings will be for those sinners. And those who do not expect to meet Us will say: “It is forbidden, yes indeed!”.

(Furqan/20, 22)

From the statement that our Prophet was made to say, “I only follow what is revealed to me,” it is understood that the messenger had to obey and implement the revelation that came to him. This issue is also emphasized in other verses:

²⁰³And when you do not bring an Ayah to them, they say: “Why have you not made up one?” Then say: “I only follow what is revealed to me from my Rabb”. Then, this Qur’an is the statement of your Rabb that will open the eye of heart, is a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.

(A’raf/203)

¹⁵And when Our Ayat were recited to them clearly, those who do not expect to meet Us said: “Bring a Qur’an other than this or change it!”. Say: “It is out of the question for me that I change it with my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me. Indeed, I fear the punishment of a great day if I disobey my Rabb”.

(Yunus/15)

⁹Say: “I am not the one who came forth first of the messengers. And I do not know what will be done to me and to you. I only follow what is revealed to me. And I am only an explicit warner”.

(Ahqaf/9)

Our Lord also stated that when speaking on behalf of religion, our prophet could only speak what was revealed to him and could not say anything else:

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.

(Necm/3-5)

^44-47If the Messenger/Muhammad had made up some words as if they were Our words, We would certainly have taken all his power from him. Then We would surely have cut his vital point from him. And none of you could have been shield to him.

(Hakkah/44-47)

From these words of our Lord it is evident that, just as our Prophet obeys only the revelation sent down by Allah and speaks in religious matters solely with His words, so too must those who follow him adhere exclusively to the Qur’an. Indeed, there are numerous verses commanding our Prophet and his followers to accept only what has been revealed (for example: Aʿrāf 158; Āl ʿImrān 31; Bāqarah 170; Anʿām 104; Luqmān 21).

Verses 51, 52:

In these verses, our Prophet is instructed both in what he must warn about and how he must fulfill his role as a warner. As emphasized in verse 51 and numerous other passages, this duty of admonition is to be carried out through the Qur’an itself. Therefore, anyone who assumes the role of a warner today should base their warnings exclusively on the Qur’an.

⁵²Then do not obey those infidels who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb and strive against them with your best efforts, with the Furqan!

(Furqan/52)

(An’am/70)

⁴⁵We know better what they say. And you are not, over them, the one who forces them. So, remind those who fear My threat with the Qur’an.

(Qaf/45)

Do not drive away those who pray to their Lord!

As this instruction makes clear, the Meccan polytheist leaders did not deign to associate with the poor and asked our Prophet to expel the faithful, poor believers from around him. As indicated in the opening verses of Sūrah ʿAbasa, our Prophet briefly thought that those leaders might believe if he complied, but this action did not receive Allah’s approval.

The concept of immoral social hierarchy—which typically judges people by their occupation or wealth—has existed since early in human history. Recall that the people of Prophet Noah also made the same request of him:

(Hud/27)

¹¹¹They said: “Shall we believe in you while the lowest people follow you?”.

^112-115Noah said: “I do not have any knowledge about what they do. Their account is only upon my Rabb. If you think! And I am not the one to drive the believers away. I am only an explicit warner”.

(Shuara/111-115)

The records of “Esbab-ı Nüzul” mention the following event regarding the reason for the revelation of the verse that is our subject:

It is narrated that Abdullah Ibn Masud said: “A group of Quraysh visited the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). At that time, the Prophet was accompanied by Suheyb, Khabbab, Bilal, Ammar and others, who were among the weak and poor Muslims. They said, “Did you abandon your people and choose these? Will we be subject to them? Drive them away! If you expel them, then perhaps we will obey you.” Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “I am not someone who expels the believers.” Quraysh said: “Then remove them from you when we come; When we get up and leave, if you want, make them sit next to you!” Hoping that they would believe, the Prophet said: “It is possible.” According to what is narrated, Hazrat Omar said to the Prophet: “If you do it, let’s see how they will be.” !” he said. Then, when these Qurayshis insisted on this issue and said to the Prophet: “Write a letter for us on this subject!”, the Prophet summoned Hazrat Ali with a piece of paper to write it down. Here it is. Thereupon, this verse is revealed. Thereupon, the Prophet throws away that paper. Hazrat Umar apologizes for this statement. For this reason, Salman and Khabbab said: “This verse was revealed about us. Hz. The Prophet was sitting with us and we were so close to him that our kneecaps touched his kneecaps. When he wanted to leave us, he would get up and leave.

Verse 53:

⁵³And We said, “Did Allah do good to those among us?!” We dragged some of them into the fire and tested them with others, so that they might say: Doesn’t Allah know better those who repay for the blessings given to them?

As indicated by the statement in the verse, “We caused discord among them in this way,” our Lord tests people through one another, thereby facilitating their growth and maturity. This implies that social differences—inevitable aspects of communal life—constitute a trial from Allah. Yet those endowed with wealth and status, attributing their position solely to personal merit, often belittle and oppress those less fortunate or lower in rank. Conversely, those with less wealth and status envy those who possess more. These disparities serve as Divine tests designed to mature individuals and enhance their value. Both Qur’anic verses and everyday experience show that these trials typically involve wealth, rank, lineage, and intellect.

Other verses similarly affirm that worldly advantages are not the result of human effort alone but are granted by Allah:

⁷¹And Allah favored some of you over others in provision. Those who are favored over others do not distribute their provisions; their foods and drinks, wealth equally to those who are under their protection in accordance with the contracts. Then, do these consciously cover up the favor of Allah?

(Nahl/71)

²⁸Allah presents to you an example from yourselves: Do you give the same value to one another, do you become equal to them when you have partners among those who are trusted to you in accordance with the laws in that which We have provided for you? Thus We explain the Ayat for a people who use their reason.

(Rum/28)

³²Are they the ones who distribute the mercy of your Rabb? It is We Who have distributed their livelihood among them in this simple worldly life. We have raised some of them above some of others in degrees so they may make use of one another for service. And the mercy of your Rabb is better than that which they accumulate.

(Zuhruf/32)

If those who have abundance become arrogant—humiliating and ridiculing those with little—and those with little become jealous and envious of those with abundance, both will fail the test:

^6-8Certainly not as you think! Even though the return is to your Rabb, man certainly transgresses when he sees himself self sufficient.

(Alak/6-8)

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”.

(Kamer/23-25)

It’s also possible to interpret the phrase “We caused discord among some of them by means of others” in light of the broader context of this passage, understanding the verse to mean: “We test the rich and arrogant by granting the blessing of Islam to the poor, the orphans, and those of low social standing.”

Verse 54:

In this verse, the Prophet is instructed on how to behave toward believers: he should wish them well, remind them that any mercy he extends is by Allah’s leave, and treat those who come to him with compassion and patience. In this way, sinners are prevented from falling into hopelessness and despair.

Here, with the doors of mercy flung wide open, Allah describes those whom He will forgive as “those who err unknowingly and then repent.” The term “unknowingly” does not imply willful ignorance but rather thoughtlessness. A believer who sins in a moment of passion cannot fully appreciate what they have lost or the rewards they have forfeited in the hereafter. Lacking that awareness, they choose fleeting worldly pleasures over the enduring blessings to come—a preference tradition rightly calls “ignorance.” Thus Allah promises to pardon such acts, provided they are followed by sincere repentance, without any attempt to weigh profit against loss.

¹⁷Repentance which is accepted by Allah is only of those who commit evil deeds in ignorance and then repent right away. Those are the ones whose repentance Allah accepts. Allah is the One Who knows best, the One Who is the best law maker.

(Nisa/17)

In the records of Esbab-ı Nüzul, this verse is mentioned by Ömer b. It has been claimed that it was revealed about Khattab.

Verse 55:

⁵⁵Is Allah not the One Who knows better those who repay for the blessings they are given? Thus We explain the Ayat in detail.

In this verse, our Lord affirms that He always presents the verses of the Qur’an in detail. However, the clause in the second half—“so that the path of the criminals may be revealed to you”—is not the reason He provides those detailed explanations, since it grammatically attaches back to the clause in verse 53, “That they may say, ‘Has Allah done good to those of us?’” Most English translations render verse 55 as, “And thus We detail the verses so that the path of the wrongdoers may be made clear to you.” Yet the Arabic reads ولتستبين (ve litestebiyne), and it is untenable to regard the initial vav (و) as superfluous. Therefore, this conjunction cannot be omitted. The relationship between the clauses becomes clear when verses 53 and 55 are read together:

And We said, “Did Allah do good to those among us?!” We dragged some of them into the fire and tested them with others, so that they might say: Doesn’t Allah know better those who repay for the blessings given to them? Is Allah not the One Who knows better those who repay for the blessings they are given? Thus We explain the Ayat in detail.

As can be seen, revealing the path of the criminals, or making it clear to our Prophet, is not the reason for detailing the verses, but rather part of God’s trial. This becomes manifest in the fact that criminals tread a path other than the one Allah has shown in the Qur’an. Since our Lord distinguishes between right and wrong in great detail, prohibits coercion in religion, and grants people freedom, it is immediately apparent that, in exercising this freedom, humans have strayed from the path of truth laid out in the Qur’an.

²⁵⁶There is no compulsion in the religion; faith has been separated clearly from the denial of the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb; good from evil, truth from going astray. So, whoever disbelieves in Taghut ; denies it and believes in Allah, he has grasped a handhold that never breaks. Allah is the One Who hears best, knows best.

(Baqara/256)

Since the expression “تستبينtestebiyne” in the verse is read as “يستبينyestebiyne” in some recitations, we have given the meaning of both recitations in our translation.

Verses 56, 57:

Our Lord commands our Prophet to explain certain truths from verse 56 through verse 67. In the first of these verses, our Prophet’s circumstances are revealed; in the second, the polytheists’ situation is laid bare, and they are urged to perceive the truth. Verse 57 captures the polytheists’ complaint: “Why is no punishment visited upon us, though we openly deny and reject you? If you were truly sent by God, the earth would swallow us, and lightning would strike those who deny and insult you. How is it possible that the Messenger of Allah and his followers endure unimaginable torment, while their persecutors live untroubled?” It is clear what they mean. The very fact that they rest on this mistaken premise and demand that the threatened punishment be enacted immediately shows they do not truly believe they will be subjected to it.

³²And once, they said: “O our Allah! If this is the truth itself that has come from You, then rain upon us stones from the sky immediately or give us a very painful punishment”.

(Anfal/32)

²¹And mention Hud, brother of Ad! When he warned his people in Al-Ahqaf. –Surely, warners had passed before him and after him [all around] who said: “Do not worship anyone except Allah. Indeed, I fear the punishment of a great day for you”.-

²²They said: “Have you come to turn us away from our idols? If you should be of the truthful, bring the punishment with which you have been threatening us right now”.

²³Hud, brother of Ad, said: “Indeed, the knowledge about when the punishment will come is with Allah. I convey to you what is sent with me. But I see you a people acting ignorantly”.

(Ahqaf/21-23)

⁵³And they ask you to hasten the punishment. If there had not been an end of a specified/predetermined term, punishment would definitely have come to them. And that punishment will indeed come to them suddenly while they do not perceive.

(Ankabut/53)

Verses 58 – 61:

⁶¹And Allah maintains sovereignty over His servants and sends protectors upon you. And when death comes upon any of you, Our messengers take his life, with nothing more nothing less; remind him one by one what he did in the past and what he failed to do while being obliged to. ⁶²Then they will be returned to their real God, Allah. Be careful, judgment belongs only to Him and He is the swiftest of accountants”.

The messages that our Lord continues to give in this passage through our Prophet can be appreciated as follows:

“If the punishment that the polytheists desired were within the power of the Prophet, the matter would have been settled long ago. However, the Prophet is only a conveyor—a warner and bearer of good news. It is not his power to bring or inflict torment; he cannot punish them. If it were up to him, he would not wait any longer and would punish immediately, for he is only human.

“The Prophet does not know the unseen either. The keys to the unseen belong to Allah alone, and only He knows all that is hidden. He knows everything on land and in the sea; not a single leaf falls without His knowledge. Everything in the darkness of the earth, whether fresh or dry, is within His knowledge.

“It is Allah who puts people to sleep and who wakes them up. He gives life to the dead, and one day He will bring them back to Himself and hold them to account. Allah is Almighty over His servants. He appoints guardians over them, and at the moment of death they take the soul—fully informing the person of what has gone before and what lies ahead, as though presenting them with their record. Then they return to the true God, and the final judgment is His; He is the swiftest to take account.”

¹¹There are observers for each person, supervising and protecting him from between his two hands and from his behind –as an affair of Allah-. Indeed, until a people alter that which is in their very selves, Allah will not change anything. And when Allah intends misfortune for a people, then there is no repelling it. And there is no familiar who helps, protects, guides for them from among those that are inferior to Allah.

(Ra’d/11)

^17,18While two recorders, based on his left and on his right (all around him) record all his deeds, man does not utter any word except that there is an observer with him.

(Qaf/18)

^9-12Certainly not as you think! You deny the Religion although there are surely noble writers upon you which memorize that which you do.

(Infitar/9-12)

The phenomenon of “recorders” and “witnesses” is based on our Lord’s will to show that He used impartial evidence and did not oppress anyone.

⁴⁹And the Book/the book of deeds will be placed. You will see the criminals fearful of it. And they will say: “O woe to us! What kind of book is this that it has enumerated all without leaving anything, small-great”. And they will find what they did present. And your Rabb does not treat anyone unjustly.

(Qaf/49)

^13,14And We wrapped the recompenses of the deeds of every person around his neck permanently. And We will bring for him the book which he will find open on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]: “Read your own book! Your own self is sufficient for you today as an accountant against yourself!”.

(Isra/13, 14)

From the statement in verse 61, “Then when death comes to one of you, Our messengers cause him to die, never adding to it nor reducing it,” we understand that more than one being is responsible for the act of dying. We also see that the term “death” here encompasses two related but distinct phenomena: the onset of death itself and the precise moment when the soul is taken. According to the verse, the messengers of Allah perform that very act of removal, at which point the departing soul is fully presented with its record.

In verses 60 and 61 it is further clarified that soul and body are separate realities—human beings are not merely physical, but a union of body and soul. The verse indicates that the soul departs from the body during sleep and returns upon waking. These insights touch on profound questions about life, consciousness, and the mind–body relationship—topics that invite deeper research by biologists and psychologists.

MAWLA, THE REAL MAwLA

The “true Mawlā” in the expression “they will be returned to their true Mawlā, Allah” in verse 62 means “Creator, Provider, Resurrector, and Absolute Owner.” Allah, the true Lord, will restore everyone to Himself after death by resurrecting them in order to hold them to account.

The word mawla—used both as subject and as object—means “one who is close, one who helps, one who protects, one who guides” when acting as agent, and “one who is close to, helped, protected, guided” when acting as patient. In Islamic law, the slave‑owner who frees a slave is called mawla, and the freed slave is also called mawla. In many parts of the Islamic world, people are respectfully addressed as مولانا (mawlānā, “our Mawlā”). However, in light of the Qur’anic usage, we believe it is inappropriate to use this title for anyone other than Allah in a religious sense.

Verses 63 – 65:

In this group of verses, to give the polytheists—who are trying to suppress their feelings—the opportunity to confront themselves, the truth they cannot confess is revealed through our Prophet, and those who grow arrogant because they escape punishment are warned or even threatened with the following words: “You know that no one but Him can save you, yet you set up partners with Him. Allah subjects you to misery through natural calamities or by sowing discord among yourselves.”

The phrase “darkness of the land and sea” in verse 63 should be understood as material disasters—floods, earthquakes, droughts, infertility, environmental pollution, rising seas that flood the land, and the extinction of species essential to human sustenance. As with the human response described in Al‑A‘raf 189–192, many Qur’anic verses note that in such distressing circumstances people wholeheartedly turn to Allah and promise gratitude, but once relief comes they forget their vows and become ungrateful. They are thus warned to abandon this harmful habit:

(Yunus/22)

(Isra/67)

⁶³Is that which they associate with Allah better or the One Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, the One Who sends winds as the bringer of good tidings before His mercy? Is there any other deity with Allah? Allah is high above than those that they associate with Him.

(Neml/63)

And Falâk/1-5, Yunus/12, A’raf/189-192.

With the expression in verse 65, which our Lord made our prophet say, it is stated that ungrateful people are given many opportunities to activate their ability to understand and to come to their senses.

⁷¹And if the truth had followed their desires; the heavens/universe, the earth and those who are in them would have been ruined. Actually, We have brought their glory/reminder; then they are the ones who keep their distance from their own glory/reminder.

(Muminun/71)

Verses 64 – 66:

Since this verse, like verse 104, begins with the words spoken by our Prophet, it continues the paragraph that opens with “Servant [say]” addressed to him. To avoid confusing the Prophet’s own words with those of the Qur’an, this verse should be understood as part of that same paragraph; in our view, it belongs as the 65th verse of Sūrat al‑Anʿām.

In this verse, our Lord tells us that the Prophet should not seek an arbitrator outside the Qur’an, posing it as a rhetorical denial.

THE MEANING OF THE WORD “REFEREE”

Linguists have noted that the Arabic words حكم (ḥakim) and حاكم (ḥākim) share a root, yet a careful reading of the Qur’anic passages where “referee” appears (e.g. Nisa 35; Anʿām 114) shows that “referee” conveys a higher sense than “judge.” In the Qur’an, all who judge are called judges, but only one who passes judgment with absolute truth is termed a referee. Thus, when the verse asks, “Should I seek a referee other than Allah?”, it really means, “Should I look for any judge who rules with perfect justice other than Allah?”

After presenting the Prophet’s own words, Allah turns the conversation back to Himself, reminding us that those among the People of the Book who are learned in their scriptures know full well that the Qur’an has been sent down by Allah with unerring truth. They—and therefore all who understand their own traditions—have no doubt that this Book is divine revelation. Here, “those to whom We gave the Book” refers specifically to the Jewish and Christian scholars in Mecca, since this verse is Meccan. Elsewhere the Qur’an likewise records the testimony of the People of the Book—and even their own scriptures—that the Qur’an is indeed the true Book and that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger.

⁴³And those who disbelieve; consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb say: “You are not the messenger”. Say: “Allah and the one who has the knowledge of the Book are sufficient as witness between you and me”.

(Ra’d/43)

¹⁰Say: “Have you ever thought? If the Qur’an is from Allah and you consciously denied it, while a witness from among Israelites testified for something similar and believed, and you acted arrogantly… Surely, Allah does not guide a people who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Himself”.

(Ahqaf/10)

On the other hand, there are statements in the Bible that God will send a messenger later:

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you and your brothers. Listen to him.

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. You will hear my words from his mouth. He will tell them everything I commanded him.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, the Spirit of truth, to be with you forever. The world cannot accept Him. Because he neither sees nor recognizes Him. You know Him. For He lives among you and will be in you.

66, 104, 67

Verse 66:

“In these verses, our Lord addresses our Prophet’s people—those who denied him despite the truth of his divine revelations—as though saying:

“I have no power to force you or make you act as I wish; my sole responsibility is to convey the message and bear witness. I have fulfilled that duty, yet you have rejected Allah. The very consequences I warned you about will surely unfold at their appointed time. Every deed has its recompense, and you will know it soon.”

These verses constitute a warning to the deniers. Their wording allows the punishment to be understood as occurring either in the hereafter or in this world.

Our Lord’s threats to those who stray appear elsewhere as well (Qaf 29; Hud 84–86; Sad 88; Ra’d 37):

It is possible to interpret the pronoun “he” in verse 66 as referring to “torment,” “the Qur’an,” or “the explanation of the verses,” depending on the flow of the passage. We consider “the Qur’an” the most appropriate referent, since the Qur’an encompasses both admonition and explanation. This view is further supported by the following verse:

⁵⁰And what statement will they believe after the Qur’an?

(Murselat/50)

104 / 68 – “Surely, insight has come to you from your Lord. So whoever sees the truth will benefit himself, and whoever is blind will harm himself. I am not a guardian over you!”

This verse belongs in that paragraph and should follow verse 67. It was placed here by the compilers of the Mushaf because of the association between “بصر basar” in verse 103 and “بصائر baṣā’ir” in this verse. Otherwise, it cannot be properly understood in this position. If accepted here, it would imply these are the Prophet’s own words, mixing his speech into the Qur’an. Indeed, some scholars have prefixed it with “قل qul [say]” to avoid this problem. But when moved to its rightful place, both technically and semantically, the issue disappears: it simply continues the words Allah had the Prophet say in verses 66 and 67.

By referring to the rational evidence presented in the preceding verses, our Lord warns everyone to act with common sense and to move from darkness into light by reflecting on that evidence. He then makes the Prophet declare that he has no authority or guardianship over the community—he has delivered all the means of guidance himself.

The word “بصائر baṣā’ir” here is the plural of “بصيرة baṣīrah,” meaning “perception” or “insight of the heart.” It differs from “بصر baṣar,” which means “seeing with the eyes.” “Insight” thus denotes true understanding in the heart. This term appears elsewhere in the Qur’an (e.g., Qiyāmah 14; Yūsuf 108; A‘rāf 203; Isrā’ 102; Qaṣaṣ 43; Ḥā Mīm 45 20).

The phrase “Surely, insight has come to you from your Lord” refers back to those earlier verses. Though they are not literally “insight,” their clarity and power become a means of inner vision for those who grasp their truth. They are called “insights” because they awaken true perception in the heart.

Finally, in the verse, “whoever sees the truth” uses “sees” to mean “knows,” while “whoever is blind” means “whoever remains ignorant.” A similar usage occurs in Sūrah al‑Ḥajj.

⁴⁶Have they not travelled through the earth so they might have hearts to reason and ears to hear. Indeed, it is not the eyes that go blind but, hearts which are within the chests go blind.

(Hajj/46)

The last sentence of verse 104, “I am not a watchman over you”, is better understood in Shura 48:

⁴⁸If they keep their distance despite this, let them know that We have not sent you as a guardian over them. Upon you is only to convey. And indeed when We made man taste a mercy from Us, he rejoices in it; but if an evil touches him for what he has done with his hands, then indeed, man is ungrateful.

(Shura/48)

This means that there is no compulsion in religion. People are free to learn or not to learn, to see or not to see, to believe or not to believe.

Verses 68, 69:

In these verses, which address our Prophet and instruct all Muslims, we are commanded not to waste time arguing with those who speak of Allah’s signs without knowledge, but rather to focus solely on warning. In verse 68, we are also told to turn away from those who treat their religion as a game and entertainment, who live in ease thanks to their blessings yet become slaves to worldly life. Furthermore, our Prophet is informed that if he forgets this command, he should enact it once he remembers—underscoring that honest forgetfulness incurs no blame. Our Lord pardons this human frailty and establishes it as a general principle: one cannot be held accountable for what one genuinely forgets.

The word خوض (ḥawḍ) in the original verse is often rendered “diving,” but here it signifies “engaging in frivolous talk.” Etymologically, ḥawḍ refers to walking on water—or in air—where one leaves no trace. Hence, its figurative sense is “wasting effort” rather than “diving in for entertainment.” This understanding better conveys the prohibition against pointless chatter. The same term appears elsewhere (e.g., Muḍḍaththir 45; Ṭūr 11–12; Ḥāffāt 83).

In verse 69, believers are reassured that, when truly necessary, they may sit among polytheists and sinners without sin—provided they offer sincere counsel and remind them of divine truths. This allowance does not contradict the earlier injunction against living among those who mock Allah’s signs; rather, it underscores that Muslims should avoid environments where the Qur’an is ridiculed, even as they seize rare opportunities to guide others. The prohibition against cohabiting with polytheists and sinners is then further reinforced by the following verse.

^140,141And Allah has revealed to you in the Qur’an: “When you hear that the Ayat of Allah are consciously denied and ridiculed, do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Otherwise, you will be like them”. Surely, Allah will gather in Jahannah [Hell] those who observe you/the hypocrites and infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb. When you gain a victory from Allah, they say: “Were we not with you?”. And when there is a share for the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb, they say: “Did we not gain advantage for you, did we not protect you from the believers?”. On the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection], Allah will judge among you. Allah will never give a way to the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb against the believers.

(Nisa/140, 141)

The following incident is described in the Esbab-ı nuzul records regarding this issue:

“Muslims said, “When the polytheists made fun of the Quran and started talking about it, if we leave them, we will not be able to sit in the Masjid al-Haram and circumambulate the Kaaba.” So this verse was revealed. With this verse, believers were given the license and permission to sit with the polytheists and explain the religion to them with advice and advice.

Verse 70:

In this verse, our Lord provides further detail on the command not to sit with those who engage in vain chatter. The word ذَرَّ (zer), rendered here as “leave,” carries the sense of “turn away” or “pay no attention.” In other passages, Our Lord reiterates that such people will have no helpers and that the Prophet distanced himself from them:

⁹¹Indeed, those who disbelieved; consciously denied the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb and die while they are disbelievers; never will the whole capacity of earth of gold be accepted from any of them –even if they give it as ransom/compensation-. It is those for whom an unbearable punishment will be. And there will be no helpers for them.

(Al-i Imran/91)

³Let them eat, enjoy and be diverted by false hope. But they will know soon.

(Hijr/3)

⁸³So leave them right away, let them be in vain and amuse themselves until they meet the day which they were promised.

(Zuhruf/83)

Turning away from them does not imply that they are beyond counsel or warning; rather, it means refraining from intimacy or close association. Indeed, after instructing the Prophet to turn away, our Lord immediately commands him to offer admonition through the Qur’ān. A parallel passage appears in Sūrah An-Nisā’:

⁶³Then they came to you swearing by Allah and saying: “We intended nothing but good conduct and conciliation”. They are the ones of whom Allah knows what is within their hearts; now keep your distance from them and remind them. And tell them good words about themselves that would deeply touch them!

(Nisa/63)

The purpose of persisting in warning and advising polytheists and sinners—while refraining from close association—is to preserve the hope that a final admonition may guide them to the right path. Believers must maintain the conviction that even the most hardened disbelievers can be brought to true guidance:

¹⁶⁴And when a community from among them; a people with a leader said: “Why do you advise a people that will be manipulated/destroyed or punished with a severe punishment by Allah?”; then those who warned them said: “As an excuse before your Rabb so they may enter under the guardianship of Allah too”.

(A’raf/164)

⁴³You both go to Pharaoh. He truly has transgressed. ⁴⁴Then speak to him softly so he may be reminded and fear in awe with respect, love and knowledge”.

(Ta Ha/43, 44)

Verse 71 – 73:

In this group of verses, many facts are explained after the warning given through the example of a foolish person.Again, these facts reported through our prophet are as follows:

* It is true that Allah created the universe with truth and that He commanded “Be!” What he said immediately happened.

* Allah’s words are always true and the right path is the path shown by Him.

* The sovereignty of Allah continues after the apocalypse and the servants are obliged to submit only to Allah, perform the salah and behave piously towards Allah.

* Allah knows everything, secret and open, and He will definitely call them to account.

The information and messages summarized here are detailed in the following surahs:

^2,3Did people think that they would be left while they say, “We have believed” and they would not be tried? And surely, We had put those before them into fire/distress so they might have been purified. And indeed, Allah will declare/mark and show the righteous and He will definitely declare/mark and show the liars as well.

(Ankabut/2)

^190-194There are many evidences/signs in the formation of the heavens/universe and the earth and in the alternation of the night and the day surely for those who remember Allah while standing, sitting and lying on their sides; those who are able to comprehend, who give thought to the formation of the heavens/universe and the earth: “O our Rabb! You did not form this without a purpose; purified are You from all deficiencies. Protect us from the punishment of the Fire! O our Rabb! Indeed, whomever you admit into that fire, You have surely disgraced him. And there will be none from helpers either for those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah. O our Rabb! Surely, we have heard a caller inviting, “Believe in your Rabb!” and immediately believed. O our Rabb! Forgive our sins and remove our evil deeds and remind us that which we did in the past and that which we failed to do while being obliged to/take our lives with “the righteous people”. O our Rabb! Bestow us that which You have promised upon the messengers, do not disgrace us on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]. Indeed, You do not break Your promise”.

(Al-i Imran/190-194)

¹⁶And We did not form the heavens/universe and the earth and all that in between as the Ones Who play.

(Anbiya/16)

¹¹⁵And did you think that We formed you only uselessly and you would not be returned only to Us?

(Muminun/115)

³⁸And We did not create the heavens/universe and the earth and that which is between them as the Ones Who play.

³⁹We formed both of them only in/with truth. But most of them do not know.

(Dukhan/38, 39)

Verse 74:

⁷⁴And Abraham once said to his father Azar, “Do you take idols as your deities? Surely, I see you and your people in a clear astray”.

In the previous passage (verses 71–73), after mentioning those who persist in perversion despite being called to the right path, the topic becomes concrete beginning in verse 74 with a well-known historical example: the struggle for pure monotheism led by Prophet Abraham (Ibrāhīm) and his circle. This example carries special weight because the Meccan polytheists traced their lineage to Abraham and held him in high esteem. Even the popular traditions confirm a, albeit corrupted, cultural and genealogical bond between Abraham and the Arabs—a bond the Qur’ān itself affirms in its verses:

^77,78O you who have believed! Acknowledge the oneness of Allah, submit, worship your Rabb, do good deeds and strive for the cause of Allah properly so you may win victory, maintain your status. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you any difficulty in the religion; the religion/lifestyle of your ancestor, Abraham. He has named you “Muslims” before and in the Qur’an so the Messenger; the Qur’an may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. Therefore, establish Salah [establish and maintain the institutions that support financially and spiritually; enlighten the community], 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 hold fast to Allah. He is your familiar Who guides, helps, protects. How an excellent familiar Who guides, helps, protects, how an excellent helper He is!

(Hajj/77,78)

¹²⁵And We made this Bayt [House]/the first school for the people a place to return and a place of security. And We took covenant from Abraham and Ishmael, saying: “Keep my Bayt [House] pure for the travelers, those who worship, who submit, who acknowledge the oneness of Allah”. –And get a place for Salah [a place where supporting financially and spiritually; enlightening the community will take place] from the place that Abraham served.-

¹²⁶And when Abraham said: “My Rabb! Make this place a safe city, provide for those who believe in Allah and the last day with fruits”. Allah said: “I grant a little enjoyment upon even an infidel; the one who consciously denies My divinity and the fact that I am Rabb, then I will drag him into the punishment of fire. How evil is the destination!”.

(Baqara/125, 126)

The following message is conveyed to the Meccan polytheists through the example of Prophet Abraham: just as today the Prophet and his followers rejected polytheism—abandoning false deities and submitting to the Lord of the Worlds—so too did Abraham before them. And just as ignorant people argue with the Prophet now, Abraham’s own people argued with him in his time.

IBRAHIM’S FATHER AZER

It is clearly understood from the expression in the verse, “And when Abraham spoke to his father Azer” that the father of Prophet Abraham was Azer. In the Bible (Genesis; Chapter 11; Sentences 24-32), (Histories; Chapter 1; Sentences 24-27) the father of Abraham is mentioned as “Terah”.

Muhammad Asad, a great authority on Hebrew culture, made the following statement on this subject:

“In the Bible, Abraham’s father’s name is given as Terah [Târah or Târakh according to early Muslim genealogists], not Âzer. However, it is also known that he was known by some other names [or nicknames], all of which are uncertain in terms of source and meaning. In this regard, while he is referred to as Zârah in many Talmudic stories, Eusebius Pamphili [the church historian who lived towards the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth century AD] gives his name as Aser [Athar]. Although neither the Talmud nor Eusebius can be considered an authority for the purpose of Qur’anic exegesis, it is possible that the epithet Azar [occurring only once in the Qur’an] is an Arabicized version of the pre-Islamic names Asar or Zârah.”

In this case, it seems possible that the father of Prophet Abraham had two names, one being a name and the other being a nickname, “Azer” and “Terah”, an example of which is that Prophet Jacob is called “Israel”.

Verses 75 – 79:

⁷⁵And thus We showed Abraham the dominion and governance of the heavens/universe and the earth so he might obtain evidence and be among those who believe in certainty.

⁷⁶Therefore, Abraham saw a star when the night covered him and he said: “This is my Rabb”. And when the star set he said: “I do not like those which set”.

As is understood from these verses, after Prophet Abraham had acquired some knowledge of earth and astronomical sciences, he examined natural phenomena—especially the stars, the Moon, and the Sun. Although his observations initially led to some confusion, through his effort and sound reasoning he arrived at monotheism, which he embraced wholeheartedly.

The matters explained in this passage were not previously addressed in the accounts of Prophet Abraham in Surahs Maryam and Shu‘ara.

The term “Hanif” means “one who returns,” as noted in our detailed commentary on Yunus/105. It refers to one who renounces polytheism and attains tawḥīd (monotheism). Examining the stages of Abraham’s intellectual development, we see that although he initially dwelt in the mire of polytheism, he ultimately reached the enlightenment of monotheism by applying rational reflection to the signs in the horizon—that is, the natural world. It is in recognition of this doctrinal transformation that Abraham is called a hanīf: someone who has turned away from polytheism toward pure monotheism.

In brief, the verses under discussion describe the events that preceded Abraham’s public struggle for monotheism (verse 74). During this earlier phase—while he was still immersed in polytheism—he attained guidance through contemplation and use of reason, drawn by the information revealed to him. His subsequent dialogue with his people to abandon polytheism and embrace the true path took place only after he had been guided and had become a hanīf.

The account of Abraham in this passage serves as an invitation to all to engage in reflection. These verses demonstrate that even someone born and raised in an environment devoid of any knowledge of God’s unity can, through mindful consideration of the surrounding signs, arrive at true monotheism—just as Abraham did.

At the beginning of verse 75, the conjunction “wa” (و) appears before the preposition “li” (لـ), which normally signals a causal clause. This suggests that another reason precedes the one explicitly mentioned. Yet no justificatory phrase is found in the surrounding verses, so many commentators have simply treated this “wa” as superfluous and ignored its function. However, to claim any imbalance in the Qur’an’s language is audacious—its literary style often uses such particles to point toward an implicit, well-known rationale. In this case, the phrase “li-yastadill” (ليستدلّ, “may be guided”) is understood to lie beneath the text, with “wa-li-yakūn” (وليكون, “and so that there might be”) linked to that hidden purpose. We have accordingly rendered the meaning in light of this insight.

In the passage, the words “This is my Lord” which are stated to be said by Abraham, referring to the star, the Moon and the Sun, are not appropriate for him and the text is as follows:

* “This is my Lord according to your belief and claim” or;

* Translating it as “They say, ‘This is my Lord'” or;

* Explaining that “Abraham said this as a mockery, because he wanted to cancel the view of his people who accepted the stars as lord” or;

In our view, interpreting this by supposing a hidden “qul” (“say!”) at the start of the clause is both incorrect and an unnecessary imposition. Abraham uttered these words during a period of trial, when his mind—having scrutinized the heavens and the universe—was in turmoil. By the end of that trial he attained a sound (ṣalīm) heart and emerged as a true hanīf. Further details on these stages of Abraham’s life appear in Ṣāffāt 83, 84, 88 and 89.

The Qur’an itself does not specify Abraham’s exact era or locale. Nonetheless, the historical and geographical context assembled by Mawdūdī offers invaluable insight for understanding this passage about the Prophet Abraham.

“In order to understand the true nature of the debate between Prophet Abraham (a.s.) and his people as described here in the Qur’an, we must consider the religious and social conditions of his time. Archaeological excavations at the city of Ur—Abraham’s birthplace—have shed invaluable light on those conditions. Sir Leonard Woolley compiled his findings in the 1935 book Abraham, from which we summarize the following:

Scholars date Abraham’s lifetime to around 2100 BCE. At that time Ur’s population was estimated at 250,000 to 500,000. It was a thriving industrial and commercial center, trading goods from distant regions such as Pamir and Nilgiri and maintaining commercial ties with Anatolia. The state, with Ur as its capital, extended northward into what is now Iraq. Most inhabitants were artisans or merchants. Contemporary inscriptions reveal a materialistic worldview: the accumulation of wealth and pursuit of pleasure were life’s chief aims. Interest on loans was customary, disputes were litigated at the slightest provocation, and petitions to the gods were prayers for long life, prosperity, and commercial success. Society was stratified into three classes—amēlu (clergy, civil servants, military), nushkēnu (merchants, craftsmen, farmers), and ardu (slaves)—with the amēlu enjoying special legal privileges and sacred protections.

Abraham himself belonged to the amēlu caste, his father among the state’s most influential officials. Excavated tablets from Ur mention some 5,000 deities. Every city had its patron god: Ur’s chief deity was Nannar (the Moon god), so prominent that later scholars called Ur “Kamerina.” Nearby Larsa worshiped Šamaš (the Sun god). Beneath these chief gods lay countless lesser deities—stars, planets, and earthly phenomena—each invoked for specific favors. Their images were rendered in idols and worshipped before elaborate temple shrines. Nannar’s idol stood in a grand temple atop Ur’s highest hill, alongside that of his consort Ningal. Each night a different woman served as Nannar’s “bride,” an institution resembling religious prostitution, believed necessary at least once in a woman’s life in order to gain salvation. The priestly class profited lavishly from this arrangement.

Nannar was not merely a god but Ur’s greatest landowner, merchant, artisan, and political authority. Fields, gardens, and workshops were dedicated to his temple; all judicial authority resided in his priestly courts, and the king ruled on Nannar’s behalf. During Abraham’s era, Ur was ruled by the dynasty of Ur-Nammu—later known as Nimrod in Islamic tradition—whose empire stretched from Susa to Lebanon. After Abraham’s departure, Ur endured repeated calamities: first the Elamite capture of Ur and the desecration of Nannar’s idol; then Babylonian conquest under an Aramean dynasty. In the wake of these disasters, the people of Ur lost faith in Nannar, whose supposed sovereignty had failed them.

Though we cannot know precisely how Ur’s inhabitants responded to Abraham’s message after his migration, later legal codes—most notably Hammurabi’s code of circa 1910 BCE—reflect principles remarkably similar to Mosaic law. Discovered in 1902 and published in 1903 as The Oldest Legal Code, Hammurabi’s stele suggests that prophetic teachings continued to influence the region long after Abraham’s era.

If current archaeological scholarship is accurate, then idolatry in Abraham’s Ur was not merely a religious practice but the very foundation of its economic, cultural, political, and social life. Abraham’s call to pure monotheism thus struck at the heart of the ruling dynasty, the priesthood, and the entire social order. Acceptance of his message would have required a complete overhaul of the existing system. Hence, from the moment Abraham (a.s.) began to proclaim his beliefs, the people, the elites, the clergy, and Nimrod himself united to silence him, giving rise to the fierce confrontation recounted in the Qur’an.

Verses 80 – 82:

^80,81And his people argued with him. Abraham said: “Do you argue with me concerning Allah while He has shown me the righteous path? I do not fear those which you associate with Him at all. – Except for that which my Rabb wills.- My Rabb encompasses everything in knowledge. Do you still not think? And how should I fear that which you associate while you do not fear to associate others with Allah even though He has not sent down any power/authority about them? So, if you should know, which of these two communities has more right to be safe?”.

These verses present the exchange between Prophet Abraham—who urged his people to employ sound reasoning—and his polytheistic community. If you look closely, Abraham’s people were neither outright deniers nor atheists, but a society steeped in polytheism. In fact, the term “oppression” in verse 82 refers specifically to this idolatry. Shirk (شرك) is a phenomenon that continually preoccupies those who neglect to use their minds.

^53-57They said: “O Hud! You have not come to us with a clear evidence. And we are not to leave our idols by your word. We are not the ones who believe in you. But we can only say ‘Some of our gods have possessed you with evil badly’”. Hud said: “Surely, I have Allah as my witness, and you too, witness that I am far from those that you associate with Him from among those that are inferior to Allah. Then set your traps for me and do not give me a respite. Indeed, I have relied on Allah, my Rabb and your Rabb. There is no moving living creature, small-large that He does not hold from its forelock and check. Indeed, my Rabb is on a path that is straight. But if you turn away despite this, I have conveyed to you with which I have been sent to you. And my Rabb will make another people to succeed you. And you can not harm Him at all by any means. Indeed, my Rabb is the One Who protects and guards all things”.

(Hud/53-57)

²¹Or do they have partners who validate for themselves that which Allah has not consented in the religion? But if not for the “Word of Judgment”, it would definitely have been concluded between them. And surely those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah are the ones for whom a painful punishment will be.

(Shura/21)

²¹Is the male for you and for Allah the female? ²²That will be a deficient/unjust division if it is like this. ²³These are nothing but names which you and your ancestors gave even thought Allah did not send down any evidence about them. Surely, they only follow assumption and also that which their selves desire even though the guidance of the righteous path has come to them from their Rabb.

(An-Najm /21-23)

¹³And when Luqman said to his son, instructing him: “O my son! Do not associate others with Allah, surely, associating others with Allah is very wrong; acting against own good.

(Luqman/13)

The exemplary attitude of Prophet Abraham—who first endured the pain of reflection by contemplating the signs in the universe and then attained the “sound heart”—does not appear in the Bible. In his Tafhim, Mawdudi highlights two key differences between the Talmudic and Qur’anic accounts of this episode:

In the Talmud, Abraham’s order of recognition runs “from the sun to the stars and then to Allah,” whereas in the Qur’an it is presented as “from the stars to the sun and… towards Allah.”
The Talmud relates that when Abraham declared “This is my Lord” of the sun, he immediately prostrated to it—and likewise to the moon—whereas the Qur’an does not describe any such acts of worship toward celestial bodies.

Verse 83:

In this verse, our Lord explains that Prophet Abraham’s explanation of the verses in the heavens and the earth as evidence of monotheism and that he himself taught him the ability to evaluate things and events, and therefore explains that he gave him some blessings.

Verses 84 – 87:

⁸⁵And We showed Zachariah, John, Jesus and Elijah the righteous path as well. They all were of the righteous.

⁸⁶We showed Ishmael, Elisha, Jonas and Lot the righteous path. We favored all of them above the people of the time.

⁸⁷And We favored among their ancestors, descendants and brothers as well. And We chose them, guided them to the righteous path.

In this verse, our Lord explains that He enabled Prophet Abraham to interpret the signs in the heavens and the earth as proof of monotheism and taught him to discern and assess events; as a result, He bestowed upon him various blessings.

In these verses, our Lord enumerates eighteen messengers He sent particularly to the peoples of the Middle East, affirming that each was a well-educated, trained, and rightly guided teacher. All of these messengers are recognized figures in Arab society. The list does not reflect chronology, rank, or precedence.

The first four named are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (referred to by the pronoun “he”), and Noah—Noah being mentioned as living before the others to emphasize his priority. The remaining fourteen—David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Zechariah, John, Jesus, Elijah, Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot—descend from that initial quartet. The sheer number of prophets listed underlines the central theme of Sūrah al-An‘ām: the role of the messenger.

This passage goes on to describe the blessings granted to Abraham: evidence of divine signs, elevation to honored status, and designation as a saintly exemplar. After he left his people and migrated in his quest for monotheism, our Lord promised him righteous offspring and grandchildren who would follow his faith. It is important to remember that the term “We” used here signifies divine majesty and is not plural in number.

⁷¹And the difficult and incompatible wife of Abraham was upraising against and she laughed.

Then We gave her the good tidings of Isaac and Jacob after him.

⁷²The the difficult and incompatible wife of Abraham said: “O woe to me! Will I give birth? I am a poor, unlucky and unhappy woman whose husband goes for nothing. And this, my husband, he is an old man! Indeed, this is a strange thing!”.

⁷³Messengers said: “Are you amazed at the decree of Allah? Mercy and blessings of Allah are upon you. O people of the house! Indeed, He is the One Who is praiseworthy and very beneficent”.

(Hud/71-73)

¹¹²And We gave him the good tidings of Isaac as a prophet from among the righteous.

¹¹³We gave Abraham and Isaac blessings. Among the descendants of both of them are those who produce good and also those who clearly treat unjustly against their own selves.

(Saffat/112, 113)

⁴⁹Then, when Abraham got away from his people and that which they worshipped from among those that are inferior to Allah, We bestowed him Isaac and Jacob. We made all of them prophets.

(Mary/49)

And Ankabut/27, Hadîd/26, Meryem/58, Baqara/133.

Verses 88 – 90:

⁸⁸This is the guidance of Allah. He guides whomever He wills of His servants with it. Had they associated others with Him, surely all they had done would have been for nothing.

⁹⁰Those are the ones whom Allah guided. Now you, follow their guidance/the revelation. Say: “I do not ask you a payment for it. It is only a reminder for the mankind”.

In these verses, our Lord reminds us of three key points. He first points to the messengers sent before, explaining that He showed them the straight path and they shunned all forms of polytheism—since every act of shirk is ultimately fruitless. He then affirms that Muhammad (pbuh) is likewise a divinely sent messenger and warns that those who reject him will be replaced by other people who will not persist in such disbelief. Finally, He commands the Prophet to reiterate that he asks no payment for the Qur’an, which is a guidance and mercy for all worlds.

The phrase “deeds going in vain” in verse 88 is a phenomenon frequently emphasized throughout the Qur’an:

²¹Surely, those who conceal the Ayat of Allah, fought against the prophets unjustly and kill the people who command justice and equity from among the people; give them immediately the tidings of a painful punishment!

²²They are the ones whose deeds are all in vain in this world and in Akhirat [Afterlife]. There will be no helpers for them.

(Al-i Imran/21, 22)

We briefly repeat here, in the opinion that it will be useful, the statement we made around the axis of “the duty of propagating religion cannot be turned into a money-making endeavor” in the analysis of Sūrah al-Furqān:

As we emphasized when analyzing Sūrah al-Furqān, the obligation to call people to Allah is a trust, not a commercial venture. None of the prophets ever turned their message into a source of worldly gain. From Nūḥ (Noah) through Hūd, Ṣāliḥ, Lūṭ and Shu‘ayb, each conveyed God’s Word purely for His sake, refusing any payment. Thus, when our Prophet (pbuh) declares, “I do not ask you for any payment for it. I am but a warner to the worlds,” he echoes that same prophetic principle: sincere, uncompensated guidance for all humanity.

⁵⁶And We have sent you only as a bringer of good tidings and as a warner.

⁵⁷Say: “I do not ask any payment for this. I only and only want that whoever wills might take a path towards his Rabb”.

(Furqan/56, 57)

In these verses, our Prophet is advised how to deal with the rebellious, ungrateful, and obstinate polytheists, and is comforted by being reminded of the limits of his duty. He is nothing more than an advisor, a warner, and a bearer of good news—and he claims no reward for these roles. Thus, he need not hold himself responsible for the unbelievers’ behavior. Our Lord commands him to declare that “my only desire is that all people come to Allah’s path.”

Elsewhere—Yūsuf/104; Shu‘arā/109, 127, 145, 164, 180; Saba’/47; Yā Sīn/21; Ṣād/86; Yūnus/72; Hūd/29, 51; Shūrā/23; Qālim/46; Ṭūr/40—we see that none of the prophets asked for payment in return for their mission. It follows that our Prophet (pbuh) could not ask for any fee—nor even for affection or support for his own family—as such a request would amount to seeking personal gain.

Yet, hundreds of unfounded reports have led some to insert an exception into verse 57 of this Sūrah and verse 23 of Sūrah Shūrā, claiming that “I desire the love of those close to me” means “I ask you to love my relatives.” There is no possessive pronoun or indication of such a meaning in the original Arabic. Rather, the phrase again signifies “you seek God’s path; you foster love through drawing close to Him.” It would be entirely out of keeping with prophetic mission—and with the context, which addresses only unbelievers—for the Prophet to seek the affection of those who oppose and persecute him.

That the messengers require no payment is itself proof of their genuine appointment: they not only fulfill their duty without personal interest, but they leave behind comfortable lives, face accusations of madness, falsehood, and sorcery, risk losing ties with non-believing kin, and endure severe persecutions. No one who is not truly commissioned would willingly sacrifice so much for mere worldly gain—in stark contrast to those who, without divine commission, seek power and popularity by plying society’s prejudices. The Qur’an makes clear that our Prophet (pbuh) not only challenged those prejudices at their roots but dismantled the very foundations of his tribe’s former status and influence among Arabia’s polytheists.

Verse 91:

In this verse, we learn about the religious structures of the Meccans and the Jews, and the deceit and falsehood of both groups are laid bare. The phrase “They could not appreciate Allah properly” means they failed to acknowledge His omnipotence, omniscience, mercy, and beauty; they neither recognized His attributes of majesty and grace nor valued His blessings in sending messengers and revelations. In short, they disregarded God in all His aspects.

Notice that the claim “Allah has not sent anything to any human being” undermines itself: they believe the Torah was revealed to Moses by Allah. By invoking the Torah as evidence, the verse shows that God’s word can indeed be sent to a human being.

According to the asbāb al-nuzūl reports, this objection was raised by Malik b. al-Sayf. When he disputed with the Prophet (pbuh), the Prophet asked him, “By the One who revealed the Torah to Moses, does it not say, ‘Surely Allah hates the fat religious scholar’?” Malik b. al-Sayf—himself a notably corpulent rabbi—became enraged and swore, “I swear by Allah, He has not revealed anything to any human being.” His companions protested, “What about Moses?” Yet he stubbornly repeated, “I swear by Allah, He has not revealed anything to any human being,” and in response this verse was revealed.

As mentioned in the introduction, some classify this as a Madinan verse because of that incident. However, it seems unlikely that a Meccan rabbi would make such a self-contradictory claim, and the verse fits seamlessly into its Meccan context—where the People of the Book were familiar and the Torah and Gospel were known. For these reasons, we hold that this verse was revealed in Mecca, addressing the polytheists who denied that the Qur’an was sent by Allah.

Verse 92:

In this verse, it is stated that the Qur’an was revealed as a warning to Mecca and its environs, that it is a source of fruitful guidance, and that those who believe in the Hereafter accept it wholeheartedly and remain steadfast in its support.

ÜMMU’L-KURĀ
Mecca—the city where our Prophet was born and raised, and where he first carried out his mission—is described as أُمِّ الْقُرَىٰ Ummu’l-Kurā (“Mother of Cities,” “Metropolis”). In fact, Ummu’l-Kurā is one of Mecca’s traditional names, and for this reason our Prophet is also called الأُمِّيّ al-Ummī (“the Meccan”).

The appellation “Mother of Cities” reaches back to Abraham; ever since his time, Mecca has stood at the center of the surrounding towns as a mother gathering her children around her. As the focal point of pilgrimage it became not only a religious hub but also a thriving centre of trade, transport, scholarship and the arts—thereby earning its title as the mother of neighbouring settlements.

That the verse frames Mecca and its surroundings as the first recipients of this warning underscores that the Qur’an’s revelation—and Muhammad’s prophethood—were never meant to be confined to the Arabs or their homeland, but were addressed to all people across the world.

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.

(Saba’/28)

(A’raf/158)

(An’am/19)

Verses 93 – 94:

⁹³And who can do more wrong; act more against his own good than the one who invents a lie about Allah or says “I have been revealed” even though he has not been and says “I will also reveal like what Allah revealed”? If only you could see those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah when they are in violence of death and when authorities in charge extend their hands to them saying: “Discharge your souls. Today, you will be recompensed with a humiliating punishment for you have told lies about Allah and acted arrogantly towards His Ayat!”.

After the statements made in the previous verses that Allah will send messengers from among human beings and reveal scriptures, these verses warn of impostors in that enterprise. They explain that those wretched beings who claim, “It has been revealed to me,” or, “I will reveal just as Allah revealed,” despite having received no revelation, will suffer a humiliating punishment.

Such individuals declare lawful what Allah has forbidden and forbid what Allah has made lawful, present their own whims as divine commands, proclaim themselves to be the “Mahdi” or “Messiah,” and assert that they have been granted scriptures or treatises from Allah through dreams or visionary inspiration. Cruel deceivers existed in the early periods of Islam just as they do today:

³¹And when Our Ayat were recited to them, they said: “We have listened, and if we willed, we could say something like this too. This is nothing but legends of ancient people”.

(Anfal/ 31)

Our Lord has explained that slandering Him is the greatest oppression—not only here in verse 93, but also in En’ām 21 and 144, al-A‘rāf 37, and Yūnus 17.

According to the records of Asbāb al-Nuzūl, these words were revealed concerning two impostors: Musaylima al-Kadhdhāb from Yemen and al-Aswad al-‘Ansi from Ṣan‘ā’. Each falsely claimed prophethood—Musaylima declaring, “Muḥammad is the prophet of Quraysh, and I am the prophet of Banū Ḥanīfa.”

The phrase “I will send down the like of what Allah has sent down” refers to ʿAbd Allāh ibn Saʿd ibn Abī Sarḥ, who served as a scribe for the revelation but later apostatized in Medina. He reportedly altered certain verses—for example, writing Ghaffūr Raḥīm instead of ʿAzīz Ḥakīm, and ʿAlīmun Ḥakīm instead of Ḥabīrun Ḥalīm. One day, while the Prophet pbuh was dictating Sūrat al-Mu’minūn—“Then We made him into a sperm-drop in a firm resting-place; then We created the sperm-drop into a clinging clot; then We created the clot into a lump; then We made out of that lump bones, and We clothed the bones with flesh; then We produced it as another creation”—Ibn Abī Sarḥ exclaimed, “Glory be to Allah, the best of creators!” The Prophet pbuh replied, “It was revealed exactly as you said; write it down.” Thereupon Ibn Abī Sarḥ threatened, “I will send down verses like those which Allah sends down.”

In verse 94, we are shown a scene from the Hereafter: people will be brought before Almighty Allah one by one, just as they were first created. Similar descriptions occur elsewhere in the Qur’an, for example in Qāf 48 and Maryam 78–80.

Verses 95 – 99:

⁹⁵Surely, Allah is the One Who splits and sprouts grain and seed: He brings the living out of the dead, it is He Who brings the dead out of the living. That is Allah! So how you are deluded?

⁹⁸And He is the One Who built you from a single self. Then a place of settlement and place of security… –We have definitely explained the Ayat in detail for a people who understand well.-

In these verses, which are so clear they require no further explanation, our Lord introduces Himself as the Creator of the laws governing the universe and affirms that everything He has made for humanity carries signs and detailed explanations for those who know, understand, and believe. Indeed, those who observe the blessings bestowed by the sun, the moon, the stars, the rain, the plants, and all of Allah’s visible signs need no other evidence of His greatness, power, and majesty.

The words “dead” and “alive” in verse 95 can be understood both literally and metaphorically. Literally, Allah brings forth green vegetation from dry seeds and transforms green vegetation back into dry seeds; metaphorically, He can turn ignorant people into scholars and scholars into the ignorant. Moreover, the verse may also allude to the way Allah embeds benefits within harmful things and dangers within beneficial things—for example, obtaining medicine from poisonous plants or animal venoms. Early commentators explained:

“Allah brings forth a living human being from sperm and a dead human being from the living; similarly, a living chick emerges from an egg, yet an egg comes from a living chicken. Opposites producing opposites can only occur by the will of a Wise Creator and All-Knowing Ruler, not by mere natural properties.”

The phrase “He created the sun and the moon by precise calculation” in verse 96 is likewise mentioned in Surah ar-Rahmān and detailed in Surah Yūnus.

⁵The sun and the moon move by a calculation.

(Rahman/5)

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)

There are two ways to understand the phrase in verse 96, “He created the sun and the moon by precise calculation.”

First, following the usage in Yūnus /5 of “calculation of years” to refer to time, we can see that a “day” is defined by one rotation of the earth on its axis, a “year” by one complete orbit of the earth around the sun, and a lunar month by the moon’s 29.5-day revolution around the earth. This reading highlights Allah’s precise ordering of time itself.

Second, it can also refer to the exacting measurements governing the relative positions and orbital speeds of the sun, the moon, and the earth. The stability of life on earth depends on these precise cosmic arrangements being maintained without error or disruption.

In either case, the universe’s fine-tuned calculations never fail: the passage of time and the conditions necessary for life on earth remain constant.

¹⁸⁹They ask you about the crescent moons. Say: “They are measurement of time for the people and hajj [pilgrimage]/organized theological education terms”. It is not “being righteous” to enter your houses from their back/adopting principles in religion other than those of Allah’s. Yet, “being righteous” is to enter under the guardianship of Allah. Then, enter your homes through the doors; live the religion within the frame which Allah has drawn. And enter under the guardianship of Allah so you may be among the ones who will be successful and be saved.

(Baqara/189)

The words “مستقرّMüstakarr” and “مستودعMüstawda” mentioned in verse 98 were previously discussed in the analysis of the Surah Hud. Since Surah Hud and Surah An’am are in the same volume, we recommend that the analysis of these two words be read from there.

Verses 100 – 103:

¹⁰⁰And they attributed unseen forces and entities to Allah partners. Yet is it He Who formed them. They invented sons and daughters without knowledge. –His glory is purified from that which they describe and high above it.- ¹⁰¹He is the One Who created the heavens/universe and the earth from nothing. How could He have a child while He has no companion? And it is He Who formed all things. And He is the One Who knows all best.

¹⁰³Eyes can not reach Him but He can reach all eyes; He is the possessor of vast bounty, aware of all things.

In the first verse of this passage, our Lord exposes the polytheists’ errors with compelling evidence, and in the final two verses, He delineates the nature of the One in Whom Muslims do—and should—believe, recounting many of His attributes and actions.

As verse 100 makes clear, the polytheists went so far as to entrust the governance of the universe and the destinies of people to imagined beings—products of their own fantasies—rather than to any divine revelation or rational evidence. They thereby fell into disbelief by elevating these fabricated entities to co-partners with Allah. Historical records from that era even show that various individuals or objects were deified as gods of rain, vegetation, wealth, disease, and so forth, and entire genealogies of deities were invented. The term “jinn” in this verse therefore refers to angels, for in Sabaʾ it is explained that the polytheists of that day, calling them “daughters of Allah,” had adopted these angels as the rulers of this world and ascribed partners to Allah.

⁴⁰And on that day, Allah will gather them all together and will say to the angels: “Was it those who worshipped you?”.

⁴¹They will say: “We purify You. You are our familiar Who protects, guides against them. Rather, they worshipped secret forces. Most of them were believers in them”.

(Saba’/40, 41)

In verse 102, such false beliefs are explicitly rejected. However, these errors were not confined to that era or to the ignorant societies of the time; they have recurred throughout history and even today we encounter communities that embrace equally absurd deities.

The phrase “The eyes cannot reach Him, but He can reach the eyes” in verse 103 has been widely misunderstood, giving rise to the doctrine of “seeing God” purportedly based on this statement. Some insist that it is impossible to see Allah, while others have interpreted this and related verses to support the claim that Allah can indeed be seen. We maintain that this phrase must be read in the context of its surrounding passage. It is both incorrect and harmful to isolate the verse and apply it in inappropriate ways. Rather, it should be understood alongside the other verses revealed to affirm Allah’s oneness, to refute polytheism, and to highlight His greatness, power, and perfect attributes—never apart from the broader purpose of its passage.

Verse 105:

¹⁰⁵Thus We diversify/explain in detail the Ayat so they may say to you, “You have studied/read and learned these” and We may make clear for a society that constantly informs itself.

In this verse, our Lord explains why the Qur’an is given in such detailed form. Because it contains eloquent and comprehensive exposition, it stirs in the polytheists the conviction that the Messenger must have been taught by someone else, while for the believers it reinforces their faith and fills them with joy by presenting ever-clearer evidence.

Our Lord has described this psychological state of the polytheists in many verses:

⁴And those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb said: “This, the Qur’an, is nothing but a lie that he/Muhammad has invented. And another people helped him for this”. Thus they treated unjustly and brought forward a false allegation.

⁵And they said: “The Qur’an is the legends of the former ones written down; and these are being dictated to him day and night/continuously”.

(Furqan/4, 5)

^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)

Verses 106, 107:

In these verses, our Prophet is consoled with a reminder of his duty and cautioned to distance himself from those who, despite every opportunity, persist in disbelief, entrusting them to God.

The pairing of the terms “Deputy” and “Hafiz” in verse 107 indicates that these verses belong to the same passage as verses 66, 67, and 104/68.

As these verses make clear, people are granted full freedom in matters of belief; hence, the Messenger must refrain from any form of coercion. In other words, let those who wish to believe believe, and those who choose disbelief choose it, without impinging upon anyone’s will or freedom. This principle is made even more explicit in the following verse:

²⁹And say: That truth is from your Rabb. So whoever wills, let him believe and whoever wills, let him consciously deny/disbelieve”. Indeed, We have prepared a fire, walls of which will surround them for those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah. And if they wish that it should rain, a water that scalds faces like molten metal will be rained. How an evil drink it is! How an evil place to seek refuge!

(Qaf/29)

In this case, it is out of the question for the messenger to follow his own path or act arbitrarily regarding religion.

(Yunus/15)

^21,22Now remind, indeed, you are only a reminder. You are not a tyrant over them.

(Ghaashiyah/21- 22)

⁴⁰And whether We show you a part of that which We have promised them or remind you what you did in the past and what you failed to do while being obliged to, upon you is definitely only to convey. And upon Us is to conclude accounts.

(Ra’d/40)

Verse 108:

In this verse, all Muslims are warned against speaking ill of what non-Muslims worship—their false gods and beliefs. This injunction reveals a crucial principle for believers: they must not curse the polytheists’ deities or mock their beliefs, lest such hostility provoke them to slander Allah in return. Because the prohibition is framed in the plural, it applies to every believer. Even as believers are called elsewhere to refute error, here they are explicitly forbidden to insult the foundational elements of others’ faith or wound the feelings of those led astray. Instead of provocation, believers should correct mistakes with gentle advice.

¹²⁵Invite to the path of your Rabb with the laws, rules and principles that are set forth to prevent injustice, corruption and chaos and with a good reminder! And strive against them in the best way. Indeed, your Rabb is the One Who knows best those who have gone astray from His path and He is the One Who knows best those who follow the righteous path they are guided.

(Nahl/125)

Another thing that believers should not forget is that deeds will only be evaluated by Allah. People may enjoin one another to do good and forbid evil, but the final reckoning of every action belongs solely to Allah and will take place on the Day of Judgment.

The “Asbāb al-Nuzūl” records offer a couple of explanations for why this verse was revealed, apparently as a warning against certain attitudes even among believers:

a Ibn ʿAbbās (r.a.) reported that when the verse “You and those you worship besides Allah are surely fuel for Hellfire” (al-Anbiyāʾ/21:98) was revealed, the polytheists reproached the Prophet (s.a.w.), saying, “If you do not cease cursing and insulting our gods, we will satirize your God.” It was in response to this that the verse “They go beyond all bounds and revile Allah without knowledge” was sent down. Two points make this report problematic:

All the scholars agree that this sūrah was revealed in one piece, so it is hard to single out a specific incident as its occasion.
Those same polytheists professed belief in Allah and claimed they worshipped idols only in hopes of their intercession—yet here they are portrayed as daring to insult Allah Himself.

b Suddi narrated that as Abu Talib lay dying, the Quraysh delegation—led by Abū Sufyān, Abū Jahl and Nadhr b. Ḥārith—approached him to urge his support in curbing Muhammad’s preaching. They offered, “If you restrain your nephew, we will leave him alone.” When that failed, they threatened, “Stop criticizing our idols, or we will mock you and the One who sent you.” It was in answer to this arrogance—“they transgress all bounds and revile Allah without knowledge”—that the verse was revealed.

Verse 109, 110:

¹¹⁰And We turn away their hearts and eyes just as they did not believe in the first time. And We leave them blind and confused in their transgression.

¹¹¹And if We had sent down to them some powers, the dead had spoken to them and We had gathered all things in front of them, -except that Allah wills- they would not have believed. But most of them are ignorant.

In this group of verses, our Lord states that the polytheists will not fulfill their oath—that they will believe if a miracle comes to them—and that they are determined not to believe even if more miracles come to them than they desire.

There are the following reports in classical works about the reason for the revelation of verse 109:

“The polytheists also swore to Allah with the strongest oaths they could that if a sign or miracle of their choice came to them (in other words, if the hill of Safā were turned to gold), they would definitely believe. It is reported that some believers, looking at their oaths, hoped that they would believe when the verse they wanted was revealed.”

In another source, it is reported as follows:

Scholars have offered the following explanations about the reason for the revelation of this verse:

a- They said: “When the verse of Allah Almighty, ‘If We will, We can send down to them a sign from the sky, and they will remain therein humbled’ (Shu‘arāʾ 26:4), was recited, the polytheists swore by Allah and said, ‘If a miracle comes to us, we will definitely believe in Him!’ That is why this verse was revealed.”

b- Muḥammad ibn Ka‘b al-Kurazī said: “The polytheists said to the Prophet (pbuh), ‘We have heard that Mūsā struck the rock with his staff and water gushed forth; that ‘Īsā resurrected the dead; and that Ṣāliḥ brought forth a she-camel from the mountain. Bring us a miracle so we may confirm you!’ When the Prophet (pbuh) asked, ‘What do you desire?’, they replied, ‘We want you to turn the hill of Ṣafā into gold for us, and we swear that if you do this, we will all follow you.’ The Prophet (pbuh) stood up to pray. Then Gabriel (as) came to him and said, ‘If you wish, this will happen; but if it happens and they still do not believe, Allah will destroy them completely. If they are left to their own devices, Allah will guide at least some of them to faith.’ The Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘Then I forgo praying for a miracle; at least some of them might come to faith!’ That is why Allah sent down this verse.”

The expression “We turn their hearts and their eyes upside down, as though they had never believed first” in verse 110 indicates—just as we explained in our analysis of Yā Sīn 36:8–10 and Sūrah al-Ṭīn—that the very actions which caused the stubborn polytheists to fall into their wretched state were created by our Lord. In other words, polytheists are trapped in false beliefs by clinging to “superstition” rather than “truth,” through means ordained by Allah, and those false beliefs disable their capacity to listen, understand, and perceive—so that these poor people become blind, confused, and, in short, have their hearts sealed.

The following is recorded in the Asbāb al-Nuzūl about the reason for the revelation of verse 111:

Ibn ‘Abbās (r.a.) said: “Those who mocked the Qur’ān most harshly were five men: Walīd b. Mugīrah al-Maḥzūmī; As b. Wā’il al-Sahmī; Aswad b. ‘Abdīyāghuth al-Zuhrī; Aswad b. Muṭṭalib; and Ḥārith b. Ḥanzalah. They, together with others from Mecca, came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said, ‘Show us the angels who will testify that you are the Messenger of Allah; or resurrect some of our dead so we may question them about your truthfulness; or call Allah as a guarantor—a witness to your claim!’ They demanded, ‘Bring us these signs!’ Thereupon this verse was revealed.”

We have explained many times that, since the scholars agree this sūrah was revealed as a whole, it is difficult to anchor this single verse to a specific incident. Rather, it answers the boastful words of some who swore they would believe in the Prophet Muhammad if a sign were sent down to them. Allah thus declares that they lie—requesting additional miracles after the ones already given serves only to strengthen their obstinacy and risk closing the doors of prophethood altogether.

The oaths sworn by the polytheists—that they would believe if a miracle came—must have seemed quite serious, because our Lord repeats in verse 111 with clear emphasis that they will not believe. Their words do not align with their hearts; their purpose was not to see and believe in miracles, but only to make matters worse. In other words, their behavior was nothing but hypocrisy.

^166-168That which touched you on the day when two people met was by permission/knowledge of Allah. And it is because that He may declare/mark and show the believers and declare/mark and show the hypocrites –those who say for their brothers while sitting: “Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed”-. And it was said to them: “Come, fight or defend for the cause of Allah”. They said: “If we had known about the war, we would definitely have followed you”. On that day, they were closer to conceal the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb than faith. They said with their mouths that which was not in their hearts. Allah is the One Who knows better that which they conceal. Say: “If you are truthful ones, move the death away from yourselves”.

(Al-i Imran/166- 168)

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 to punish you or a benefit to reward you, who could prevent Him? Rather, Allah is aware of what you do”.

(Fetih/11)

^96,97Indeed, those, against whom the Word of your Rabb has come into effect, will not believe even if all the evidences/signs come to them altogether until they see that painful punishment.

(Yunus/96, 97)

Verses 112, 113:

^112,113Thus, for every prophet We made his concealed-apparent devils an enemy: Some of these inspire/whisper to some other alluring words so that, hearts of those who did not believe in Akhirat [Afterlife], due to their indulgence into the allurement of the worldly life, may incline towards them, they may be content of them and do what they were doing. –And if your Rabb had willed, they would not have done it. Then, leave them and that which they invent!-

These verses elucidate the statement in verse 110 that the polytheists have been left blind and bewildered. They warn the believers by revealing how the polytheists delude themselves and attempt to draw others into the same error, and they console our Prophet by reminding him that this tactic—opponents deceiving themselves and turning others against the messenger—is not new, but a recurring policy of disbelievers toward every prophet.

¹⁸⁴And if they have denied you now, know that the messengers who came with clear evidences, scriptures and the enlightening book before you were denied as well.

(Ali-Imran/184)

(An’am/34)

⁴³Nothing is said to you except what was said to the messengers before you. Indeed, your Rabb is possessor of forgiveness and possessor of a painful punishment.

(Fussilet/43)

³¹And thus, We made an enemy from among the sinners for every prophet. And sufficient is your Rabb, as a guide and a helper.

(Furqan/31)

ZUHRUFU’L-KAVL

“Zuhruf” originally means “gold.” Later, it came to be used generally in the sense of “jewelry” or “ornament.” Accordingly, the phrase “zuhrufu’l-kavl” means “the embellishment of speech” or “gilded words.” Indeed, when we look at history, we see that those who stirred and incited people against the messengers calling to God were often poets who adorned their falsehoods with literary art.

Poetry, which has been defined in countless ways, is simply “the art of analogy.” Poetry is never “reality.” Rather, it is ornate language that presents an imitation—an echo—of an object or event, rather than the thing itself.

Since this subject is examined in detail in the analysis of Surah Ash-Shu‘ara’ under the section “What Is Poetry?”, we recommend reading that discussion.

Verse 115:

¹¹⁵And the word of your Rabb is fulfilled in truth and in justice. There is no one that can alter His words. He is the One Who hears best, knows best.

In our opinion, the “unchangeable Word” mentioned in this verse—asserting that the words of our Lord, perfect in both truth and justice, cannot be altered—refers to the promise God made in the Torah and the Bible that He would raise up a prophet. That promise was fulfilled when Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent as a messenger.

²⁸And Allah will say: “Do not dispute before me! I had sent you warning before. ²⁹The Word is not changed before me. And I am never the One Who does wrong to the servants; deprives them of their good deeds, treats them unjustly.”

(Qaf/28-29)

In the verse, our Lord’s words are described as “complete, perfect, true, fair, unchangeable words” and it is also declared that they are free from flaws and criticism.

Verses 116, 117:

¹¹⁶If you follow the majority of those who are on the earth, they will lead you astray from the path of Allah. Because they follow only “assumption” and they only do nonsense.

¹¹⁷Surely, your Rabb is the One Who knows best who has gone astray from His path. And He is the One Who knows better those who follow the righteous path they are guided.

In these verses, our Lord warns our Prophet and, through him, all humanity. Apparently, the majority of people follow conjecture instead of knowledge, believe the words of their ancestors instead of the words of God, and, for this reason, beliefs, theories, thoughts, and principles adopted by the majority are accepted as true simply because they are widespread. However, the fact that this nonsense is accepted by the majority can never be evidence of its truth. Truth does not derive its validity from the acceptance of the majority, but from the reality inherent in itself. True words are the words of Allah, who hears best and knows best, whose judgments are most perfect, most accurate, and most just. For this reason, if one follows the majority, one will stray from the right path and be condemned to the unrealistic opinions of the masses.

In the verses above, our Lord points out that the majority of people turn away and warns us that if we follow the majority, we will go astray. Our Lord, who knows best those who deviate from His path, indicates that this perversion is caused by the majority following their own whims and baseless assumptions.

This issue is mentioned dozens of times in the Qur’an: Âl-i Imran/110; Baqara/100, 243; A‘raf/17, 102, 131, 187; Yunus/55, 60; Hud/17; Yusuf/21, 38, 40, 68, 103; Ra‘d/1; Nahl/38; Isra’/89; Furqan/50; Rum/6, 30; Saba’/28, 36; Mü’min/57, 59, 61; Jasiyah/26; Ma’idah/59, 103; En‘am/37, 116; Anfal/34; Tawbah/8; Saffat/71.

Verses 124, 125:

In these verses, it is stated that the leading figures in the cities are criminals who are always plotting, and their decadence is exemplified by their insolence.

The social reality depicted in these verses has persisted from past to present. These notables, being among the criminals, consistently opposed the messengers and used their networks and power to avoid becoming part of the ruling, corrupt elite they had established, and to continue their exploitation.

The audacity of these prominent figures, who claim they will not believe until they themselves receive revelation, is merely one of their many demands and excuses.

(Furqan/21)

⁵²Rather, every person among them desires that he would be given scriptures spread.

(Muddessir/52)

(Isra/90-93)

According to the Asbab-ı nuzul records, these verses were narrated by Velid b., one of the notables of Quraysh. It has been claimed that it was revealed based on Mugira’s words to our Prophet, “If prophethood were real, I would be more worthy of it than you. Because I am older and richer than you” or on the words of Abu Jahl with the same meaning.

There are many verses in the Quran (Furqan/31, Isra/16, Sebe’/31-35, Zuhruf/23, Nuh/21-23) regarding the prominent criminals in the cities:

The phrase “Allah … opens his chest” in verse 125 means “Allah removes all kinds of doubts and indecisiveness about Islam from minds and hearts, and makes the person happy and peaceful by thoroughly convincing him of the truth of Islam.” Details about the expression “opening of the chest” in this expression are found in the analysis of the Surah Inshirah.

Although at first glance, verse 125 may seem to mean that Allah guides some of His servants to the right path and misleads others, the expression “whoever He wishes to mislead” means that everything takes place within the framework of Allah’s creation and under Allah’s control. The detail on this subject is given under the title “Meshiet” in the analysis of the Surah At-Takwir.

²⁵And Allah invites to the home of salamat [peace, safety, happiness] then He guides whomever He wills/whoever wills to the straight path.

(Yunus25)

In this verse, a person suffering tightness and distress in the chest from a mental condition is likened to someone who experiences chest constriction and discomfort as they ascend into the sky. Indeed, as one rises through the atmosphere, air pressure decreases, placing extra strain on the veins and heart. At the same time, the thinning air means less oxygen, making breathing more difficult and causing the lungs to feel compressed. This sensation of narrowing and distress grows more severe with altitude until ultimately life cannot be sustained.

Mountains
In the era of our Prophet, people did not ascend into the sky by balloons or airplanes. Since Torricelli made the first measurements of atmospheric pressure in 1643, there was no knowledge of pressure changes at high altitudes in that period. Likewise, a serious understanding of blood circulation and pulmonary function did not yet exist. It is conceivable that mountain climbers experienced some breathlessness at high elevations, but the verse does not refer to the brief discomfort felt atop a peak. Rather, it describes a continual process of rising ever higher toward the sky. Someone who climbed a mountain might attribute chest tightness to simply being on a high summit, not to steadily gaining altitude above sea level. The expression of “ascending into the sky” implies a height far beyond any mountain—a scale that would have to be surpassed to fully validate this description.

PRESSURE AND OXYGEN CREATED SUITABLE FOR OUR LIVES

From sea level up to 3,000 meters, oxygen concentration and atmospheric pressure remain sufficient for comfortable physiological activity. Between 3,000 and 5,000 meters, breathing becomes more difficult and arterial and venous pressures rise. By around 7,500 meters, tissues experience severe hypoxia and circulatory distress. Beyond this altitude, consciousness is lost and the circulatory, respiratory, and nervous systems begin to fail.

Air pressure
Pressure changes directly affect the circulatory system, causing increased arterial and venous pressures. Gas equilibria in body cavities and the distribution of gases—particularly nitrogen—within blood and tissues become disrupted. Mechanical impacts can include vascular ruptures in those with atherosclerosis. Barotrauma may manifest as tympanic-membrane rupture or middle-ear inflammation (from pressure changes in the ear), sinus inflammation (from sinus-cavity pressure), tooth pain or digestive discomfort (from trapped gas in dental work or the gastrointestinal tract), and abdominal pain caused by the body’s inability to expel gas to the outside.

As can be seen, the gradient of oxygen partial pressure from earth to sky, and the corresponding atmospheric pressure variation, have been arranged with perfect precision relative to our biology. Thanks to this harmony, we can breathe and circulate blood with ease. Professor Michael Denton comments: “If air density were even slightly higher, air resistance would increase dramatically and it would be impossible to design a respiratory system capable of supplying the necessary oxygen rate for an air-breathing organism… In comparing possible atmospheric pressures and oxygen concentrations, the viable range for life is extremely narrow. It is a marvel that all conditions necessary for life fall within this small range, and that the atmosphere exists within it.”

The Qur’anic verse comparing the distressed chest of one who ascends to the sky is a miracle of the Book of Allah. The perfectly tuned atmospheric pressure and oxygen levels, matched to our biological structure, reveal God’s perfection in creation.

Verses 119 – 131

¹²³And We made the chiefs in every city the criminals of that city so they might conspire therein. But they do evil only against themselves and they do not perceive.

¹²⁶And this is the path of your Rabb, straight. Indeed, We have explained the Ayat in detail for a people who remember.

¹²⁷Peace, safety and health with their Rabb will only be theirs for what they did. And their Rabb is their helper, guide and protector.

¹²⁸And the day when Allah will gather all of them: “O secret group of enemy! You indeed increased of such people!…”

¹²⁹Thus We make some of those who do wrong; act against their own good closer to some others because of the sins they earned.

¹³¹This is the because your Rabb is not the One Who manipulates/destroys the lands unjustly while their people are careless, unaware.

In this group of verses, our Lord intervenes in everyday life and establishes a strict monotheistic principle concerning what may be eaten, prohibiting the consumption of anything on which Allah’s name has not been invoked—except in cases of dire necessity. One of the many errors people have adopted under the guise of religion is the imposition of restrictions on certain foods for which there is no divine mandate. As the verse makes clear, there prevailed among them the absurd notion that foods over which Allah’s name was not pronounced were lawful, and those over which it was were forbidden. In these verses, our Lord repudiates such notions, commanding Muslims to abandon superstitions invented by infidels and polytheists and to cast aside these self-imposed restrictions that contradict Allah’s guidance. These principles—which refute polytheistic and ignorant customs and affirm that only what Allah has permitted is lawful, and only what He has forbidden is unlawful—are also found in Surah An-Nahl:

¹¹⁴Then eat halal/permissible and pure of that which Allah has provided for you. And repay for the blessing of Allah; if you should worship only Him.

¹¹⁵Allah has made haram/forbidden to you only carcass, blood, the flesh of swine and anything that is dedicated for anyone other than Allah. And whoever is forced without desiring and transgressing, let him know that Allah is the One Who removes the sins of His servants, does not punish them and has much forgiveness, the One Who is the possessor of vast mercy.

¹¹⁶And do not say, “This is halal/permissible, this is haram/forbidden” to invent lie about Allah with the untruth of your tongues. Indeed, those who invent lie about Allah will not succeed.

(Nahl/114-116)

As can be seen, both the verses in question and those in Surah An-Nahl clarify the concepts of “halal meat” and “haram meat” by specifying how “meat”—one of humankind’s basic foods—may be deemed lawful.

The phrase “except in cases of necessity” in verse 119 indicates that hardship constitutes an exception to the general rule. In popular understanding, this is often summarized as “necessity makes the forbidden permissible.” Such exceptions for exigent circumstances—known in modern legal systems as force majeure—apply when a person faces the risk of losing life or a limb. However, the scope of that exception must not exceed what is strictly necessary to avert the danger.

²⁹O you who have believed! Do not consume one another’s wealth among yourselves unjustly -except for business you make with your consent-, do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is very merciful to you.

(Nisa/29)

¹⁹⁵And spend your wealth for the cause of Allah/provide sustenance for your relatives first and then others, do not put yourselves in danger with your own hands and do good deeds. Indeed, Allah likes those who do good deeds.

(Baqara/195)

¹⁰⁶Whoever disbelieves; denies the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb after his belief, -except for one who is forced by oppression while his heart is secured in faith- and opens his heart to disbelieve; not to believe, then Allah will be displeased with them. A great punishment will be for them as well.

(Nahl/106)

Al-Baqarah 172–173 and al-Mā’idah 3 precede Sūra al-Anʿām in the standard Muṣḥaf, yet Sūra al-Anʿām 6:119 describes, “We have detailed it”—that is, the rulings on what is lawful and unlawful—more fully than the earlier passages. The comprehensive distinctions between halal and haram, pure and impure, and the parallels drawn between past communities and our own appear in the verses we have examined, rather than in Baqarah 172–173 or Mā’idah 3.

Sūra al-Aʿrāf (verses 32, 157, 160) was revealed forty-first, not thirty-ninth, and Sūra Ṭā Hā 20:81—the forty-third revelation—reaffirms what both the final Messenger and his predecessors taught: “Allah has made Tayyibāt (good, clean, wholesome foods) lawful and Ḥabīthāt (filth, harmful substances) forbidden.” It emphasizes that no one may render what Allah has declared pure as impure, even though the ruling has already been made unmistakably clear to you.

The “suggestions from Satan” mentioned in al-Anʿām 6:121, by which those who follow them fall into shirk, are explained in the Asbāb al-Nuzūl. It is reported on the authority of ʿAbbas that some among the Jews of Medina claimed: “That which Allah causes to die by natural death is forbidden (ḥarām), so how can it become lawful when we slaughter in His name?” This distortion was devised to poison minds and arm opponents in their campaign against the truth.

In the 122nd verse, where the theme of faith versus polytheism—developed throughout the surah—is illustrated by an analogy, our Lord depicts the believer as “alive,” “enlightened,” and “walking along a clear path.” He contrasts this with the unbeliever, likened to one who is “blind” and “enveloped in darkness,” and then asks any reasonable person whether these two are not plainly different. The purpose of this rhetorical question—which has an obvious answer—is to reinforce the message by prompting the hearer to acknowledge it.

The phrase “We resurrected him when he was dead” in the verse signifies “We elevated him to the level of intellect necessary to recognize the truth, granting him knowledge and understanding when he was in ignorance.” Although a person who cannot distinguish right from wrong and cannot perceive the True Path may be physically alive, he remains distant from the qualities that define true humanity—he is “alive” only in comparison to animals but “dead” in comparison to fully realized human beings. True aliveness requires the capacity to discern right from wrong, good from evil. Thus, unbelievers are described as “dead,” since polytheism and denial erode the highest human virtues and estrange them from their essential humanity. Conversely, believers are likened to “living beings,” because faith and piety restore those defining human characteristics. The Qur’an frequently employs this imagery (e.g. Nahl 20–21; Ya Sin 69–70; Naml 80; Fatir 19–22) to portray unbelievers as the spiritually dead.

In this verse—whose message is universal and timeless—classical commentators record several traditions concerning the identities of those being compared:

From the verse—Meaning of Hazrat Hamza [r.a]:

First narration: Ibn Abbas says: “At a time when Hazrat Hamza had not yet believed, Abu Jahl threw a camel’s skin to the Prophet. When Hazrat Hamza was returning from hunting with his bow in hand, he saw this and struck Abu Jahl on the head with his bow. Abu Jahl then said to him, ‘Do you not see what he brought? He has brought our minds to nothing; he curses and disparages our gods!’ In response, Hamza said, ‘You are the most foolish of people; you worship stones instead of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah, the One and Only, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.’ Upon this incident, this verse was revealed.”

From the verse—Meaning of the Prophet [pbuh]:

“This verse was revealed concerning the Prophet and Abu Jahl. When Abu Jahl heard: ‘A prophet has emerged among the sons of Abd al-Muttalib to whom revelation has been given,’ he declared, ‘I swear by Allah, unless the revelation that came to him also comes to us, we will not believe.’ Thereupon, this verse was revealed.”

Other Companions Meant in the Verse:

Third narration: Ikrimah and Kalbi say that this verse was revealed concerning Ammar [r.a]; he reported that it applied to Yasir [r.a] and Abu Jahl.

Fourth narration: Dahhak said that ʿUmar [r.a] reported it was revealed concerning al-Khattab and Abu Jahl.

Second opinion: This verse is a general verse valid for all believers and unbelievers. Since this meaning applies universally, assigning it to specific individuals needlessly complicates matters. Moreover, this surah was revealed all at once. Apart from the Prophet’s own explanation—“Allah’s purpose in this general verse is such-and-such”—it is difficult to attribute its revelation to any single incident.

The example of “believer” and “polytheist” given in verse 122 is explained further in this group of verses, and it is declared that people can find true happiness, well-being, and security only in the path of Allah.

The statement at the end of verse 123, “However, they do evil only to themselves and do not realize it,” draws attention to the responsibility of those who hold “prominent” positions in society. This emphasis reappears in other verses:

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/13)

(Nahl/24,25)

دار السّلامDAR’US-SELAM [LAND OF SALEAM]

The expression “Dāru’s-salām [abode of peace]” in verse 127 refers to Paradise. It is called the land of peace because its inhabitants will be safe from every disaster and calamity. Moreover, As-Salām is one of Allah’s beautiful names, so in this light the verse can also be understood as “Allah calls to His Abode of Peace.”

In this group of verses, our Lord vividly exposes the open confessions of the wrongdoers—who on the Day of Resurrection will confront one another—and shows that they were partners in crime. Informing them that they will be compelled to acknowledge their deeds serves as a reminder that each person has charted his own fate.

As noted in our commentary on Aʿrāf 7:15, the “jinn” mentioned here are the devils assigned to accompany people at resurrection as their qarīn [constant companions]. In verse 128, when the criminals’ natural protectors say, “We did use to find our mutual dealings profitable between us,” it is a full confession: each one admits he exploited and deceived the other for selfish ends. Their admission—“We bear witness against ourselves”—acknowledges that, although messengers came to them from Allah in succession, they nonetheless erred in rejecting their message.

Other passages in the Qur’an describe the questions that will be put to these evildoers on the Day of Judgment.

⁷¹And infidels; those who consciously denied the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb will absolutely be sent to Jahannah [Hell] in groups. And when they arrive there, its gates will be opened. And its guards will say to them: “Did there not come to you messengers from yourselves who recited you the Ayat of your Rabb and warned you that you would meet this day of yours?. They will say: “Yes they did”. –But the word of punishment has been justified upon the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb.-

(Az-Zumar71)

⁸It will almost burst with rage. Every time a people is thrown into it, its guards will ask them: “Did there not come to you a warner?”.

⁹Then they will say: “Indeed, a warner had come to us but we denied and said, ‘Allah has sent down nothing, you are only in a great astray’”.

¹⁰And they will say: “If we had listened or reasoned, we would not be among the companions of that blazing fire”.

¹¹Thus they will confess their sins. Then disintegration, turning into dust will be for the companions of the blazing fire.

(Mulk/8-11)

As can be seen, in Mulk/8–11 the answer given by the criminals is explained, and it is stated that their plight is the result of refusing to heed the prophets and failing to employ their intellect, being preoccupied instead with the fleeting interests of this worldly life.

As we have noted elsewhere, the scenes of the Apocalypse—which have not yet unfolded—are portrayed as though they already have, because what is described will inevitably come to pass. This narrative technique, employed to underscore certain events, occurs frequently in the Qur’an.

The statement in verse 129, “And thus We make some of the oppressors close to others because of the sins they have earned,” should be understood as “They become one another’s helpers, supporters, and accomplices,” for such tyrants—who were partners in the evil they committed in this world—will endure their punishment together in the hereafter.

^36,37And whoever is blinded from the reminder of Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] and His remembrance, We appoint for him a devil as a punishment and he is for him a contemporary/follower; and indeed, contemporaries/followers avert those who are blinded from the path. And they think that they are upon the righteous path that they are guided.

(Zuhruf/36,37)

Verses 132 – 134:

¹³²And there are degrees for all according to what they have done. And your Rabb is not unaware of/apathetic to what they do.

¹³⁴Surely, that which you have been promised will definitely come. And you will not prevent it.

In these verses, our Lord makes clear that each person will be rewarded according to the degree of their deeds; He reminds us that, if He so wills, He can obliterate those who disbelieve just as He did their predecessors and replace them with new generations. Whatever Allah promises will surely come to pass, and no one can avert His decree.

The phrase “And your Lord is the All-Glorious” in verse 133 teaches us this: “Allah is entirely self-sufficient; your obedience does not add to His glory, nor does your disobedience detract from His majesty. The laws He has prescribed serve your own welfare, not His need.”

These themes recur elsewhere in the Qur’an—see, for example, Ahqâf 18–19; An-Nisâ 133; Muhammad 38; al-Baqarah 143; Hûd 121–122; al-Mu’min 51–52; al-Anbiyâ 105; Ibrâhîm 13–14; and an-Nûr 55.

Ultimately, the only thing that can save a society from destruction is for its members to live by the principles at the heart of Sûrah al-‘Asr: to believe, to do righteous deeds, to enjoin the truth, and to exhort one another to patience and mutual counsel against wrongdoing.

¹¹⁶Why did those among the former generations before you who had virtue, merit; those of reason, People of the Book not forbid from corruption in the world? But only a few of them from among whom We saved did this. But those who did wrong; acted against their own good by accepting that Allah has partners, by consciously denying the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb pursued the luxury they were given and became criminals.

¹¹⁷And your Rabb would not manipulate/destroy those cities unjustly while their people are reformers.

(Hud/116, 117)

Verse 135:

This verse contains an extremely harsh warning to the stubborn, arrogant polytheists. As the message makes clear, believers have now attained parity, have every opportunity to oppose the polytheists, and are free to act among themselves.

It can be understood in the following ways:

“If you refuse to heed the warning and persist on your misguided path, then let us each follow our own way and see where we all end up.”
“Soon you will know who will inherit this land and receive an honorable outcome; you will discover who truly prevails in the Dar-ul-Islâm and who will dwell in the hereafter.”
“It is clear you will not find the right way. So do as you will—but know that I will do as I will.”

⁴⁰Indeed, those who go astray from the truth about Our evidences/signs into denial are not concealed from Us. Then, is the one who will be thrown into the fire better or the one who will come in safety on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]? Do whatever you will. Indeed, Allah is the One Who sees best that which you do.

(Fussilat/40)

The expression “Surely the oppressors will not be able to achieve salvation” in the verse means “Surely the oppressors will not be able to achieve their goals and intentions.”

Verses 136 – 140

In this set of verses (136–146), the ignorance of the Arabs’ polytheism is laid bare. As noted earlier, the Meccan polytheists acknowledged Allah’s existence and worshipped Him. Consequently, they traditionally set aside a portion of their harvests and livestock as God’s due. Yet they also sacrificed part of their produce and animals to idols representing their ancestral or tribal deities. They believed that these deities—whether idols, angels, jinn, stars, or the souls of their forebears—interceded for them before Allah, and that Allah, in His mercy, accommodated these intercessors. Thus they generously allocated these intermediaries’ shares. For example, they refrained from offering certain animals—called bahīra, sā’iba, and wāsiṭa—for sacrifice to idols, treating this prohibition as divinely ordained; they imputed sanctity even to animals known as ḥām and would not ride them. They claimed that the very names of these animals had been revealed by God.

These distorted customs among the polytheists are addressed in Surah al-Mā’idah as follows:

¹⁰³Allah did not make Al-Bahira, As-Sahiba, Wasila and Ham.⁴⁰³ But the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb invent lies about Allah. And most of them do not reason.

(Maidah/103)

The polytheists were rebuked by our Lord with a mocking scolding due to their insincere and self-interested behavior, and the ridiculousness of their distribution was explained at the end of verse 136 by saying, “How evil is the judgment they made!” It is emphasized with the expression.

Examples of the foolish distributions made by the polytheists are given in other verses:

⁵⁷And they attribute daughters to Allah. –Purified is Allah from this- And for them are sons that they desire.

⁵⁸And when one of them is given the good tidings of a birth of a daughter, his face becomes dark with anger.

⁵⁹He hides himself from his people because of the ill of the good tiding/news he has been given; should he keep the daughter despite humiliation and scorned or should he bury her into the ground? Be careful! How evil is their judgment/tradition!

(Nahl/57-59)

¹⁵And they attributed from His servants a portion to Him. Surely, man is explicitly ungrateful.

(Zühruf/15)

²¹Is the male for you and for Allah the female? ²²That will be a deficient/unjust division if it is like this. ²³These are nothing but names which you and your ancestors gave even though Allah did not send down any evidence about them. Surely, they only follow assumption and also that which their selves desire even though the guidance of the righteous path has come to them from their Rabb.

(An-Najm/21-23)

The expression “their partners” in verse 137 refers to the “devilish partners” previously warned of in Al-Isrā’/64, and which we discussed under the heading “partnership of the Devil” in our analysis of that verse.

Rāzī also commented as follows on these partners:

Ignorant Arabs were burying their daughters alive out of poverty and fear of disgrace. Scholars differ over what is meant by the term “shurakā’” (partners) here. Mujāhid said, “Their partners are the devils who urge them to bury their own children alive for fear of financial hardship. Because they obey those devils in disobeying Allāh, the devils are called ‘partners.’ It is like saying, ‘Where are the things that you vainly claim as partners?’” (cf. Al-An‘ām/22).

Kalbī likewise observed, “Their idols had servants and custodians who made the killing of children appear good to the unbelievers. In the pre-Islamic era, when ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib vowed concerning his son ʿAbdullāh, someone stood up and recounted that he swore to sacrifice one of his children if he had any.” According to this view, the “partners” mentioned in the verse are the idols’ custodians and servants; according to Mujāhid’s view, devils are called “partners,” and here servants likewise bear that name.

Here, these evil partners—these demons of the polytheists—made the crime of killing their children appear good, thereby destroying them, corrupting their religion, and leading them to commit this atrocity with ease. In carrying out this cruelty, they invoked three reasons they considered valid:

It was unavoidable that caring for and feeding daughters would place a heavy burden on them.
Daughters could be captured in tribal wars and bring future shame—having a daughter being almost a disgrace.
The child must be sacrificed to appease the gods.

Although some have claimed that this final, fabricated reason dates back to Abrahamic times, we consider such a possibility untenable. Further details on this issue will be addressed in our commentary on Sūrat Ṣāffāt.

The action of “slandering Allāh” in the phrase “He will punish them for what they slandered” at the end of verse 138 refers to attributing to Allāh rules that He did not impose.

(Nahl/116)

⁹³And who can do more wrong; act more against his own good than the one who invents a lie about Allah or says “I have been revealed” even though he has not been and says “I will also reveal like what Allah revealed”? If only you could see those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah when they are in violence of death and when authorities in charge extend their hands to them saying: “Discharge your souls. Today, you will be recompensed with a humiliating punishment for you have told lies about Allah and acted arrogantly towards His Ayat!”

(An’am/93)

In verse 139, another law invented by the Arabs is mentioned. According to this law, the meat of newborn animals was considered halal for men and haram for women, unless the animal was stillborn. This law—which slanders Allāh—also demonstrates that the polytheist Arabs treated women as second-class citizens.

In verse 140, Our Lord declares that those who slander Allāh by making ignorant judgments in their own minds and who foolishly kill their children are not on the right path. Indeed, on the one hand, the polytheists kill their children for fear of poverty, and on the other, they act as though they are not afraid of poverty by rendering some of Allāh’s provision haram. Through this contradictory attitude, they prove themselves deserving of Our Lord’s description as “brainless.”

The following incident, narrated about the senseless killing of the polytheists’ children, is instructive:

It is narrated that a Companion of the Prophet always stood before him in distress and sadness. Once the Messenger of Allāh asked him, “Why are you sad?” He replied, “O Messenger of Allāh, I committed a sin during the period of ignorance, and I fear that even if I become a Muslim, Allāh will not forgive me for it.” The Prophet said, “Tell me about this sin of yours.” The man said, “O Messenger of Allāh, I was among those who killed their daughters. I had a daughter whom my wife pleaded with me not to kill. But I did not heed her. She grew up and became very beautiful. Many sought her hand in marriage, yet jealousy gripped me: I could neither marry her off nor leave her at home unmarried. I told my wife that I was going to visit relatives in another tribe and that I would take our daughter with me. His mother was pleased and adorned the girl with dresses, ornaments, and jewelry. She made me promise not to betray her trust, and I set out with my daughter toward a well. When she realized my intent, she clung to me, crying, “Father, what do you want to do to me?” I felt pity and gazed into the well. Again jealousy overcame me. The girl again clung to me, imploring, “Father, do not betray my mother’s trust.” I looked again at the well and, overwhelmed by jealousy, threw her headlong into it. As she fell, she cried out, “Father, you have killed me,” and I stood there until her voice ceased. Then I turned away.” Upon hearing this, the Prophet and his companions wept, and the Prophet said, “If I had been commanded to punish anyone for what they did in ignorance, I would undoubtedly have punished you.”

Verses 141 – 144:

After exposing the polytheists’ misconceptions about plants and animals in the previous passage, verse 141 introduces plants, which are detailed in verses 142–144, while the subsequent verses explain the facts about animals.

In verse 141, the word “right” in the phrase “give him his right on the day of harvest” is a general expression that we understand to refer to zakāt. At the time of this verse’s revelation, however, it was not yet called “zakāt” because the Muslim community had not yet become organized; in later practice, this obligation was formalized under the term zakāt. The verse implies that zakāt becomes due when “the fruits are ripe and gathered,” so, by analogy, the zakāt on any earnings should be calculated and paid as soon as the income is realized, much like a payroll tax is withheld at the moment of payment. According to some authorities such as Zaccâc, this verse may have been revealed in Medina.

The expression “ ثمانية أزواج (thamāniyata azwāj),” rendered “eight wives” in verse 143, does not mean “eight couples” but “eight individual animals of specified kinds.” In Arabic, the singular زَوْج (zawj) denotes one of a pair—“a spouse” or “one of two matching things”—rather than the pair itself. Thus, ثمانية أزواج properly signifies “eight individuals,” which our Lord confirms by enumerating two sheep, two goats, two camels, and two cattle. Grammatically, number names from three to ten (أَسْمَاء الْعَدَد ism al-‘adad) require their counted nouns to be in the plural, which is why we read ثمانية أزواج rather than ثمانية زوج .

Within this same passage, these four categories of animals—sheep, goats, camels, and cattle—are mentioned again in verse 6 of Sūrah 39 (Zumar) using the same expression but without specifying the breeds. Their prominence reflects the fact that the Bedouin Arabs’ livelihood depended almost exclusively on these animals in their environment.

Verses 145, 118, 146:

¹⁴⁵Say: “I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything that is haram/forbidden for those who eat it other than carcass or spilled blood or the flesh of swine -flesh of swine is indeed impure, disturbing- or anything that is dedicated for anyone other than Allah; which is a sign of going astray from the righteous path. But whoever is forced, he may eat of these without transgressing and exceeding the necessity limit”. Indeed your Rabb is the One Who forgives much, shows great mercy.

¹¹⁸If you are believers in the Ayat of Allah, eat that upon which the name of Allah has been mentioned.

In this verse, our Lord first ordered his messenger to declare what was haram and for what reason, and then made some explanations about the Jews on this subject.

The list of harams mentioned in verse 145 as “carcass”, “shed blood”, “pork” and “things slaughtered in the name of someone other than Allah” is also given in other verses:

¹⁷³He has made haram/forbidden to you only dead animal, blood, the flesh of swine and any beast which has been dedicated for anyone other than Allah. Yet, whoever is forced to eat from these, there will be no wasting time/delaying the good/being reluctant for the good/harming upon him on the condition that he does not encroach on someone else’s right and does not exceed the necessity. Indeed, Allah is very forgiving, very merciful.

(Baqara/173)

³Made haram/forbidden to you are carcass, blood, the flesh of swine, that which has been dedicated for anyone other than Allah, that which has been strangled, shot, which has fallen from high, which has been gored by horn, which has been eaten by wild animals (except that you can clean, that you can prevent its harm out of these (including the flesh of swine)), which has been slaughtered for stone altars and to seek bounty with arrows of fortune. All of these are going astray from the righteous path. This day, those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb have despaired of your religion. Therefore, do not fear them in awe with respect, love, knowledge. Fear Me in awe with respect, love, knowledge. This day I have perfected your religion for you, I have completed My favor upon you. And I have approved Islam as the religion for you. And whoever is in distress in starvation without inclining towards that which causes to waste time/delaying the good/being reluctant for the good/harming eagerly, let him know that Allah is the One Who removes the sins of His servants, does not punish them and has much forgiveness, the One Who is the possessor of vast mercy.

(Maidah/3)

(Nahl/115)

The expression “shed blood” in verse 145, which is among the prohibitions, excludes the liver, spleen and the blood residue left in the veins after slaughter.

As can be seen, our Lord based the prohibition of food on two reasons: One of these reasons is that the food is “رجسrics, خبيث habis [dirty, harmful, ugly]” and the other is that it is “fisk [sinful, contaminated with polytheism]”. Accordingly, if these unpleasant features in rics or bad foods are eliminated and these foods are made “طيّبtayyib [pleasant, delicious, beautiful and useful]”, there will be no harm in eating them since the reasons for them being haram are eliminated. However, since it is not possible to turn foods contaminated with the “fisk” disease into “tayyib” state, these foods cannot be eaten even if they are not rics:

^156,157Allah says: “I have My punishment; I will touch with it whom I will, and I have My Mercy; that encompasses everything. I will decree it especially to those who enter under guardianship of Allah, those 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 who believe in Our Ayat; and those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who is from the Mother City/Mecca who orders them the good, forbids them from evil, allows them that which is clean and pleasant and prohibits for them that which is filthy and evil, relieves them of their burden, ties and chains which were upon them; whom they can find written in the Torah and in the Bible which are with them. Therefore, those who believe in him, show him a strong respect, support him and follow the light sent down with him will be the ones who will succeed”.

(A’raf/156,157)

⁴They ask you what has been made halal/permissible to them. Say: “Halal/permissible to you are that which is clean and pure and games of the hunting animals that you have trained of what Allah taught you”. Eat from what they catch for you and mention the name of Allah upon it and enter under the guardianship of Allah. Indeed, Allah is swift in accounting.

⁵This day, that which is good and clean has been made halal/permissible to you. Halal/permissible to you is the food of the people who were given the Book, and halal/permissible to them is yours. Also halal/permissible to you is to marry free women from among the believers and marry free women from among those who were given the Book before you and make them those who are guarded, -on condition not to commit unlawful sexual intercourse and not having secret lovers- when you have given their mehir [life insurance, honor wealth] to them. And whoever disrespects faith and disbelieves; consciously denies the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb; all what he did is certainly wasted and in Akhirat [Afterlife], he will be among those who suffer, lose.

(Maidah/4, 5)

RICS

The first meaning of the word “الرِّجس (rijs)” is “disturbing, violent thunder; the bellowing of camels.” Later, everything that causes discomfort, pain, or suffering came to be called “rijs.” The word also means “pollution, dirt [the opposite of clean],” and by extension “haram, evil deed, torment, curse, and blasphemy.” The Qur’anic terms “rijs” and “رجز (rizz) [torment]” share the same root, with the final letter shifting from س (s) to ز (z) in the same way that “أسد (asad) [lion]” becomes “أزد (azd) [lion].”

Al-Zajjāj explains, “Rijs is everything that provokes Allah’s reproach.” When someone commits an ugly act, one says “rajasar-rajūl [the man did something vile].” As “rijs,” the term also denotes very loud, disturbing thunder or camel cries. Deeds such as polytheism, blasphemy, and curses are called “rijs” because they inflict harm and distress. The word appears eight times in the Qur’an, consistently describing anything that brings suffering, illness, or unrest.

That verse 118 begins with the particle “فـ (fā–)” and verse 119 immediately follows with “even though He explained the forbidden matters in detail” indicates these verses were revealed after Al-Mā’ida 3—where halal and haram foods are already detailed—placing them in the Medinan period.

When listing prohibited foods, the term “dead (carrion)” does not customarily include fish. In everyday usage, saying someone ate carrion never implies fish. Indeed, Allah has expressly made fish lawful:

“And He subjected the sea to you so that you may eat fresh meat from it, and extract from it ornaments which you wear…”

(An-Nahl 14)

The “prohibitions imposed on the Jews” mentioned in verse 146 also appear in two other places in the Qur’an:

^93,94Before the Torah was revealed, all food was halal/permissible for Israelites except for what Israel/Jacob made haram/forbidden for himself. Say: “If you are truthful, bring the Torah and recite it at once. And whoever invents a lie about Allah after this, then it is those who do wrong; act against their own good”.

(Al-i Imran/93)

^160,161Like that: For the unjust behaviors of those who had become Jews, their efforts to avert many people from the path of Allah, that they took Riba [obtaining revenues without effort, service and risk] although it was forbidden to them and their consumption of wealth of the people without right, We made haram/forbidden that which had been made halal/permissible to them. And We have prepared a painful punishment for the infidels; those who consciously denied the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb from among those that had become Jews.

(Nisa/160, 161)

As understood from Āl ʿImrān / 93, whose meaning is given above, centuries before the revelation of the Torah, Prophet Jacob [Israel] prohibited certain things for himself, yet his descendants adopted and continued these injunctions. We believe these dietary restrictions were imposed for health reasons. Because they date back to ancient times, Jewish clergy came to regard them as binding religious laws. In the verse addressing this situation, our Lord says, “Bring the Torah and read it!” His command challenges them to show that Jacob’s self-imposed prohibitions were never part of the original Scripture but were later additions. Otherwise, since these same prohibitions are indeed recorded in the Torah they possess (for example, Leviticus 7, 11; Deuteronomy 14), the Jews could immediately meet this challenge by producing those texts.

Verses 147, 148:

¹⁴⁷If they deny you, then say: “Your Rabb is the possessor of vast mercy. And His punishment is not repelled from the people of criminals”.

In these verses, our Lord exposes the arguments that the polytheists will later use to defend themselves against the above explanations, showing that they speak nonsense based solely on conjecture rather than any real knowledge.

The polytheists’ words in verse 148 can be understood thus: “Had Allah not willed it, neither we nor our forefathers would have practiced polytheism. Since our actions are the result of Allah’s will, they must be right. If what you do is wrong, it is Allah we should blame, not ourselves.”

Notice that these statements are presented in the future tense—سيقولون (they will say)—indicating that although they had not yet been uttered at the time of revelation, they would certainly be voiced later. Indeed, history shows that these very arguments were made, and so this verse stands as a miraculous foretelling of the future:

³⁵And those who associate others with Allah said: “Had Allah willed, we and our ancestors would not have worshipped anything from among those that are inferior to Him and we would not have taken sacred from among anything that is inferior to Him”. Those before them had done like this. Then, is there upon the messengers except a clear conveyance?

(Nahl/35)

²⁰And they said: “Had Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] willed, we would not have worshipped them”. They have no knowledge of this. They are just inventing.

(Zuhruf/20)

Verse 149 – 153:

¹⁴⁹Say: “The absolute and perfect evidence belongs to Allah. Therefore, if Allah had willed, He would indeed have guided you all”.

¹⁵¹Say: “Come, I will recite you what your Rabb has tabooed; made untouchable to you”.

‘Not to associate anything with Him,

to do good to mother and father – treat them good,

not to kill your children out of poverty/being made poor, -We provide for you and them.-

not to approach apparent and concealed of evil,

not to kill a self which Allah has forbidden except by right, -These are what He brought upon you as a liability so you may use your reason.-

¹⁵²And do not approach orphan’s property, -But until he reaches the age that he is able to distinguish between good and evil, you can approach in a way which is best and spend in the appropriate way.-,

weigh in justice and equity and give full measure, -We never burden anyone other than what he is able to; other than what is within his capacity.-

be just when you speak even if it is against someone close to you,

and fulfill the covenant of Allah.’ –These are what Allah brought upon you as liabilities so you may be reminded and take lessons.-“

These verses, a declaration for all people across time, encompass every principle of the sura in their content and, in effect, constitute its summary. After stating in the passage that definitive and superior evidence belongs to Allah, the verses answer the polytheists’ excuses in verse 148 and reveal many life principles that are truly important for people. The reason for including these principles, which are declared as “God’s wills,” was explained as “so that people can use their minds, think, take advice and act piously.”

The principles in question are listed below:

* The most definitive and superior evidence belongs to Allah.

* Allah gave us sense organs to see and hear; The mind has equipped humans with the ability to comprehend and understand, leaving them completely free to believe.

* Nothing should be associated with Allah.

* Kindness should be done to parents.

* Children should not be killed for fear of poverty.

* Evil should not be approached either openly or secretly.

* The act of “killing life”, which is prohibited by Allah, should not be committed unjustly.

* The orphan’s property should only be treated with the best attitude until he reaches the age of maturity.

* Measurement and weighing must be done fairly and accurately.

* One must be fair, even if it is to the detriment of relatives.

* Promises made to God must be kept completely.

Dozens of explanations have been made in different surahs of the Quran regarding the principles discussed here. Some of them are given below:

ON “NOT ASSOCIATES PARTNERS WITH ALLAH AND DOING KINDNESS TO PARENTS”

^23,24And your Rabb has decreed that you do not worship anyone but Him, and to treat mother and father good and make them better. If one of them or both attain old ages while they are with you, do not say “ah!” to them, do not rebuke them; treat them very sensitive. And speak to both of them noble, sweet and good words. And descend your wings of humbleness for them out of your mercy. And say: “My Rabb! Have mercy upon them as they raised me as a person who is of good manners when I was a little child”.

(Isra/23, 24)

¹⁴And We enjoined upon man his mother and his father as a liability: -His mother carried him in weakness upon weakness. And his weaning is in two years.- “Repay to Me, to your mother and to your father!”. Only to Me is the return.

¹⁵And if mother and father force you to associate with Me that of which you do not know, do not obey them. And accompany them in this world with kindness and follow the path of those who turn to Me. Then only to Me will be your return. Then I will inform you about that which you did.

(Luqman/14, 15)

⁸³And when We took “a certain promise” from Israelites: “You will worship none but Allah, do good to your parents, relatives, orphans and the needy, speak good to people, establish Salah [establish and maintain the institutions that support financially and spiritually; enlighten the community] and 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”. Then, except for a few, you turned away. And you are the ones who keep their distance.

(Baqara/83)

ON “NOT KILLING CHILDREN”

³¹And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. It is We Who provide for them and for you/It is We Who nurture them and you. Killing them is truly a great sin.

(Isra/31)

And Abese/33–37, Baqara/123, Ibrahim/31, Luqman/33, Isra/15, Az-Zumar/7, Necm/38, En’am/140.

ON THE ISSUE OF “MASSACRE”

^68-71And servants of Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] do not invoke any other deity with Allah. They do not kill the soul that Allah has forbidden. – They only kill by right. – And they do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. – And whoever does these, will meet wasting his time/delaying the good/being reluctant for the good/harming. His punishment will be multiplied on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection] and he will abide there forever, being humiliated. Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous deeds. Thus, Allah replaces their evil deeds with good. And Allah is very forgiving, very merciful. And whoever repents and does righteous deeds, surely he will return to Allah as his repentance is accepted. –

(Furqan/68-71)

The term “unfairly” that our Lord puts at the beginning of the prohibition of “taking life” in verse 151 points out the exceptions to this prohibition. These exceptions are cases of killing in wars permitted by Allah and within the framework of the “principle of retaliation”.

ON THE ISSUE OF “THE RIGHTS OF ORPHANS”

^17-20Certainly not as you think! Indeed, you do not raise the orphan in an honorable way. You do not encourage one another to give opportunities for those unemployed, poor so they might earn their living. Yet, you consume heritage of the world, devouring it! And you love wealth with immense love, stockpiling it!

(Fajr/17-20)

^6-8Did He not find you an orphan and make you have refuge? Did He not find you as a person who was astray from the straight path and guide you to the straight path? Did He not find you in difficulty in supporting family and make you wealthy?

^9,10Therefore, do not oppress the orphan/do not make him worse! Do not repel the one who wants/asks.

(Duha/6-10)

^219,220They ask you about that which confuses, intoxicates the mind/causes intoxication of the mind and the games of chance. Say: “In them is a great cause of wasting time/delaying the good/being reluctant for the good/harming yet some benefits for the people. The condition of causing to waste time/delay the good/be reluctant for the good/harm is greater than their benefits”. And they ask you what they should spend for the cause of Allah. Say: “Spend the excess”. Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat for you so you may give thought. They ask you about the orphans as well. Say: “For them ‘improvement’ is the best. If you mix with them, then they are your brothers. Allah knows the corrupter from the amender. If Allah had willed, He would have put you in difficulty. Surely, Allah 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.

(Baqara/220)

¹O mankind! Enter under the guardianship of your Rabb Who formed you from a single self, then formed its mate from it and dispersed many men and women from both of them. And enter under the guardianship of Allah through Whom you ask one another and of the blood relation. Indeed, Allah is the One Who watches over you.

²And give to the orphans their wealth. Do not exchange pure for impure. Do not consume their wealth, adding it to yours. Doing this is absolutely a great sin.

³If you fear for your orphans concerning injustice; then marry those that may please you of the women of the orphans/the women who are obliged to care of orphans two at a time, three at a time, four at a time. If you fear that you can not maintain justice even in that situation, marry one of them or woman who is under your protection in accordance with laws³⁶⁴. This is the most appropriate way so that you may not to commit injustice.

⁴And give the women of orphans their mehir [life insurance, honor wealth]³⁶⁵ graciously. And if they willingly give/offer you a portion of what they will get, consume it without hesitation.

⁵And do not give to those immature orphans/who are not yet able to distinguish between good and evil your wealth which Allah has given to you so you may sustain. And provide for them from that wealth and clothe them. And speak to them in a way that is acceptable for all.

⁶And train your orphans with a strict education until they reach marriage. And if you perceive in them that they have reached the age of ability to distinguish between good and evil, give them their wealth right away. Do not consume out their wealth stealing it and in a rush because of that they will grow up. And whoever is wealthy, let him become chaste, patient; let him not receive any payment. And whoever is poor, let him consume in a way that is acceptable for all. And when you give orphans their wealth, bring witnesses upon them. And Allah is sufficient as reckoner.

⁷There is a share for male orphans in that which their parents and relatives leave. And there is a share as an obligatory share for female orphans, little or much, in that which their parents and relatives leave.

⁸When relatives, orphans and the needy are present at the allocation of heritage, provide for them from it and speak to them words in a way that is acceptable for all.

⁹And those who fear if they leave a weak lineage after themselves, let them fear! And let them enter under the guardianship of Allah and speak the words of proof.

¹⁰Indeed, those who unjustly consume the wealth of the orphans definitely eat fire in their bellies. And they will soon burn in the blazing fire of Jahannah [Hell].

(Nisa/1-10)

ON THE SUBJECT OF “MEASURE AND WEIGHING”

^1-3Woe to those frauds who measure fully when they purchase from the people for themselves but measure less when they measure or weigh!

^4-6Do they not know that they will be resurrected for a great day; the day when mankind will stand before Rabb of all universes?

(Mutaffifin/1-6)

The principle of “not approaching open or secret evil” in verse 151 is generally accepted as “not approaching adultery”. However, the expression of the verse is general and covers all ugly deeds and evil.

In verse 153, “And indeed, this is My path, straight. Follow him immediately!” A similar expression to the words of our Lord, which invites people to the path within the boundaries He has drawn and shows them the way to salvation, is found in the Surah Al-Shura:

¹³Allah has made a way of life that of the religion which He gave Noah as a liability, what We have revealed to you and that which We gave to Abraham, Moses and Jesus as a liability: “Implement the religion, establish it and do not be divided in it”. That to which you invite them has been difficult for those who associate others with Allah. Allah chooses whomever He wills for Himself and guides whoever turns with sincerity to that to which is invited.

(Shura/13)

Verse 154:

After conveying this declaration—which summarizes the principles of Islam—our Lord states in this verse that it had already been conveyed to people through the Prophet Moses. The preposition ثمّ (sümme [“then”]) at the beginning of the verse does not indicate a later moment in time but rather a later point in discourse, used here to reinforce the subject. As the verse shows, the Torah indeed shares the defining characteristics of the Qur’an:

¹²There was the book of Moses as a leader and mercy before the Qur’an. And this Qur’an is the book which is upon Arabic language/with the most perfect narration style to warn those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah and to give good tidings to those who produce good.

(Ahqaf/12)

^30-32They said: “O our people! We certainly have listened to a book that was revealed after Moses and only confirms its contents and guides to the truth and to the straight path. O our people! Respond to the inviter of Allah and believe in Him so Allah may forgive your sins and save you from a painful punishment. Whoever does not respond to the inviter of Allah, let him know that he will not incapacitate Allah on the earth. And there are no familiars who help, guide, protect for him from among those that are inferior to Allah. They are in an explicit astray”.

(AhQaf/30-32)

¹⁴⁵And We wrote for him on the tablets an advice from all things and a detailed explanation for everything. “Go on, take these and hold them firm, and command your people to take in the best way. Soon I will show you the land of those people who have gone astray from the righteous path.

(A’raf/145)

Verses 155 – 157:

At first glance, these verses seem addressed to the Arabs who were contemporaries of the Prophet; yet their message is for people of all times—especially those of that period who refused to believe unless they were personally addressed. With this wording, our Lord clarifies the function and importance of the Quran, closing every door to excuse-making—“we were unaware,” “we are not the addressees,” or “the language is foreign to us.” In the verse’s own terms, it is “so that you may not say, ‘We were unaware of their recitations [we could not read those books or understand their language],’ or, ‘If the Scripture had been sent down to us, we would have been better guided than they.’” Thus, it both removes such objections and instructs people in every age that responsibility cannot be evaded: the Quran must be conveyed—translated and understood—as accurately as possible in every language.

(Ahqaf/12)

⁴⁴And if We had made that Reminder/the Qur’an in a foreign language, they would definitely have said: “Why are its Ayat not explained in detail? Foreign language or Arabic!”. Say: “It is a guidance and a cure for those who believe”. And as for those who disbelieve, there is a heaviness in their ears. And that Reminder/the Qur’an is a blindness upon them. They are being called from a very distant place.

(Fussilet/44)

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.

¹⁹⁷And has it not been an evidence/a sign for the scholars of Israelites that they know about the existence of the trustworthy knowledge in their own books?

^198,199And even if We had sent down the explicit book to anyone from the foreigners/those who do not speak Arabic and he had recited it to them, they would not have been the ones to believe in it.

(Shuara/192-199)

¹⁷Then, are those who desire the worldly life like the one who is upon a clear evidence from his Rabb and whom a witness from his Rabb follows and who has the book of Moses before him as a guide and a mercy? Those ones believe in the Qur’an. Whoever conceals the Qur’an from whatever opposite groups, fire will be what he is promised. Therefore, you, do not have incomplete knowledge about the Qur’an because of all these. Surely, it is the truth from your Rabb. But most of the people do not believe.

(Hud/ 17)

Bringing up the Quran immediately after mentioning the book [Torah] sent down to Prophet Moses is a situation seen in many places in the Quran. To remember, 90-92 above. The same situation applies in the verses:

⁹⁰Those are the ones whom Allah guided. Now you, follow their guidance/the revelation. Say: “I do not ask you a payment for it. It is only a reminder for the mankind”.

(An’am/90-92)

The unity of our Lord’s revelation, that is, that all books carry the same message, is stated in very clear terms in the Surah Al-Maidah:

⁴⁴Surely, it was We Who sent down the Torah in which was a guidance to the righteous path and a light. Prophets who were Muslims judge for the Jews by it, and those who have devoted themselves to Allah and rabbis judge by that which they were entrusted of the book of Allah and that over which they witness. Do not fear humans in awe and respect, fear Me in awe and respect. And do not sell My Ayat for a price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed; they are the ones who are the infidels; they are the ones who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb.

⁴⁵And We ordained for them in the Torah, a self for a self, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth. And for wounds is retribution. But whoever gives up his right of retribution, this becomes an expiation for him. And whoever does not judge by that which Allah has revealed; then they are the ones who do wrong; act against their own good.

⁴⁶And We sent Jesus, son of Mary, in the footsteps of those prophets before him, confirming the contents of the Torah which is with them. And We gave him the Bible which is a guidance as a confirmation of the contents of the Torah, as a guidance and a reminder for those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah.

⁴⁷And let the companions of the Bible judge by what Allah has revealed in it. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed; then they are the ones who have gone astray from the righteous path.

(Maidah/44-47)

(Ahqaf/ 12)

Verse 158:

In this verse, those who still persist in disbelief and polytheism—even after all the details given in the previous verses—are asked how long they will continue in this state, and it is stated that if they claim belief only when confronted with hardship, calamity, death, or the Day of Judgment, such belief will be of no benefit.

The expression “the coming of your Lord” in the verse is metaphorical. Such expressions, which occur in many places in the Qur’an, should not be taken literally, for it is never possible for God to come or go. Our Lord has made similar warnings to those in this verse in other verses:

^21-23Certainly not as you think! When the earth has been leveled with consecutive tremors, when the revelations which your Rabb questioned and sent have been set as witnesses rank upon rank, that day Jahannah [Hell] will be brought; that day man will realize but what good to him will it bring!

(Fajr/21-23)

The phrase “some signs coming” in the verse refers to the apocalypse, which some express with titles such as “the sun rising from the west,” “the Antichrist coming,” “Dabbetü’l-arz appearing,” and “Jesus descending to the white minaret in Damascus.” These have been treated as signs and discussed together with many narrations that purport to confirm them. However, none of these are based on solid evidence. The phenomenon mentioned in the verse is the punishment to which the polytheists were subjected in this world, especially the suffering at the time of death.

The expression in the verse, “On the day when some of the signs of your Lord come, believing will not benefit anyone who has not believed before or has not earned any good in his faith,” is conceptualized as “faith of despair” and “faith of beis”; it states that forced faith, born of helplessness when one is in distress and hopelessness, does not avail.

FORCED FAITH

If a person who does not believe in Allah, His prophets, and the afterlife comes to believe at the moment of death—when the severity of death reaches him and he clearly sees and feels the divine punishment—this belief is called “iman-i ye’s” or “iman-i be’s” [forced faith].

Forced faith occurs in the following three situations:

In the face of disasters encountered while alive.
At the time of death.
At the apocalypse and the resurrection after the apocalypse.

The faith of those who believe after encountering one of these three situations will not be accepted. Because they believed not of their own free will, but out of fear and despair caused by the troubles they encountered—that is, they were forced to believe. For this reason, this belief does not benefit them at all.

Since a detailed explanation is given on this subject in the analysis of the Surah Doomsday, we recommend that you read the relevant section from there.

Verses 159, 160:

In these verses, which are addressed to our Prophet and all believers in his person, first, those who disrupt religious unity are condemned, and then the extent of the rewards and punishments that people will receive from their Lord in return for what they have brought from this world to the afterlife is mentioned.

Verse 159 is a warning message for what will happen in the future. Because the sectarians discussed here are not Christians and Jews, who had disagreements in the past and declared one another deviants. Here, some pretending to be Muslims will be separated from sect to sect, community to community; it is stated that each of them will form a set of beliefs and practices that are different from the true religion and that they will break away from each other, and believers are asked to be alert to this situation. The same warning is seen in the Surah Rum:

^31,32Enter under the guardianship of Allah, establish Salah [establish and maintain the institutions that support financially and spiritually; enlighten the community] as the ones who turn to Him from their hearts, do not be among those who associate others with Allah; those who have divided their religion asunder, who have divided into separatist groups. –Each separatist group brags with that which is with them.-

(Rum/31, 32)

Our Lord has given many examples in the Qur’an of people who tear religion apart by failing to accept all the principles stated in its source, instead taking what suits them and slandering Allah regarding what is halal and haram:

^84,85And when We took your certain promise: “You will not spill your blood, you will not drive out yourselves from your lands”. Then, you ratified, witnessing. Then, you are those; you kill each other and drive out a group among you from their lands. You help one another in wasting time/delaying the good/being reluctant for the good/harming and animosity against them. If they came to you as prisoners, you would try to demand ransom/compensation for them. Yet it; their eviction was forbidden to you. Then, do you believe in a part of the Book and not believe in another part? Then, what else than disgrace in the worldly life will those among you who do such things receive as recompense? And on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection], they will be punished with the most severe of punishment. Allah is not unaware of and apathetic to what you do.

(Baqara/84.85)

⁹¹And when it was said to them: “Believe in that which Allah has revealed”; they said: “We only believe in that which was revealed to us”. And they consciously refuse and deny that which is beyond what was revealed to them, despite it being the truth that confirms that which is already with them. Say: “Then, if you were believers, why were you fighting the prophets of Allah before?”.

(Baqara/91)

(Nahl/116)

However, the source of religion is only one—the revelation of Allah. Therefore, there should be no divisions in religion; in the name of religion, one should always refer to that revelation, in which there is no division or conflict.

(Ash-Shura/ 13)

¹O you who have believed! Do not put yourselves before between two hands of Allah and His Messenger/do not bring forth your own ideas in the religion. And enter under the guardianship of Allah. Indeed, Allah is the One Who hears best, knows best.

(Hucurat/1)

⁵⁹O you who have believed! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger and those in authority/main governor from among you. Then, if you disagree over anything, rely on Allah and His Messenger for it, if you should be the ones who believe in Allah and Akhirat [Afterlife]. This is better and more appropriate in finding the best solution.

(Nisa/59)

When one deviates from the true source of religion, division is inevitable. As is known, most of the disagreements in our religion arise from reports attributed to our Prophet and known as Hadith and Sunnah. However, with the statement “you are not one of them in any way” in verse 159, our Lord absolves His Messenger of being the cause of discord and acquits him of this filth. In that case, religious people must follow the True Religion, which has been “the same” since the first day and continues to be “the same” today, and not follow the path of those who cause divisions and divide it. Otherwise—as stated in the verse—“… their affair is surely up to Allah”; that is, the judgment about them will be given by Allah:

¹⁷Surely, those who have believed, who have become Jews, the Sabeans/those who were of the religion of the prophet John, Christians, the Magians, and those who have associated others with Allah; indeed, Allah will judge between them on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]. Indeed, Allah is over all things a witness.

(Hajj/17)

The basic principles of True Religion are:
1- The only God and Lord of the universe is Almighty Allah.
2- No one can be considered His equal or partner in His attributes, power, or might.
3- Another world will be established where all people will be held accountable for their actions in this world.

In verse 160, our Lord declares His judgment on the Day of Judgment and His grace in justice; He explains that on that day no one will be treated unjustly, evil deeds will be punished, and good deeds will be rewarded tenfold. There are many other verses in the Qur’an that contain the message of this verse: Bakara/62, Maidah/69, Nahl/97, Qaf/88, Meryem/60, Ta Ha/75, 82, Furqan/71, Al-Qasas/67, 80, Rum/44, Sebe’/37.

The following verses contain the same message:

^38-44And that one who has believed said: “O my people! Follow me so I may guide you to the path of reason. O my people! This simple life is only a temporary enjoyment. But Akhirat [Afterlife] is definitely what is the home of settlement. Whoever does an evil deed, he will be recompensed only with the same of what he did. And whoever, man or woman, does amendatory deeds while he is a believer, then they will enter Jannah [Heaven/Paradise], being given provisions therein without account”. And he said: “O my people! What is the matter with me that I invite you to the salvation while you invite me to the fire? You invite me to disbelieve in Allah and to associate with Allah that of which I have no knowledge. Yet I invite you to Allah Who is very powerful and very forgiving. It is indisputable that to what you invite me is truly that to which there is no call in this world nor in Akhirat [Afterlife]. And indeed, our return is to Allah. And surely those who show the truth incomplete, are the ones who are the companions of Jahannah [Hell]. And you will soon remember what I say for you. And I rely only on Allah. Surely, Allah is the One Who sees His servants best”.

(Mumin/38- 44)

As can be seen, in these verses above, people are encouraged to do good and good deeds.

Verses 161 – 165:

In this group of verses, the principle of monotheism, the mission of prophethood, and the relationship between God and servant—which have been detailed in many ways since the beginning of the surah and presented with very reasonable and convincing evidence—are conveyed to society in summary form from the mouth of our Prophet.

NATION, NATION OF ABRAHAM

The word “ملّة Millet” actually means “way, sunnah”. Later, it was used to mean “religion”. However, the word is not used alone, but relationally, as “his nation [his religion]”, “Abraham’s nation [Abraham’s religion]”, as seen in the verses. Therefore, the expression “the nation of Abraham” in the verse in question means “the religion of Abraham”, as in Sad/7, A’raf/89, and Yusuf/37. The fact that this expression is used many times in the Quran shows that there were people among the Arabs who said that they followed the Prophet Abraham. In fact, people living around Arabia at that time who were not Jews or Christians were called “belonging to the nation of Abraham”.

Our Lord mentioned the name of the Prophet Abraham many times in the Quran when introducing the subjects of “monotheism” and “solid religion”:

(Hajj/78)

¹³⁰And who else turns away from the religion/lifestyle of Abraham than the one who makes a fool of himself? And We had chosen him on the earth. Surely, he will be among the righteous in Akhirat [Afterlife] as well.

(Baqara/130)

⁹⁵Say: “Allah has told the truth. Then, follow the religion of Abraham as a person who has forsaken associating others with Allah and consciously denying the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb. And he was not among those who associated others with Allah”.

(Al-i Imran/95)

¹²⁵And who else can be better in terms of religion than the one who Islamizes himself [create well-being, peace, order, happiness…] for Allah as a person who does good and who follows the religion of Abraham as the one who has turned away from his former beliefs? And Allah took Abraham as the “groundbreaking who left his mark; pioneer, leader” for later generations.

PUBLICATION – مناسكMENASIK

The word “نُسُك Nüsük” is taken from the word “نَسِيكة Nesike”. The first (lexical) meaning of “نَسِيكة Nesike” is “to melt gold and silver and cleanse them from slag, making them pure”. In this case, “نُسْك Nüsk”, the main meaning of Nüsük, is “pure gold, piece of silver”. (TAC and LANGUAGE)

If we put this into religious language, Nüsük means “the purest form of worship to Allah; the one without hypocrisy, the most perfect, the most sincere.”

The person who performs his worship flawlessly and without blemish is called “ناسك Nâsik”. The words “نُسْك Nüsk”, “نُسُك nüsük” mean “the best, cleanest, most spotless worship, obedience, and everything that brings one closer to Allah”. Thus, “نُسُك Nüsük” includes everything that the religion commands and prohibits. The Quran also includes the forms “مَنْسَك mensek / مِنْسَك minsek and مَنَاسِك menasik” for this word.

“مَنْسَك Mensek” is a time/place pattern and means “the place where the nüsuk is done”. Its plural form is “مَنَاسِك menasik” and means “places where nüsuk is done”.

The form “مِنْسَك minsek” means “the material, tool from which the copy is made”. The plural of this pattern is “مَنَاسِك menasik” and means “the materials, tools, ways, styles from which the pattern is made”.

The point to be noted here is that the word “مناسك Menâsik” is the plural of the Ism-i time/space pattern as well as the plural of the Ism-i tool pattern. Two separate structures are similar to each other in their plurals.

We always interpret the words “مناسك menasik” in the Quran as the noun of instrument. And we recite the words mentioned in the verses and written as “مَنْسَك mensek” in the Official Mushaf (Hajj/34, 67) as “مِنْسَك minsek”. We prefer to read in this way. Because, as we understand from the Quran, every place in the universe is a place of worship; God has not created any place not to worship Him.

What Allah has commanded and suggested to us, and what our Lord has shown or will show us for the most sincere servitude, is spotless; faith without polytheism and sincerity are the best forms of servitude, the best tools, the most beautiful ways.

Over time, this word has narrowed in meaning to “animal slaughter”; it has been used for “sacrifice” and “pilgrimage pillars”. (TAC and LANGUAGE) This is how corruption began.

In the Quran (An’am/162, Baqara/128, 196, 200 and Hajj/34, 67) it is used in its literal sense; it is used in the sense of “the best, most useful, cleanest, spotless, flawless of worship”.

In Baqara/128, Ibrahim (AS)’s request, “And show us our manasik (rites),” has the same meaning as the expression “Ihdina s-sirata’l-mustaqim (show us the straight path)” in Surah Fatiha.

The phrase “And thus I was commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims” in verse 163 had also been mentioned before in the 14th verse of the sura. The same expression will appear later in Az-Zumar12. The expression in question means “I am the first of the Muslims in this ummah.” Because the previous ambassadors were also commanded to convey the message of Islam, and all of them became the first Muslims of their communities.

²⁵And We did not send any messenger before you except that We revealed to him: “The truth is that there is no god but Me. Therefore, worship me”.

(Anbiya/25)

^71,72And recite to them the important news of Noah: When he said to his people: “O my people! If my position; that I have a duty, that I stand against you and that I remind you with the Ayat of Allah should be burdensome upon you, know that I have relied upon Allah. Now, you and your partners, gather and decide what you will do with all of your power. Then do not let your this deed be trouble for you. Then carry it out upon me and do not give me respite. Then, if you turn away; I have not asked you a payment anyway! My payment is only upon Allah. And I have been commanded to be of the Muslims”.

(Yunus/71, 72)

¹³¹And when his Rabb said to him: “Be a person who strengthens [who makes the people healthier and happier]!”, Abraham said: “I have become a person who strengthens [who makes the people healthier, happier and convinces them to be Muslims] for Rabb of all universes”.

¹³²And Abraham instructed to his sons and Jacob, “O my sons! Surely, Allah has chosen this religion for you. Therefore, die as a person who makes stronger [who makes the people healthier, happier and convinces them to be Muslims]!”.

Baqara/130-132)

-“¹⁰¹My Rabb! You have given me rulership and taught me from the informations of the first meanings of what will occur/of the words. Creator of the heavens/universe and the earth from nothing! You are my helper, my protector in the world and in the Akhirat [Afterlife]; take my life as Muslim and join me with the righteous!-

(Yusuf/101)

And Yunus/84–86, Maidah/44, Maidah/111, A’raf/143.

In verse 164, “Each person’s earnings belong to him alone. The statement ‘He who carries his burden does not carry someone else’s burden’ informs about the justice of the punishment that will take place on the Day of Judgment, and states that responsibility and punishment are personal, and that no one will suffer for someone else’s sins, even if they are relatives. That is, on that day, souls will be punished for their own deeds. If the person’s deeds are “good”, there will be no punishment, and if the deeds are “bad”, the punishment will be “bad”. In addition, the punishment for anyone’s bad deeds will not be borne by anyone else.

This statement broke the policies of exploitation and prevention of entry into Islam by the Meccan magnates, who said, “If it is a sin not to follow Muhammad, do not be afraid, we will bear your sins.” This statement also revealed that the Christian belief that Jesus Christ suffered the sins of others is false.

Even though it is clearly stated in the Quran, some people still do not know enough about the fact that “one person will not suffer the sins of another person”. People who want to be misled are always deceived by the claim, “Your sin is on my shoulders.” There is no doubt that those who say this absurd statement, contrary to the Quran, are ignorant or malicious, and those who believe it are ignorant and unconscious. Because it is stated repeatedly in the Quran (Abese/33-37, Baqara/123, Ibrahim/31, Lokman/33, Isra/15, Az-Zumar/7, Necm/38) that no one will bear the burden of another.

The statement “Then your return is only to your Lord” in verse 164 gives the message to non-believers: “Do what you know, after you are willing to bear the consequences.” The same message is also found in the Surah Saba’:

²⁵Say: “You will not be held responsible for the sins that we committed. And we will not be responsible for what you did”.

²⁶Say: “Our Rabb will bring us together and then separate us with His judgment in truth. And He is the One Who opens the doors of good, judges, knows very well.

(Saba’/25, 26)

The word “caliphs” in verse 165 means “those who come after and replace the former”.

Again, the statement in verse 165, “He is the One who raises some of you above others in order to test you with what He has given you,” emphasizes that people are created with relative advantages over one another in different aspects. This is a sunnah of our Lord and, for the soundness of the world’s order, people are created with deficits or excesses relative to each other in mental, economic, and social terms. Our Lord also expressed this sunnah in other verses:

(Zuhruf/32)

(Nahl/71)

²¹Look how We have favored some of them over some of others! Surely, Akhirat [Afterlife] is greater in degrees and greater in distinction.

(Isra/21)

Allah knows the truth best.