63. SURAH AZ-ZUKHRUF (GOLD-ORNAMENTS) – Presentation of Islam and Quran

INTRODUCTION

This surah, accepted to have been revealed in Mecca as the 63rd in order of revelation, takes its name from the word “زخرف Zukhruf [gold, ornaments]” in verse 35. Its 45th verse is also reported to be Medinan.

The main theme of this surah is the Qur’an and tawhid (monotheism). Frequent attention is drawn to Allah’s widespread miracles in the universe. The polytheists’ blind imitation of their ancestors and their conception of angels are condemned. The struggles of the prophets Abraham, Moses, and Jesus for tawhid are briefly mentioned.

From the close relationship among the najms, it is understood that the najms were sent down at close intervals.

The meaning of the verses:

¹Ha/8, Mim/40.

^2,3The explicit book/the book which clarifies is the evidence that We have made it a reading in Arabic so you might use your reason.

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

⁵Then should We desist from sending you that Reminder/the Qur’an because you have become a people who show the truth incomplete?

⁶⁰And if We had willed, We would have made angels of you to succeed you on the earth.

^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.

⁹And surely, if you asked them: “Who has formed the heavens/universe and the earth?”, they would definitely say: “The One Who is the most exalted, the most powerful, the invincible/the subduer, the One Who knows very well has formed them”.

¹⁰And Allah is the One Who has made the earth a cradle for you. And He made various paths therein so you might follow the righteous path you are guided.

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

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

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

¹⁶Or has He taken daughters from what He formed and chosen sons for you?

¹⁷When one of them is given the good tidings of a daughter/what he attributes to Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created], his face becomes dark. And he gulps over and over.

¹⁸-Is the clueless, unconscious, cowardly male person who is in ornaments; who is wealthy, lives a comfortable life without being openly involved in debates and who is unable to defend his thesis leading this non sense?-

¹⁹And they have made the angels, who are servants of Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created], females. Did they witness their formation? Their testimonies will be written and they will be questioned.

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.

²¹Or have We given them a book before this so now they cling onto it?

²²Rather, they said: “Indeed, we found our ancestors upon these people with a leader, and we are those who have been reached to the righteous that we are guided on their footsteps”.

²³And thus, every time We sent a warner to a city before you, arrogant wealthy of that place have certainly said: “Indeed, we found our ancestors upon a community with a leader. And we surely are the ones who follow their footsteps”.

²⁴The warner who was sent said: “Even if I have brought you better than that upon which you found your ancestors?”. They said: “Surely, we are the ones who consciously deny/disbelieve in that with which you have been sent”.

²⁵So, We seized them, maintained justice by recompensing them. Look how was the end of those who denied! –^26,27And when Abraham once said to his father and his people: “Surely I am away from that which you worship. – Except for the One Who created me from nothing – Surely, He will guide me to the righteous path”. ²⁸Abraham made this statement a word to remain among his successors so they might return; they might act in accordance with the principles of Allah.-

²⁹Quite contrary, I gave enjoyment to them and their ancestors until the truth and a messenger who clarifies came to them.

³⁰And when the truth came to them, they said: “This is a magic and we are the ones who consciously deny/disbelieve in it”.

³¹And they said: “Why was this Qur’an not sent down to a great man from these two cities?”.

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.

^33-35And if the people were not to become a community with a leader who consciously deny the truth, We would have made ceilings of silver and stairways of silver for them to mount, doors for the homes of those who consciously deny/disbelieve in Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created], couches upon which they recline and golden ornaments. All these are nothing but enjoyment of simple worldly life. Akhirat [Afterlife], on the other hand, is for those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah.

^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.

³⁸And when he finally comes to us, he says: “I wish that there was a distance between you and me as it is between the east and the west”. –Then, how an evil follower/contemporary this is!-

³⁹And today your regret will not benefit you at all. When you do wrong; act against your own good by associating others with Allah, you are sharing in the punishment.

⁴⁰Then, is it you who will make the deaf hear? Or is it you who will guide the blind and those who are in an explicit astray?

⁴¹And even if We take you away, We will definitely maintain justice by recompensing them.

⁴²Or We show you the punishment which We have promised them. Because We possess power over them.

⁴³Then cling onto what you have been revealed. Indeed, you are upon a straight path.

⁴⁴And indeed, what has been revealed to you [the Qur’an] is truly a reminder/honor-prestige for you and your people. You will be questioned soon.

^61,62And surely, what has been revealed to you [the Qur’an] is a knowledge for the moment of Qiyamat [Resurrection]: “Do not doubt about the moment of Qiyamat [Resurrection] and follow me. This is the righteous path. And never let satan avert you. Surely, he is an explicit enemy for you.”

⁴⁵And ask those We sent before you of Our messengers; research, think, explore! “Have we made deities to be worshipped from among those that are inferior to Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created]?”.

⁴⁶And surely, We sent Moses to Pharaoh and his chiefs as a messenger with Our Ayat/evidences/signs and he said: “I am truly the messenger of Rabb of all universes”.

⁴⁷And when Moses brought Our Ayat/evidences/signs to them, they laughed at the Ayat at once.

⁴⁸And each evidence/sign that We showed them was indeed greater than the previous evidence/sign. And We seized them with punishment so they might return; they might act in accordance with the principles of Allah.

⁴⁹They said: “O magician! Invoke your Rabb for us for your covenant/the promise He has given you. Surely, we will follow the righteous path to which we are guided”.

⁵⁰But whenever We removed our punishment from them, then they broke their word at once.

^51-53And Pharaoh called out among his people: “O my people! Do not the kingdom of Egypt and the rivers that flow beneath me belong to me? Do you still not see? Or am I not better than that man who is insignificant; who hardly expresses himself? And why have not bracelets of gold placed upon him or have not angels in ranks come with him?”.

⁵⁴Pharaoh passivated; rendered his people unqualified so they obeyed him. Indeed, they were a people who had gone astray from the righteous path.

^55-56Finally, when they excessively engaged in activities that We were displeased with, We maintained justice by recompensing them. Then We drowned them all in the water. Then We made them predecessors and an example for the ones who will come later.

⁵⁷And when Jesus, son of Mary, is presented as an example, your people go away from it while they keep their distance.

⁵⁸And your people said: “Are our deities better or is he, Muhammad/Jesus?”. They presented this example only to argue with you. In fact, they are an hostile people.

⁵⁹Jesus was only Our servant to whom We bestowed favor and whom We made an example for Israelites.

^63,64And when Jesus came with explicit proofs, he said: “I have brought you the laws, rules and principles that are set forth to prevent injustice and chaos and I have come to make clear to you some of that over which you differ. So, enter under the guardianship of Allah and obey me. Surely, Allah; He is my Rabb and your Rabb. So worship Him. This is a righteous path”.

⁶⁵But groups differed over Jesus between each other. O woe to those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah because of the punishment of a painful day!

⁶⁶Do they expect anything other than the moment of Qiyamat [Resurrection] to come to them unexpectedly while they do not perceive?

⁶⁷On that day, all leaders/those who follow each other except for those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah will be enemy of each other.

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

^74-76Certainly, sinners will be in the punishment of Jahannah [Hell] eternally. It will not be subsided from them. They will be in despair therein as well. And We did not treat them unjustly but they were the ones did wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah.

⁷⁷And they will call: “O Malik [guardian in Jahannah]! Let your Rabb put an end to us”. Malik [guardian in Jahannah] will say: “Undoubtedly, you will be in expectation like this”.

⁷⁸Indeed, We have brought you the truth. But most of you consider the truth bad.

⁷⁹Or have they secured/guaranteed the matter? We surely are those who secure the matter.

⁸⁰Or do they think that We do not hear their secrets and whispers? Indeed We do! And Our messengers who are with them are recording.

⁸¹Say: “If there had been a child for Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created], in that case, I would have been the first of worshippers”.

⁸²Purified is Rabb of the heavens/universe and the earth, Rabb of the greatest throne from that which they describe.

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

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.

⁸⁵And how generous is Allah to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens/universe and the earth and all that is in between them. The knowledge of the moment of Qiyamat [Resurrection] is only with Him. And you will be returned only to Him.

⁸⁶And the ones whom they invoke from among those that are inferior to Him are not able to possess to help, support, intercede. Except the One Who testifies to the truth. They also know.

⁸⁷And surely, if you asked them who formed them, they would definitely say: “Allah”. So, how are they deluded?

⁸⁸And that he says, “My Rabb! Indeed these are a people who do not believe” is an evidence…

⁸⁹Then turn away from them and say: “Salam [health, peace, happiness…]”. Soon they will know.

ANALYSIS

Verse 1:

¹Ha/8, Mim/40.

The first verse of the surah is composed of the disjointed letters “ح (Ha)” and “م (Mim)”. We have expressed our view on the disjointed (muqattaʿ) letters many times before on the occasions of the muqattaʿ letters in previous surahs. To recall briefly, the meaning of these letters has not yet been definitively established. They may have a meaning, or they may be devices for the preservation of the Qur’an, or particles used to draw attention to it.

As with other disjointed letters, the letters “Ha, Mim” have likewise been the subject of various interpretations in the past.^[1]

Verses 2 – 4:

^2,3The explicit book/the book which clarifies is the evidence that We have made it a reading in Arabic so you might use your reason.

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

In these opening verses, the Qur’an is emphasized, the reason for its revelation in Arabic is explained, and the status of the Qur’an is stated. In this way, the claims and doubts in the minds of the polytheists that “Muhammad himself invented the Qur’an” were sought to be eliminated.

In the verse, the Qur’an is associated with “using the intellect.” Everyone who has studied the Qur’an recognizes that it engages the intellect and leads people to the right path.

The word “عربيًّ Arabiyyen” in the verse refers both to the fact that the Qur’an was revealed to the Messenger in the language of his own people, and to the fact that the words that make up the Qur’an are free from defects in sound and meaning—i.e., they are easy to understand, easy to pronounce, and have perfect syntax.

In fact, the reading and understanding of a book depend on these two basic features. Just as it is not possible for those who do not speak a foreign language to understand a book in that language, the same holds if the language used is not proper, clear, and comprehensible. The Qur’an is a book that possesses both of these qualities in a positive sense. First, its language is Arabic. It is out of the question for anyone from the Arab community, the first addressee of the Qur’an, to offer the excuse, “We do not understand this book because it comes in a foreign language, and we cannot decide whether it is true or not.” Even when presented in the language of a society, it is not possible to understand books that are disorganized and chaotic. The Qur’an is superior in this respect as well. Those who read the Qur’an can easily observe its clear, comprehensible, and perfect narrative full of examples.These verses also make it clear that there is no verse in the Book that cannot be understood.

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.

(Fussilat/44)

^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.

(Al-An’am/155-157)

In verse 4, the expression “… the Mother of the Book with Us …” is used in relation to the Qur’an. This expression is a reference to our Lord’s Main Source—His Kalām, i.e., His infinite knowledge, infinite memory, and infinite revelation. This is expressed in several different ways in the Qur’an:

⁷⁵No. The divisions/times and locations of each Ayah sent down with each revelation is the evidence that – ⁷⁶and it is a great evidence if you know – ⁷⁷indeed it is the noble Qur’an. ⁷⁸It is in a protected/maintained book. ⁷⁹No one but those who are mentally purified may establish relation with it. ⁸⁰It is sent down by Rabb of all universes.

(Al-Waqi’a/75- 80)

^21,22Rather, it is an honorable Qur’an that is guarded in a preserved tablet.

(Buruc/21, 22)

Verses 5, 60:

⁵Then should We desist from sending you that Reminder/the Qur’an because you have become a people who show the truth incomplete?

⁶⁰And if We had willed, We would have made angels of you to succeed you on the earth.

These verses reveal the boundlessness of our Lord’s mercy. It is as follows: although the polytheists are ungrateful, disrespectful, disobedient, unreasonable, and transgressive, our Lord does not stop sending them advice; rather, He continually sends them warning messages. Verse 5 appears to be a response to the polytheists’ reproach to the Messenger of Allah: “Why do you exhaust yourself after all this? Why don’t you give up on us? Why don’t you leave us to our own devices?”

If such insistence were to occur in a relationship between people, one would say, “Let them be as they are!” and give up trying. However, our Lord does not do so, and He continues to warn His servants who transgress.

It is also possible to take this statement to mean something like this:

“Do you think that you will be left alone to do as you please? No, no! We do not leave you adrift. We will persistently set before you what you must believe and do. Then We will ask you to account for them.”

It is clear from this that the preachers of tawhid must continue their work without ceasing and leave the outcome to Allah.

Verses 6 – 8:

In a way, these verses answer the question posed in verse 5. In that verse, our Lord asks: “Then should We desist from sending you the Reminder/the Qur’an because you have become a people who make the truth incomplete?” Now the message is implicitly given that, had such obstructions, opposition, and denial prevented Us from sending down books and prophets, no prophet would have been sent, nor would any book have been sent down to this day.

These verses also carry a message of comfort to the Messenger of Allah and a threat to the polytheists. Namely, the Meccans who opposed the Messenger of Allah, ridiculed him and the message he brought, and crossed the line, are indirectly told: “If you persist in stubbornness as your predecessors did and continue in polytheism and denial, We will destroy you just as We destroyed the polytheistic and denying societies before you, who were stronger than you.”

As is well known, our Lord constantly gives examples from the past as a warning:

³⁹And We presented to all of them examples and destroyed them all.

(Furqan/39)

^44,45And warn the people with the day when the punishment will come. Then those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah will say: “O our Rabb! Delay us for a short term so we may answer Your invitation and follow the messengers”. –Had you not sworn before that there would be no end/destruction/eradication for you? And you dwelled in the lands of those who had done wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah. And it became explicit to you how We had done to them. And We presented to you examples as well.-

(Ibrahim/44,45)

⁴⁷And there will be messenger for every people with a leader. When their messenger comes, justice and equity will be fulfilled between them. And they will not be treated unjustly.

(Yunus/47)

And Duhan/25, Mu’min/82, Zukhruf/55, 56, Mu’min/85, Ahzab/62.

Verse 9:

This verse shows the inconsistency of the polytheists concerning Allah. For example, when asked, “Who created the heavens and the earth?”, they answer without hesitation, “The Almighty, the All-Knowing created them,” which in fact means that they recognize and accept Allah. However, by assuming that He is a power that only creates and then withdraws and leaves His creatures to their own devices, they deny Allah’s Lordship. After accepting Allah’s attribute of creation, failing to accept that He does not leave any of His creation unattended and that everything in the universe takes place according to His programming means not knowing Allah properly. Not knowing Allah properly is tantamount to not believing in Him. It is an inconsistent approach to accept Allah yet not accept His Lordship. The most perverse idea on which this inconsistency is based is the assumption that Allah will not return His creatures to Him.

The verses that follow (10–14) describe Allah’s Lordship over the universe after He created it—His constant control over it, His stewardship. Nevertheless, it is stated that those who do not use their intellect worship idols and those whom they regard as equal to Allah along with Him.

²⁵Indeed, if you asked them: “Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth?”, they would surely say, “Allah!” Say: “All praise is to Allah; no one else may be praised!” Actually, most of them do not know.

(Luqman/25)

⁶¹And indeed, if you asked them: “Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth, and who got the sun and the moon under control/created them in such structure and characteristic so servants may benefit?”, they would definitely say, “Allah”. Then, how are they deluded?

(Ankabut/61)

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

(Zumar/38)

⁸⁷And surely, if you asked them who formed them, they would definitely say: “Allah”. So, how are they deluded?

(Zukhruf/87)

Verses 10 – 14:

¹⁰And Allah is the One Who has made the earth a cradle for you. And He made various paths therein so you might follow the righteous path you are guided.

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

In this group of verses, our Lord enumerates the signs of His Lordship to the polytheists who recognize Him as the Creator but not as “Lord,” and invites them to accept His Lordship. In doing so, the most remarkable features in their surroundings are mentioned.

The attributes of our Lord highlighted in these verses are as follows:

Who made the earth a cradle for you.
And therein He has made some paths so that you may go in the right way.
Who sends down water from the sky in a measure.
Who revives a dead town.
Who created all pairs.
Who enables you to ride upon their backs and to settle on them.
And when you have settled on it, remembering the blessing of your Lord: “Allah is the Exalted, Who has placed these at our service; otherwise we could not have afforded them.” And He has made the ships and the beasts that you may ride, so that you may say: “Surely to our Lord alone shall we return.”
Allah’s invincibility and omniscience.

The first of these is that our Lord has made the earth a cradle for humankind. It is such a cradle that people live their lives comfortably in it. Just as a cradle is a comfortable and suitable resting place for babies, so is the earth for human beings.

In verse 10, the phrase “some ways” can also be understood as “some means of livelihood,” as Ta Ha/53, 54 indicates.

⁵³He is the One Who made the earth a cradle for you, made paths on it and sent down a water from the sky”. – And We grow many species of plants in couples with that water. ⁵⁴Eat and graze your livestock. Indeed there are many evidences/signs in this for those who have intelligence!

(Ta Ha/53, 54)

Our Lord also sends down water from the sky in measure and sustains life with it.

⁵⁷And He sends winds as harbingers of good tidings/distributors/spreaders before His mercy so you may remember. When those winds bear the rain clouds, He sends them to an arid land, then We make them pour water. Thus We make every kind of crops grow. Thus We will resurrect the dead. ⁵⁸And plants of the good region grow by permission/knowledge of your Rabb; and on the bad lands grows nothing but useless vegetation. Thus We explain the Ayat in different ways, over and over, for a people who repay for the blessings given to them.

(Araf/57)

“All pairs” in the verse refers to the fact that all beings in the universe are created in pairs. Examples include: sweet–sour, white–black, male–female, top–bottom, right–left, front–back, past–present, essence–attribute, summer–winter, spring–autumn, night–day, earth–sky, heaven–hell, good–evil, faith–disbelief, benefit–harm, poverty–wealth, health–illness. The duality of beings is proof that they were created by a Creator.

^1-4Concealing the truth, associating others with Allah, disintegration of the ignorance, ten nights on which Prophet was given knowledge, relation of Allah-servant and concealing the truth, associating others with Allah, perishing of the ignorance is the evidence that, indeed ¹⁴your Rabb watches over.⁵There is a strong-convincing narration which makes believe in these for the one who has reason.

(Fajr/1- 4)

^7,8And We spread the earth out and cast firmly set mountains thereon to open the eyes of the hearts of all those who turn towards Allah and as a reminder. We made grow therein plants of every pair which are pleasant to look at and fascinating,

(Qhaf/7)

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

(Lokman/10)

Verses 15 – 20:

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

¹⁶Or has He taken daughters from what He formed and chosen sons for you?

This group of verses exposes the inconsistency of the polytheists who considered women and girls inferior to boys. While deeming sons befitting for themselves, they ascribed daughters to Allah in a quasi-religious fashion. The polytheists of that time did not regard daughters as suitable for themselves and were extremely uncomfortable when informed of a daughter’s birth. It was astonishing that they held sons to be worthy of themselves yet attributed daughters to Allah. The verse highlights the error of this attitude and affirms that Allah is exalted above such characterizations.

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

(Nahl/58)

²¹Is the male for you and for Allah the female? ²²That will be a deficient/unjust division if it is like this.

(Najm/21, 22)

In verse 18, it is argued that the expression in the verse refers to “soft, gentle, adornment-loving, and physically weak girls who do not go to the battlefield.” This is a very wrong assumption. The verse explicitly refers to a male person, reinforced by the pronoun “هُو (huwa, masculine).” The person(s) referred to here were mentioned earlier in An’am/100, 101: “And they have made invisible powers and beings partners to Allah, yet He created them. And they invented sons and daughters without knowledge. He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth out of nothing. How can He have a child when He has no mistress or mate? And He has created all things. And He is the Best Knower of all things.”

The expression in verse eighteen—“a man who is dressed in ornaments; who leads a rich, comfortable life; who is not openly present in discussions; who cannot defend his thesis; a man who is ignorant, unconscious, cowardly”—refers to the so-called prestigious, noble people of that period. In verse 53, Pharaoh says of Moses, “And gold bracelets should be thrown on him,” because it was the custom of the noble people of that time to adorn themselves in this way. Pharaoh and his relatives were adorned with such gold bracelets at that time, for adornment with gold jewelry was a sign of nobility in that culture.

And this verse is a parenthetical statement describing the wretchedness of the polytheists (especially the Juhayna, Huzaa, Bani Muleyh, Bani Salamah, and the Sons of ‘Abd al-Diddar), which is detailed in An’am/100, 101, 116–146 and Saffat/149–160. They are also mentioned in Surah Saffat.

¹⁴⁹Now ask them: “Do daughters belong to Allah and sons belong to them?”

¹⁵⁰Or did We form angels as females and they are witnesses?

^151,152Open your eyes! They say: “Surely, Allah has begotten” because of the slanders they have invented. And surely, they are definitely liars.

¹⁵³Has Allah preferred daughters over sons?

¹⁵⁴What is the matter with you? How do you judge?

¹⁵⁵Do you still not think?

¹⁵⁶Or do you have a clear authority/an evidence?

¹⁵⁷Then, bring forward your book if you are truthful ones.

¹⁵⁸And they claimed a relation between Allah and secret forces. But, the secret forces definitely know that they are those who will be brought/will be gathered at the great crowd.

¹⁵⁹Purified is Allah from that which they describe.

–¹⁶⁰Only the purified servants of Allah do not describe Allah in such a way with association.-

(As-Saffat/149-160)

See also An’am/ 116-146.

The views of these polytheists about daughters are mentioned in many 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)

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!

(Al-An’am/136)

²¹Is the male for you and for Allah the female? ²²That will be a deficient/unjust division if it is like this.

(Najm/21- 22)

(Zukhruf/45)

In verse 20, the statement “If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped them” shows that the polytheists again blamed Allah. It has been mentioned in many verses that polytheists often resort to such excuses when they are in trouble:

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

(Ya Sin/47)

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”.

(Al-An’am/148)

^27,28And indeed, We have presented in this Qur’an for the people from every kind of example as a perfect Arabic reading so they may think and remember; so they may enter under the guardianship of Allah.

(Zumar/27, 28)

Verse 21:

²¹Or have We given them a book before this so now they cling onto it?

In this verse, it is pointed out that the polytheists’ refusal to accept Allah as Lord, their adoption of false gods they claim manage the affairs of the heavens and the earth, and their belief that the angels are female—daughters of Allah—are not based on any divine source.

³⁵Or, have We sent down an evidence to them and that evidence says that which they associate with Allah?

(Rûm/35)

As can be seen, the answer to the question in Rûm/35, which conveys the same message, is that “they do not have a book from Allah that contains those beliefs,” and this wrong attitude of the polytheists is clearly rejected.

Verse 22:

²²Rather, they said: “Indeed, we found our ancestors upon these people with a leader, and we are those who have been reached to the righteous that we are guided on their footsteps”.

In this verse, it is again explained that the polytheists’ clinging to imitation and using the way of their ancestors as an excuse is the source of their false beliefs and this unwise attitude of theirs is criticized:

¹⁷⁰And when it is said to them: “Follow what Allah has revealed”, they said: “Rather; we will follow that upon what we found our ancestors”. Even though their ancestors did not understand anything, did not strive to understand either and did not find the righteous path they had been guided?

(Al-Baqarah/170)

¹⁰⁴And when it was said to them: “Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger”, they said: “Sufficient for us is that upon which we found our ancestors”. Even though their ancestors were the ones who knew nothing and did not follow the righteous path they were guided?

(Al-Ma’idah/104)

²¹And when it was said to them: “Follow what Allah has sent down!”, they said: “Rather, we follow that upon which we found our ancestors”. What if satan was inviting them to the punishment of Jahannah [Hell]?

(Lokman/21)

²⁸And when they commit an immorality they say: “We found our ancestors on this path, Allah has ordered this to us”. Then say: “Allah does not order immorality. Are you saying about Allah that which you do not know?”

(A’raf/28)

Verse 23, 24:

In verse 23, the word “ummah” denotes “a community of people who are in the same place at the same time—whether by choice or necessity—who share the same beliefs, good or bad, and who live together for the same purpose.”

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)

⁹²Surely, this is your community as the one united community. And I am your Rabb. Then worship Me.

(Anbiya/92)

Again, in verse 23, “…the spoiled wealthy people of that place…,” these are the al-mutraf. This spoiled class of wealthy people, who have become rich and prosperous thanks to the existing system, have no desire to see it destroyed. They know well that if the ideas expressed by the prophets are accepted and spread, the existing system will collapse and they will lose their money, their seals, and their servants at their doors. Therefore, they strongly oppose the messengers and become their worst enemies.

“Al-mutraf” means “one who is spoiled and corrupted by a life of wealth and comfort.” The Qur’an repeatedly emphasizes that the first to oppose the messages of the prophets from Allah are always the wealthy, influential, and powerful [al-mutraf, al-malaʾ, al-akābir].

Verse 25:

²⁵So, We seized them, maintained justice by recompensing them. Look how was the end of those who denied! –

In this verse, the evil fate of those who live in a society that persists in the perverted mentality of its ancestors and who want their position to remain unshaken is foretold. They will face such consequences as bankruptcy, loss of property, captivity, and loss of power.

Their situation was first exposed in Surah al-Humazah:

¹Woe to all those who backbite, who scorn with facial expressions!

^2,3He is the one who collects wealth and increases it/counts his wealth again and again, thinking that his wealth will make him immortal.

⁴Certainly not as he thinks! Indeed, he will be thrown into the Hutamah.

⁵What has made you know what the Hutamah is?

^6,7It is a blazing fire of Allah that rises over the hearts.

^8,9It is closed upon/locked upon them in extended columns/unending distresses/in wounds which will never get better in their back.

(Al-Hümeze)

Our Lord’s command in verse 25, “Go on; see what was the end of those who denied!”, is an instruction to the believers to investigate the fate of this elite group and to bring to light every aspect of their lives.

Verses 26, 27:

^26,27And when Abraham once said to his father and his people: “Surely I am away from that which you worship. – Except for the One Who created me from nothing – Surely, He will guide me to the righteous path”. ²⁸Abraham made this statement a word to remain among his successors so they might return; they might act in accordance with the principles of Allah.-

In these verses, Prophet Abraham and his people are presented as the first concrete example of Allah’s punishment and justice upon those who refuse to renounce the religion of their ancestors and persist in polytheism. However, as in Surah Saffat, the events are mentioned only briefly.

Abraham was born into a society that clung to the religion of the ancestors, and as soon as he grasped the truth at a young age, he abandoned that ancestral religion. By mentioning Prophet Abraham in the verses in question, the following message is given to the polytheists of Mecca: “If they want to imitate their fathers and forefathers, here is the way of their greatest father and forefather! Let them hold fast to it and give up the error they are in.”

Prophet Abraham’s struggle for monotheism with his own people is recorded in Surahs al-An‘am (74–85), al-Anbiya (51–70), and Saffat (83–98).

In verse 28, in order to understand the expression “Abraham made this statement a word to remain among his successors so they might return,” let us recall the words of Prophet Abraham in the previous verse: Abraham said, “Surely I am away from that which you worship—except for the One Who created me from nothing—surely He will guide me to the right path.” In verse 28, this is the word said to be made permanent. Prophet Abraham said this in the hope that, after him, those who were in polytheism would follow his example and repent from worshipping other than Allah.

Verses 29 – 32:

²⁹Quite contrary, I gave enjoyment to them and their ancestors until the truth and a messenger who clarifies came to them.

³⁰And when the truth came to them, they said: “This is a magic and we are the ones who consciously deny/disbelieve in it”.

³¹And they said: “Why was this Qur’an not sent down to a great man from these two cities?”.

In these verses, after describing the punishment of the polytheists of ancient times, the wrong attitude of the polytheist Arabs—who had not been punished up to that day—is mentioned. For when the truth came to them, they said, “This is sorcery, and surely we are the ones who disbelieve in it,” and they opposed the last prophet who warned them, saying, “Should not this Qur’an have been sent down to a great man from one of the two cities?”

The situation of the Meccan polytheists is also mentioned in the following verses:

^6,8And the chiefs among them walked forth: “Insist on your gods and do not turn away from your decision, word. This is truly what is expected from you. We have not heard this in the latest/another religion, this is only an invention. Has the Reminder/the Book been revealed upon him among us?” –Rather, they have insufficient knowledge about My reminder/the Qur’an, rather, they have not tasted My punishment yet.-

(Sad/6-8)

^42,43And they swore by Allah with all their strength that if warner, a prophet came to them, they would definitely be more on the righteous path than other peoples with a leader. Despite this, whenever a warner came to them, this only increased their hatred in terms of an arrogance and plotting of evil on the earth. But, evil plot encompasses only its own schemers. Then, do they expect other than the laws of the former ones/what was implemented upon them? Therefore, you will never find any change in the implementation of Allah. And you will never find any alteration in the implementation of Allah.

(Fatir/42, 43)

⁸⁹And when a book; the Qur’an which comes from Allah to confirm the things what is with them which are not opposed to the Qur’an –then, they intended to prevail over the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb and that which they recognized came to them- they concealed it themselves. Then, curse of Allah/deprival of His mercy is upon those who conceal the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb.

(Al-Baqarah/89)

According to the classical sources^[2], the two cities mentioned here are Mecca and Taif. The two men are al-Walid b. al-Mughira b. ʿAbdillah b. ʿUmar b. Makhzum, the uncle of Abu Jahl from Mecca, and Abu Masʿud ʿUrwa b. Masʿud al-Saqafi from Taif.

Our Lord said to the polytheists, “Do they divide the mercy of your Lord?” In other words, “Do they divide prophethood and messengership so that they can give it to whomever they want?”

Again in verse 32, our Lord says, “In this simple life [the life of this world], We have divided their livelihood among them, and We have raised some of them in degrees above others, that they might manage one another’s affairs.” This statement shows that the subordinate–superior relationship in life is a law governing social life. The elevation of rank here is not about “merit, superiority, or prestige”; it is about differences in economic power, intellect, understanding, knowledge, and ignorance. In an environment where everyone is equal in terms of economic power, intelligence, and understanding, it would not be possible to find workers; and in an environment where there are no workers, life stops.

Worldly rank is not something to be coveted:

¹³¹And do not extend your eyes/covet for the wealth, properties and children that We have given for enjoyment to some couples among them as ornaments of the simple worldly life to test them. And the provision of your Rabb is better and more enduring.

(Ta Ha/131)

^88,89Do not covet upon that which We have given to some among them and let them enjoy with it; wealth and fortune. Do not grieve over them either… Lower your wings for the believers. And say: “Surely, I am the one who is the clear warner”.

(Hijr/88, 89)

Verses 33 – 35:

These verses explain another reason for elevating people above one another in degrees. Our Lord said that, had the love of the world not dominated their hearts—pushing them into disbelief and making them a single community of disbelievers—We would have made ceilings of silver for their houses and staircases for them to climb, and doors for their houses and seats upon which to recline, and ornaments of gold; We would have made them live in luxury. With this expression it is revealed that as a person’s luxury and prosperity increase, he becomes spoiled and unruly. The reason it says “ummah [society with leaders]” rather than simply “society” is that certain people will appear and lead others in the wrong direction, and they will follow these leaders and choose disbelief because of the luxurious life.

²⁷And if Allah had extended/spread provision for His servants [in abundance], they would surely have transgressed on the earth. But Allah sends down whatever He wills in a certain measure. Indeed, He is the One Who is all aware of His servants, the One Who sees best.

(Shura/27)

It has already been explained in many verses that man was created weak, and that he is therefore at risk of becoming arrogant in prosperity and overwhelmed in adversity:

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

(Nisa/28)

^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)

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! –

(An-Naml/14)

The Qur’an warns that a life of luxury in this world and values such as gold and silver are mere, insignificant gains confined to this world; the real gain is for the Hereafter. Therefore, wealth and luxury should not lead people astray, nor should they follow those who steer society in that direction.

Verses 36 – 39:

³⁹And today your regret will not benefit you at all. When you do wrong; act against your own good by associating others with Allah, you are sharing in the punishment.

In these verses, it is stated that the person who is blind to the thousands of signs shown to him in his surroundings and acts as if blind to Allah’s admonitions will have a devil set upon him to keep him in that state; Satan will flatter him that what he is doing is right and justified, thus encouraging him in all his wrong deeds and behaviors. This continues until he stands before Allah. When he comes into Allah’s presence, he realizes what has happened and says to Satan, “If only there were as much distance between you and me as between the east and the west!” But it is too late. The punishment for shirk is inevitable.

When verse 36 of this passage is considered in conjunction with verse 5 of the surah, the following meaning emerges: “We will continue to convey to you the Reminder. And whoever turns away from the Reminder, We will send a devil to him, and he will become to him like the shell of an egg. Thus We give him a devil as a punishment for his disbelief and blindness. He will always lead him astray, and he will always think he is on the right path.” In Maryam/45 this is referred to as “skinning.”

In the original, the phrase “المشرقين (the two easts)” appears. However, this expression means “east and west.” In Arabic, two different things can at times be expressed by putting one of them in the dual (tathniya). For example, the moon and the sun are referred to as “القمرين (al-qamarayn, the two moons),” but this expression means the moon and the sun. Similarly, “العمرين (al-ʿUmarayn, the two ʿUmars)” refers to Abu Bakr and ʿUmar. Noon and afternoon are called “العصران (al-ʿasrān, the two afternoons),” and “الوالدين (al-wālidayn, the two parents)” and “الأبوين (al-abawayn, the two fathers)” are both used for “parents.” Many more examples could be given. In verse 38, the phrase “the distance between the east and the west” denotes the greatest distance.

¹¹⁵And whoever opposes the Messenger and follows another path other than the path of the believers after the righteous path has been clear to him, We will not prevent him and We will admit him into Jahannah [Hell]. How an evil destination it is!

(Nisa/115)

²⁵And We made them surrounded by their contemporaries/Iblises like a shell so they made what was before them and what was behind them [all around them] attractive to them. And the “Word”²⁶¹ that was in effect for all former peoples which passed before them was fulfilled upon them. Indeed, they were the ones who lost and suffered.

(Fussilat/25)

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.

(Al-An’am/43)

⁶³By Allah, We indeed sent messengers to some peoples before you then satan made their deeds attractive to them. And this day, satan will be their familiar who protects, guides. There will be a painful punishment for them.

(Nahl/63)

^22-26Meanwhile Hoopoe made an expectation whose acceptance is not that long and said: “I have learned about something you do not know. I have brought you a true and important news from Sheba. Surely, I have found a woman who rules the people of Sheba, who has been bestowed everything and possesses a great throne. I have found her and her people worshipping the sun from among those that are inferior to Allah. And satan made what they do pleasing to them and led them astray from the righteous path so they may not submit/worship Allah, Who brings forth what is hidden within the heavens/universe and the earth, Who knows what you conceal and what you disclose. For this reason, they do not follow the righteous path which is guided. – Allah is the One except Whom there is no deity, He is the owner of the great throne – “.

(Naml/22- 26)

^124-126Whoever avoids My remembrance, indeed he will live a hard, depressed living/life. On the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection], We will gather him blind at the gathering area. He will say: “My Rabb! Why have you brought me to this place blind whereas I was seeing?” And Allah will say: “Thus it is, you received Our Ayat but you abandoned them; and today you are being abandoned/recompensed in the same way.

(Ta Ha/124- 126)

Verses 40 – 44, 61, 62, 45:

⁴⁰Then, is it you who will make the deaf hear? Or is it you who will guide the blind and those who are in an explicit astray?

⁴¹And even if We take you away, We will definitely maintain justice by recompensing them.

⁴²Or We show you the punishment which We have promised them. Because We possess power over them.

⁴³Then cling onto what you have been revealed. Indeed, you are upon a straight path.

⁴⁴And indeed, what has been revealed to you [the Qur’an] is truly a reminder/honor-prestige for you and your people. You will be questioned soon.

In this group of verses, in which the Messenger of Allah is comforted, some new information is given to him and to those who follow him.

Verses 61 and 62 are not technically or semantically appropriate for their place in the official Mushaf. Here is where these verses are technically and semantically appropriate. For this reason, in the official order we have moved verses 61 and 62 to this passage and placed them between verse 44 and verse 45. Thus, both this paragraph and the former paragraph containing the verses have been made meaningful.

The fact that verse 61 was included in the official Mushaf within a paragraph mentioning Jesus (peace be upon him) caused the pronoun “إنه (innahu)” in the verse to be taken as referring to Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). Because of this, a wrong understanding developed—that Jesus is the knowledge of the Hour; that he will descend from the sky and that his descent will be a sign of the Hour. We present, as examples, scenarios that have been written on this subject:

Abdullah b. Masʿud is reported to have said: On the night the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was taken on the Isra’, he met Ibrahim, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them all). They talked about the Day of Judgment. Starting with Ibrahim, they asked him about the Day of Judgment; he had no knowledge of it. Then they asked Moses; he too had no knowledge of it. Finally, when it came to Jesus son of Maryam, he said: “A covenant has been given to me before its fulfillment. As for when it will happen, no one knows it except Allah, the Exalted,” and then he mentioned the appearance of the Dajjal and said, “I will descend and kill him.” Then he (Ibn Masʿud) mentioned the rest of the hadith. Ibn Majah narrated this hadith in his Sunan.

Muslim, in his Sahih, said: “While he (i.e., the Dajjal) is in this state, Allah will send the Messiah, the son of Mary, and he will descend near the White Minaret on the eastern side of Damascus, clothed in two garments, with his hands on the wings of two angels. When he lowers his head, it will drip; and when he raises it, droplets like pearls will fall from it. A disbeliever who smells his breath will surely die, and his breath will reach as far as the eye can see. Then he [Jesus] will pursue him [the Dajjal] and will reach him at the gate of Lud and kill him.”

Al-Thaʿlabi, al-Zamakhshari, and others narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Jesus, the son of Mary, will descend from heaven on a hill in the Holy Land called Wafīq, clothed in two yellowish robes. His hair will be oiled, and in his hand will be a spear with which he will kill the Dajjal. He will come to Bayt al-Maqdis when people are praying the ʿAsr prayer with the imam, and the imam will want to step back, but Jesus will move him forward and he will pray behind him according to the Shariʿah of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Then he will kill the swine, break the cross, destroy synagogues and churches, and kill all Christians except those who believe in him.”

Khalid narrated that al-Hasan said: The Messenger of Allah said: “The prophets are like brothers of one father. Their mothers are different, but their religion is one. I am the closest to Jesus son of Mary among mankind, for there is no prophet between me and him. He will be the first to descend from heaven and will break the cross, kill the pig, and strive for people to enter Islam.” Ibn ʿIsa reported from a group that they said: When Jesus descends, obligation will be abolished so that there will not be a messenger of that time who commands and forbids according to orders he receives from Allah.

However, this is a view that must be rejected on three grounds. The first is the hadith, because the survival of the world necessitates the survival of obligation in the world. On the other hand, he will descend as one who commands what is good and forbids what is wrong. There is nothing to deny that the commands Allah Almighty will give him will be limited to promoting Islam, enjoining the requirements of Islam, and inviting people to Islam.

I say: It is narrated in the Sahih of Muslim and in Ibn Majah that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah said: “Surely Jesus the son of Mary will descend as a just arbiter. He will break the cross, kill the pig, and will not accept jizyah. The young camels will be left unattended and no one will shepherd them. Enmity, hatred, and jealousy will disappear. He will call for the taking of wealth, but no one will accept it.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “What will become of you when [Jesus] the son of Mary will descend among you while your imam is from among yourselves”—in another narration: “he has become imam for you with the one from you”? Ibn Abi Ziʿb said: “Do you know what it means, ‘when your imam has become the imam of you with the one who is from you’?” (al-Walid b. Muslim) I said, “I will know if you let me know.” He said: “When he is imam to you by the Book of your Lord and the Sunnah of your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).”

Our scholars—may Allah have mercy on them—said: This is a clear indication that Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend as a renewer (mujaddid), to implement some of the forgotten rulings of the religion of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He will not descend with a new Shariʿah; obligation will remain as it is, as we have explained here and in our work al-Tadhkira.

According to one explanation, “surely it is the knowledge of the Hour.” That is, Jesus’s raising of the dead is a sign of the Hour and of the resurrection of the dead. Ibn Ishaq gave this explanation.

I say: There is also the possibility that the phrase “surely it is” means “surely Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the knowledge of the Hour.” This could be explained by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying, “I and the Day of Resurrection were sent like these two,” and he brought together his index finger and his middle finger. This was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.^[3]

Sign of Resurrection:

Allah Almighty said, “Surely he (i.e., Jesus) is the knowledge of the Hour—that is, he is one of the signs by which the Hour is known.” Thus the sign that signifies something is called “knowledge” (i.e., la-ʿilmun) because it is through it that the thing is known and understood. Ibn ʿAbbās also read this expression as la-ʿalamun, which means “a sign, a manifestation.” It has also been read as la-l-ʿilmu. Ubayy ibn Kaʿb rendered it as la-dhikr-un. The hadith on the subject is as follows: Jesus, with his spear in his hand, descends on a hill in the Holy Land called Wafīq. He kills the Dajjāl with his spear, and then comes to Bayt al-Maqdis during the Fajr prayer, when the imam is leading the congregation. The imam retreats, but Jesus pushes him forward again, and he prays behind the imam according to the Shariʿah of Prophet Muhammad. Then he kills the pigs, smashes the cross, destroys the synagogues and churches, and kills the Christians except those who believe in him.”^[4]

In the passage in question, the Prophet was comforted by explaining at length that all he had to do was to follow what had been revealed to him. At that time, the disbelievers were busy plotting day and night to eliminate the Messenger of Allah. They believed that if they could kill him, their troubles would be over. For this reason, our Lord said to the Messenger: “Even if We take you away, We are indeed the avengers of them [We will bring them to justice by punishing them], or We will show you the torment We have promised them. For We are the Ones who have power over them.” It can be said that this promise of our Lord to the Prophet was fulfilled on the Day of Badr, and it was on that day that the Prophet saw the punishment of those corrupt people.

Verse 45 has been interpreted by some as follows: “This verse came to the Prophet on the occasion of Isrāʾ/Miʿrāj. The Prophet asked the prophets of the past, whom he was leading in prayer in al-Aqṣā Mosque, ‘Has Allah recognized any gods to be worshipped from among His subordinates?’ They replied, ‘No such thing has happened’.” (al-Rāzī, Qurtubī)

It is intellectually impossible for the Prophet to ask anything of the prophets who had come before him. The expression “messengers” in the verse cannot refer to past books either, because there is no trace of them, and the Torah and the Gospels are not the true Torah and the Gospel. Then what is meant by this verse?

The expression “ask” here is metaphorical; it means “Look, investigate, think, examine!” The message is: “Ask those who claim to follow the ways of the prophets of the past; inquire of them, and they will tell you that the religion of none of the prophets included the worship of anything—animate or inanimate—beneath Allah.”

It is like saying, “Ask the earth who dug its rivers, planted its trees, and sowed its fruits. Even if it does not answer you with its tongue, it will answer you with its state.” (al-Rāzī, Zamakhsharī)

Similar in meaning to this verse is verse 25 of Sūrat al-Anbiyāʾ.

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”.

A technical parallel to this verse is 2:211 of Surah al-Baqarah, a Medinan surah: “Ask the Children of Israel how many clear signs We gave them.” The main message here is to search and reflect upon the signs given to them.

This verse clearly emphasizes the unity of revelation and the unchanging principle of tawhid from the first prophet to the last. Apparently, the polytheists objected to the Messenger of Allah—as mentioned in the introduction to Surah Sad—saying, “What you have brought in the name of religion is not like other religions,” whereupon our Lord revealed this verse to clarify the truth and reinforce the matter.

Verses 46 – 56:

⁴⁶And surely, We sent Moses to Pharaoh and his chiefs as a messenger with Our Ayat/evidences/signs and he said: “I am truly the messenger of Rabb of all universes”.

⁴⁷And when Moses brought Our Ayat/evidences/signs to them, they laughed at the Ayat at once.

⁴⁹They said: “O magician! Invoke your Rabb for us for your covenant/the promise He has given you. Surely, we will follow the righteous path to which we are guided”.

⁵⁰But whenever We removed our punishment from them, then they broke their word at once.

⁵⁴Pharaoh passivated; rendered his people unqualified so they obeyed him. Indeed, they were a people who had gone astray from the righteous path.

In this group of verses, Pharaoh and his followers are presented as an example of those who do not use their reason, who shut their eyes to the thousands of signs around them, and therefore merit punishment. In this brief account, the policies and conduct of Pharaoh and his followers are outlined. Then the idolaters of Mecca were told that they were no different from Pharaoh and were warned that what befell Pharaoh and his followers would befall them.

¹³⁰And surely, We seized Pharaoh and his family with years of droughts and shortness of crops, that they might think and be reminded. ¹³¹Then, when good came to them, they said: “This belongs to us”. If an evil came to them, they saw it ill omen of Moses and his people. Know well, their ill omen is with Allah. But most of them do not know.

(A’raf/130)

¹³³So, We sent upon them with certain intervals the flood, locusts, bugs, frogs and blood as Ayat. But they acted arrogantly again and became a people of criminals.

¹³⁴And when this punishment set upon them, they said: “O Moses! Invoke your Rabb for us by the covenant/promise He gave to you; if you remove from us this punishment, we will certainly believe in you. And we will definitely let the Israelites leave along with you”.

¹³⁵But every time We removed the punishment from them until a predetermined term which they were to reach, then at once they broke their word.

(A’raf/133-135)

^21-24Then, Pharaoh denied and disobeyed. Then he turned back immediately. Then he gathered and called out: “I am your most exalted Rabb!”.

²⁵And Allah seized with the punishment of the earth and Akhirat [Afterlife].

(Naaziat/23- 25)

⁴Surely, Pharaoh was exalted on the earth and divided the people under his rule into groups; he wanted to weaken one of these groups; he strangled their sons; he made them weak, unqualified by leaving them uneducated and covered their women with disgrace. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.

(Qasas/4)

^53-56And Pharaoh sent gatherers to cities: “Surely they are a scattered group of a few men. And they are indeed mad at us. We indeed are a ready and precautious people”. ⁶⁰Then Pharaoh and his men set to chase them at the dawn.

(Shu’ara/53-56)

The statement in verse 56: “Finally, when they incurred Our wrath, We took vengeance on them [We took justice by punishing them]” is a declaration that they were enemies of Allah:

^33,34The recompense of those who fight against Allah and His Messenger; who have attempted to cause corruption and make chaos on the earth –except for those who return before you prevail over them/capture and overpower them- is none but they should be killed/they should be educated, trained so that they may return or be driven away from the city life and made to be agricultural laborer in the farms, be made to work in stone pits or be cut off the covenants; commitments or be exiled from where they are. This is a humiliation for them on the earth. And a great punishment will be for them in Akhirat [Afterlife] as well. And know well that Allah is the One Who forgives much and shows great mercy.

(Ma’ida/33, 34)

⁵⁷Indeed, as for those who abuse Allah and His Messenger; Allah has cursed them in this world and in Akhirat [Afterlife]. And He has prepared for them a humiliating punishment.

(Ahzab/57)

In verse 53, Pharaoh is reported to have said of Moses (pbuh), “And gold bracelets should be cast upon him,” because such adornment was the custom of the nobility at that time. Pharaoh and his relatives were adorned with such gold bracelets then, since adorning oneself with gold jewelry was a sign of nobility in that culture.

There are hints of this custom in the Bible:

The suggestion seemed good to Pharaoh and his officials.

Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone with the Spirit of God like this man?”

Then he said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed all this to you, there is no man wiser and more knowledgeable than you.

I will give you rule over my palace, and all my people will obey your commands. I alone will be over you because of the throne.

I appoint you ruler over all Egypt.”

Then he took the seal off his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen. He put a gold chain around his neck.

He put him in the chariot of his own helper. They shouted before Joseph, “Make way!” So Pharaoh gave him rule over all Egypt.

“I am Pharaoh,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “but no one is to move a muscle in Egypt without your permission.”^[5]

Verses 57 – 59, 63-65:

⁵⁷And when Jesus, son of Mary, is presented as an example, your people go away from it while they keep their distance.

⁵⁸And your people said: “Are our deities better or is he, Muhammad/Jesus?”. They presented this example only to argue with you. In fact, they are a hostile people.

⁵⁹Jesus was only Our servant to whom We bestowed favor and whom We made an example for Israelites.

⁶⁵But groups differed over Jesus between each other. O woe to those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with Allah because of the punishment of a painful day!

This is the order in which we should organize and understand the passage about Jesus (pbuh).

In this group of verses, which describes the attitude of the Meccan polytheists toward the Qur’anic account of Jesus (pbuh), it is emphasized that Jesus (pbuh) was an example to the Children of Israel and that he was a servant of Allah upon whom many divine favors were bestowed.

The reason for the revelation of this passage is given in the classical sources as follows:

Allah Almighty said, “Ask Our messengers whom We sent before you: Have We set up any gods to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful?” (Zukhruf/43, 45). The polytheists cited the case of Jesus (a.s.) and said, “Muhammad asks for nothing except that we make him a god, just as the Christians made Jesus, the son of Mary, a god.” This was said by Qatadah.

A similar narration came from Mujahid. He said: The Quraysh said, “Muhammad wants us to worship him as the people of Jesus worshipped Jesus.” So Allah revealed this verse.

Ibn Abbas said: Allah Almighty refers to the argument of ‘Abdullah ibn al-Ziba‘ra with the Prophet (peace be upon him) about Jesus (pbuh). The one who gave this example was ‘Abdullah b. al-Ziba‘ra from the sons of Sahm, and he said this when he was a disbeliever. The Quraysh said to him: “Surely Muhammad is reciting the verse, ‘Verily, you and those you worship besides Allah are the wood of Hell’ (Anbiya/98).” ‘Abdullah b. al-Ziba‘ra said, “If I had been present with him, I would have answered him.” They asked, “What would you have said to him?” He said, “I would say to him: ‘Behold, Christians worship the Messiah. ‘Uzayr is worshipped by the Jews. Are they both from the wood of Hell?’” The Quraysh liked what he said, and they thought he had won the case. This is the meaning of Allah Almighty’s saying, “He began to shout and cry out.” Allah Almighty said: “Verily, those for whom good has already been decreed by Us—they are the ones who have been removed from it” (Anbiya/101).^[6]

The commentators have suggested the following, all of which are possible:

1- When the disbelievers heard that the Christians worshipped Jesus, they said, “They worship Jesus, but our gods are better than Jesus,” because they themselves worshipped angels.

2- It is narrated that when the verse “You and those whom you worship besides Allah are surely the wood of Hell (Anbiya/98)” was revealed, ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zibaʿra said, “Is this ruling for us and our gods, or for all nations?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “No, it is a ruling that applies to all nations.” ʿAbdullah said, “I have defeated you; by the Lord of the Kaʿbah! Did you not claim that Jesus son of Mary was a prophet? You know that the Christians worship Jesus and his mother, and that the Jews worship ʿUzayr, and that angels are also worshipped. Therefore, if they will be in Hell, we are content that we and our gods be with them.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) then remained silent, and the disbelievers rejoiced, laughed, and shouted. Allah Almighty thereafter revealed the verse, “Surely those for whom the best [bliss] has already come from Us—they are the ones kept far from it [Hell] (Anbiya/101).” At that point this verse (Zukhruf/57) was revealed. Accordingly, the meaning is: when ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zibaʿra used Jesus son of Mary as an example and challenged the Prophet (peace be upon him) about the worship of Jesus by the Christians, “your people, the Quraysh, shouted and laughed with joy,” because they thought the Prophet had been silenced on this matter. They said, “Are our gods better, or him?”—that is, “Do you think our gods [the angels] are not better than Jesus? Therefore, if Jesus is the wood of Hell, then our gods are lighter and better.”

3- When the Prophet (peace be upon him) explained that the Christians worship Jesus and accept him as their god, the disbelievers of Mecca said, “Muhammad wants us to accept him as our god, just as the Christians accept Christ as their god,” and in this connection they said, “Our gods or him?”—i.e., “Are our gods or Muhammad better?” They argued: “Muhammad invites us to worship him, whereas our ancestors maintained that we must worship these idols. Since one of these two is necessary, it is better to worship these idols; our ancestors agreed on idol-worship, while Muhammad is accused of calling us to worship him. Therefore, it is better to remain occupied with the idols.” Allah Almighty said: We did not say that worshiping Jesus is a sound way; rather, it is false and wrong—because Jesus is only a servant upon whom We bestowed favor. Thus the doubt they raised—“Muhammad wants us to worship him”—is dispelled. Each of these three explanations is possible according to the wording of the verse.^[7]

In verse 65, it is stated that, at the time of the Qur’an, both Jews and Christians disagreed about Jesus. The Jews, who claimed that Jesus was an illegitimate child and a false prophet, and the Christians, who claimed that he was the Son of Allah and that Allah was embodied in him, were in constant conflict. Our Lord eliminated the erroneous views of both sides with the information revealed in the Qur’an and set forth the truth with full clarity. Those who know Allah from the Qur’an and who possess sound reason know that Allah is exalted above any deficiency such as having a child.

However, there were disputes about Prophet Jesus not only between Jews and Christians, but also among Christians themselves. These disagreements have continued to this day in the form of factions and sects. According to Muqatil, one of the early Qur’anic scholars, there were three groups among the Christians of that time with different beliefs:

Nestorians who said, “Jesus is the son of God,”
the Mar-Yaqubites who said, “Jesus is God Himself,” and
the Melkanites who said, “God is the third of three.”

The information given in the Qur’an about Mary and Jesus reflects the Jewish and Christian beliefs that emerged between the birth of Jesus and the revelation of the Qur’an. Since the revelation of the Qur’an, Christians and Jews—just as Muslims—have been divided into many sects and schools of thought, each exhibiting different beliefs and ways of life. In our view, the messages and divine principles given in the Qur’an should be conveyed not only to Muslims but also to the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitāb) in order to remove from people’s lives the false beliefs and ways that have arisen among both Muslims and the People of the Book. The efforts of the people of the Qur’an in this direction have the potential to yield important results for guiding humanity to the right path.

²¹⁵They ask you what they should spend for the cause of Allah/what they should give for sustenance. Say: “That/sustenance which you give from good/from your wealth; time, knowledge are for your parents, closest people, orphans, the needy and travelers”. And whatever you do of good, indeed Allah is the One Who knows it best.

(Al-Baqarah/213)

As this issue has already been dealt with in the analysis of Surah Maryam, we recommend reading the details there.

Verses 66, 67:

⁶⁶Do they expect anything other than the moment of Qiyamat [Resurrection] to come to them unexpectedly while they do not perceive?

⁶⁷On that day, all leaders/those who follow each other except for those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah will be enemy of each other.

These verses condemn those who, despite receiving these explanations, still do not come to their senses and have taken their desires as gods. They also provide the following brief information about the Day of Judgment: it will come suddenly; they will not be able to take precautions against it, nor turn back from it, nor escape it. On that Day, those who did not follow the way of Allah but followed one another will be enemies—though they were best friends in the world—accusing each other, “I became like this because of you.” The righteous, however, will remain friends as always; their friendship will continue in the Hereafter.

The enmity between the polytheists is mentioned in many verses:

⁵⁸And there are others of its type, in doubles. ⁵⁹Here they are another group, rushing in as if they were thrown. No welcomes for them. Surely, they will be thrown into Jahannah [Hell].

⁶⁰They will say: “No, no welcome for you. It is you who have brought Jahannah [Hell] before us. What an evil settlement it is!”

⁶¹They will say: “Our Rabb, whoever brought this before us, increase his punishment in the fire more and more!”

⁶²And they will also say: “Why can not we see those men whom we assumed that they were among the evil? ⁶³We ridiculed/scorned them. Or, have eyes turned away from them?”

⁶⁴Indeed, this quarreling/dispute of the people of the fire is truth.

(Sad/58-64)

³⁸Allah will say: “Enter among those peoples with a leader who passed on before you; who are in the fire, whether you know them or not!”. Every time a people enter, they curse their brother. At the end, when all of them gather in there, then the later ones will say about the former ones: “Our Rabb! They made us astray. Punish them many times more from the fire”. Allah will say: “Punishment is many times more for all but you do not know”.

³⁹Then the former ones will say to the later ones: “You do not have an advantage over us. Then taste the punishment for what you did”.

(A’raf/38, 39)

⁵⁷Indeed, as for those who abuse Allah and His Messenger; Allah has cursed them in this world and in Akhirat [Afterlife]. And He has prepared for them a humiliating punishment.

(Ahzab/57)

^64-66Surely, Allah has cursed the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb and prepared for them a blazing fire so they will abide therein eternally. They will not find any familiar who is protector nor a helper therein. The day when their faces will be turned in the fire, they will say: “If only we obeyed Allah and the messenger!”.

^67,68And they will say: “O our Rabb! Indeed, we obeyed our chiefs and dignitaries so they led us astray from the path. O our Rabb! Give them two shares from the punishment and curse them/deprive them of Your mercy completely”.

(Ahzab/64-68)

²⁵And Abraham said: “You have taken idols from among those that are inferior to Allah only because of the affection among yourselves in the worldly life. Then, on the day of Qiyamat [Resurrection], some of you will deny some others, some of you will curse some others. Your destination will be Jahannah [Hell]. And there will be no helpers for you”.

(Ankabût/25)

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.

(Nisa/125)

²O you who have believed! Do not disrespect the evidences of Allah, the haram/forbidden month, sending food to those who fulfill hajj [pilgrimage], marks attached to the animals that are sent so those who fulfill hajj [pilgrimage]/those who receive high theological education therein will eat and those who wish to fulfill duty of hajj [pilgrimage]/visit Bayt al-Haram seeking for the favor and approval of their Rabb. When the restriction upon you has been released/when you have completed your duty of hajj [pilgrimage], then hunt. Do not let your hatred to a people for having forbidden you from Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress. Help each other in “being righteous” and entering under the guardianship of Allah, do not help each other in that which causes to waste time/delaying the good/being reluctant for the good/harming and animosity. And enter under the guardianship of Allah. Indeed, Allah is the One Whose punishment/penalty is very severe.

(Al-Ma’idah/2)

Verses 68 – 73:

In this group of verses, our Lord enumerates the blessings He will bestow upon His servants who believe and act piously.

This paragraph, consisting of seven verses, was originally set out as separate verses for the sake of eloquence. We have translated these verses into two groups, taking into account meaning and sentence structure.

The blessings of Paradise mentioned in this group of verses are enumerated in many places in the Qur’an, most notably in Surahs al-Insan and al-Waqiʿah:

^5-22Indeed, “the righteous people” will drink from a bowl containing camphor, from a spring gushing out of which servants of Allah will drink who give away their food to the poor, the orphan and the captive for the love of Allah/even though they love it, saying: “We feed you only for the countenance of Allah only and we do not expect from you a recompense and gratitude; and yes, we fear our Rabb on an austere and distressful day”.

And that is why, Allah will protect them from the evil of that day; He will give them light and happiness, He will give them Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] and silk as a reward of their patience; they will abide there reclining on thrones; they will not see therein a sun nor freezing cold and the shadows of the garden will hang over them and their picking up will be descended. And a silver cup and crystal bowls will be circulated among them, -their crystals which they will measure is of silver-. And they will drink from a bowl mixture of which is of ginger, from a spring there called Salsabil… And walk among them will young boys of everlasting youth; when you see them you will think they are scattered pearls! When you see there, you will see happiness and a great dominion and governing; those who abide there will be wearing fine green silken and glossy satin garments; they will be adorned with silver bracelets; their Rabb will make them drink a pure drink. Surely, this is the recompense for you. And your efforts are worth recompensing.

(Insan/5-22)

^13,14Many are from the former ones and a few are from the later ones. ²⁴They are upon ¹⁵thrones woven with gems ²⁴as a recompense for what they did. ¹⁶They recline on them, facing each other. ^17-23Around them will circulate pitchers, ewers, cups filled at the springs – no headache will they have from it, nor will they be intoxicated -, fruits of what they like, meat of fowl from whatever they desire; never-growing children, and large eyed ones like hidden pearls. ²⁵They will not hear therein vain talk, nonsense and that which will cause them to waste their time/to delay the good/to make reluctant for the good/to harm. ²⁶Only a saying: “Salam [health, peace, happiness…], salam [health, peace, happiness…]!”.

^27-34And the companions of the right; what are the companions of the right? They will be among thorne-free lote trees, bananas/acacias lined with fruits, extended shadows, gushing water, many fruits that do not end; deplete and are not forbidden and raised mattresses.

³⁵Surely, We created the lote, banana, shadows, gushing water with such a creation. ³⁸Then, We made them attractive and untouched and at the same level for the companions of the right.

(Al-Qaqi’ah/15- 38)

^32,33Then We made those whom We have chosen from among Our servants inherit the Book. Now, some among them are those who treat themselves unjustly, some among them are those who go moderate/play to both ends and some among them are those who are foremost in good deeds by permission/knowledge of Allah. This is what is the great bounty; gardens of Eden. They will enter there. They will wear golden bracelets and pearls as ornaments. Silk will be their garments. ^34,35They will say there: “All praise is to Allah Who has removed that sadness from us and let us enter this everlasting home of settlement from His bounties wherein no fatigue, no weariness will touch us; no one else may be praised. Indeed, our Rabb is very forgiving and the One Who repays much”.

(Fatir/32,33)

The expression in the first part of the passage, “Enter Paradise, you and your spouses, the honored ones!” does not refer to spouses in this world. This is because each spouse in this world is a distinct moral agent accountable for his or her own deeds; liability for sin and recompense is individual. It is possible—but not necessary—that the spouse of a righteous person in this world is also righteous and that both deserve the same grace. The spouses mentioned here are the specially created spouses that our Lord will grant to a person in the Hereafter.

Verses 74 – 78:

⁷⁷And they will call: “O Malik [guardian in Jahannah]! Let your Rabb put an end to us”. Malik [guardian in Jahannah] will say: “Undoubtedly, you will be in expectation like this”.

⁷⁸Indeed, We have brought you the truth. But most of you consider the truth bad.

This group of verses describes the condition of the guilty in the Hereafter. They will abide in the torment of Hell. Their torment will not be alleviated; they will live hopelessly in torment. Out of despair, they appeal to the attendant of Hell and ask Allah to intervene to save them from their plight. The attendant of Hell replies to them, “Surely you will remain like this.”

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.

(An’am/44)

The “Malik” in the verse is, according to the flow of the passage, the attendant of Hell. We learn from the Qur’an that there are a number of angels and demons in Hell.

⁴⁹And those in the fire will say to the guards of Jahannah [Hell]: “Supplicate your Rabb so He may lighten a little from the punishment for us for a day”.

(Al-Mu’min/49)

^6,7O you who have believed! Protect yourselves and the people close to you from a Fire, fuel of which will be humans and stones. Over that fire will be harsh and severe forces in charge which do not disobey Allah, which do as they are commanded. O infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb! Do not make excuses today. You will only be recompensed for what you did!

(Tahrim/6, 7)

^15-16Certainly not as you think! If that one who forbids the one who fulfills Salah; supports financially and spiritually; strives to enlighten the community does not desist from forbidding Salah; supporting financially and spiritually; striving to enlighten the community, indeed, We will drag him by his hair. ¹⁷Then, let him call his council/associates. ¹⁸We will call those who repel, prevent.

(Alak/15-18)

³⁶And those infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb; the blazing fire of Jahannah [Hell] will be for them. It is not decreed about them so they may die. Nor will the fire of Jahannah [Hell] be lightened from them. Thus We recompense the infidels; those transgressing ones who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb. ³⁷And they will cry out there; in Jahannah[Hell]: “Our Rabb! Let us free so we may do better deeds than what we did”. – Did We not grant you life enough during which you would know the book that We have sent, so that those who constantly think and are reminded would think and are reminded. And a warner came to you as well. Then taste it! Now there is no helper either for those who did wrong; acted against their own good by associating others with Allah. –

(Fatir/36,37)

^9,10Therefore remind immediately, if the reminder benefits/will benefit; the one who is respectful will be reminded. ¹¹And the one who will be the unhappiest will avoid it. ¹²That one will burn in the greatest fire. ¹³Then, he will neither die nor live therein.

(A’la/9- 13)

Verses 78 – 80:

⁷⁸Indeed, We have brought you the truth. But most of you consider the truth bad.

⁷⁹Or have they secured/guaranteed the matter? We surely are those who secure the matter.

⁸⁰Or do they think that We do not hear their secrets and whispers? Indeed We do! And Our messengers who are with them are recording.

In these verses, questions are posed to the polytheists—not to elicit answers, but to draw attention, strengthen the effect, and expose the futility of their actions and the measures they took. The questions directed at them amount to: “They took no precautions at all; they did a shoddy job. We continually hear them and know what they do. Moreover, there are messengers with them who are always writing—messengers who are constantly recording what they do

¹⁶And indeed, it is We Who formed man. And We know what his self whispers to him as well. And We are closer to him than his jugular vein. ^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.

(Qahf/16-18)

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”.

(Al-An’am/59- 61)

The verses also refer to the secret plotting of the Quraysh elders against the Messenger of Allah: This verse was revealed about the polytheists plotting against the Prophet in Dar al-Nadwa. As a result of this consultation, they accepted the view proposed by Abu Jahl: one man from each tribe would participate in killing the Prophet (peace be upon him), so that no claim for his blood could be made against any single tribe. It was in this regard that this verse was revealed. Allah Almighty punished them all with death at Badr.^[8]

⁵⁰And they set such a trap and indeed We recompensed them with such a recompense that they did not perceive.

(al-Naml/50)

³⁰And once the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb plotted against you so they might restrain you or kill you or expel and drive you out. And as they were plotting, Allah was punishing them. And Allah is the best of punishers.

(Anfal/30)

⁴²Or, do they intend to plot a heinous plan? Yet the infidels; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb are the ones who fall into the heinous plan.

(Tur/42)

And Nisa/108, Mücadele/7, İnfitar/9- 12, Fatir/ 43.

Verses 81 – 85:

⁸²Purified is Rabb of the heavens/universe and the earth, Rabb of the greatest throne from that which they describe.

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

This group of verses, which summarizes the surah up to this point, emphasizes tawhid and rejects the false beliefs of Christians about Jesus. The “Trinity” belief, which the Qur’an rejects, is explained by Christians as follows:

“In the Trinity we worship one God, and the Trinity in unity; we do not confound the Persons nor divide the essence. For the Father is one Person, the Son another, and the Holy Spirit another. But the divine essence of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one—equal in glory and eternal in glory. As the Father is, so are the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father is uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated. The Father is incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father is eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal. Yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal. There are neither three ‘uncreated’ nor three ‘incomprehensible,’ but one ‘uncreated’ and one ‘incomprehensible.’ In the same way, the Father is omnipotent, the Son omnipotent, and the Holy Spirit omnipotent; yet they are not three ‘omnipotents,’ but one ‘omnipotent.’ As the Father is God, so the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; yet they are not three Gods, but one God. As the Father is Lord, so the Son is Lord, and the Holy Spirit is Lord; yet these are not three Lords, but one Lord.”

Our Lord rejects this Christian belief and introduces Himself as follows:

“And how generous is Allah to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens/universe and the earth and all that is in between them. The knowledge of the moment of Qiyamat [Resurrection] is only with Him. And you will be returned only to Him

(Zuhrûf 85)

In verse 81, the Prophet is instructed to say: “ ”. We may grasp the meaning by paraphrasing the phrase as follows: “If He had made it obligatory, I would certainly worship as He made it obligatory, for I am one of His servants and I obey whatever He commands. There is no pride in me against His worship and no turning away from it. My not accepting anyone as a child of Allah is not the result of stubbornness. If Allah had a child, I would be the first to affirm it—but such a thing is out of the question for Allah.”

⁴If Allah had intended to take a child, He would definitely have chosen from what He forms whoever He wills. He is purified from this. He is the One and the Only, the prevailing Allah.

(Zumar/4)

Verse 86:

⁸⁶And the ones whom they invoke from among those that are inferior to Him are not able to possess to help, support, intercede. Except the One Who testifies to the truth. They also know.

In this verse, after it has been made clear in many ways that Allah is in control of everything, the polytheists’ belief in intercessors is addressed. A similar verse is mentioned in Surah Maryam:

⁸⁶And We will drive the criminals to Jahannah [Hell] in thirst.

⁸⁷They will not have any help-assistance except the one who received a guarantee from Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created], – then such a guarantee has not been given to anyone -.

(Maryam/86, 87)

“Possessing intercession” might suggest either their interceding for others or others interceding for them; however, the exception clause in the verse indicates that the intercession here is others interceding for them. Therefore, the expression “they will have no intercession” means “no one will help them.” Indeed, it is meaningless for those in Hell to help others when they themselves are in need of help. Our Lord, however, makes an exception in the verse—“except for the one who bears witness to the truth”—and thus clarifies who will be granted help in the Hereafter.

¹⁰⁹That day, except for those whom Rahman [Allah; the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created] gives permission and He is pleased in word, no one will get help-support, benefit.

(Ta Ha/109)

The dictionary meaning of the word “شفاعة (intercession),” derived from the root “شفع (sh-f-ʿ),” is “to add one thing to another of its kind, to support it, to make it even/double.” Over time, the word came to denote “a person of high rank helping someone in need—protecting him, interceding on his behalf, supporting him, and not leaving him alone.”

Its literal usage includes: “to ask for someone’s forgiveness; to request that good be done for another; to ask someone to desist from actions harmful to another; to plead and supplicate on someone’s behalf; to pray that another’s affair be accomplished.”

In short, intercession means “to intercede, to help, and to lead.”

In Arabic, the one who intercedes on behalf of another is called “الشافع (ash-shāfiʿ)” or “الشفيع (ash-shafīʿ).”

To understand the concept of “intercession” correctly, it is useful to examine it under the following headings:

There is no intercessor except Allah: Intercession belongs only to Allah. The first point to learn here is that the authority of intercession is Allah’s alone.

⁴⁴Say: “All help, support, intercession belongs to Allah. The dominion of the heavens/universe and the earth belongs only to Him. Then only to Him you will be returned”.

(Zumar/44)

⁴Allah is the One Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth and all that in between in six steps and established dominion upon the greatest throne.³⁰⁹ There is no familiar who helps, guides, protects nor a supporter, intercessor for you from among those that are inferior to Him. Will you still not reason and take lesson?

(Sajdah/4)

Allah Almighty can grant intercession/help to whomever He wills on behalf of His servants with whom He is pleased: No one can intercede for anyone without Allah’s permission and command. Those who intercede by Allah’s leave may intercede only for the servants with whom Allah is pleased.

³Surely, your Rabb is Allah, Who formed the heavens/universe and the earth in six steps and then established His dominion over the greatest throne,¹⁹⁹ arranges the matter.Whoever helps, supports on the earth may only do after His permission/knowledge. This is Allah, your Rabb. So, worship Him! Do you not still think and take lesson?

(Yunus/3)

The point to be noted in this regard is this: those with whom Allah is pleased are not intercessors; rather, they are those for whom intercession is made.

Allah Almighty may permit an intercessor with a good intercession, just as He may permit an intercessor with a bad intercession:

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

(Nisa/85)

Intercession “for good” means interceding for what is good and for the righteous—working for the benefit of the believers and protecting them from evil and harm—while affirming and respecting the rights of Allah and His servants. By contrast, “intercession for evil” means working toward the harm of believers and people, paving the way for evil. The Qur’an states that those who undertake “intercession for good” or “intercession for evil” will share in the consequences of what they have facilitated in this world and in the Hereafter.

On that Day there will be no intercession, and no one will be accepted as an intercessor:

⁴⁸And enter under the guardianship of Allah against the day when no individual will avail another individual, no one’s help and intercession will be accepted, no ransom/compensation will be received and no individual will be helped.

(Al-Baqarah/48)

¹²³Enter under the guardianship of Allah against the day when no one will avail another, no ransom will be accepted from anyone, no help, intercession will benefit anyone and the criminals will not be helped.

(Al-Baqarah/123)

As we have seen, no one will be allowed to intercede in the Hereafter. On that Day, only those whom Allah permits can bear witness to the truth they know:

It should be emphasized that the popular understanding of intercession as “the Prophet’s intercession with Allah for the forgiveness of the sins of the sinners among his ummah” is contrary to the Qur’an. The notion that the Prophet will support sinners and use his favor to save them is contrary to Zumar/19, which says, “…Can you save the one in the Fire?” Those who hold this understanding should know that, if they do not change it, they will be included among the ummah about whom the Prophet complained, not those for whom he interceded:

³⁰And the messenger will say : “O my Rabb! Surely, my people have taken this Qur’an as an isolated/abandoned thing”.

(Furqan/30)

A detailed explanation of the concept of intercession is given in the analysis of Surah Najm.

Verses 87 – 89:

⁸⁷And surely, if you asked them who formed them, they would definitely say: “Allah”. So, how are they deluded?

⁸⁸And that he says, “My Rabb! Indeed these are a people who do not believe” is an evidence…

⁸⁹Then turn away from them and say: “Salam [health, peace, happiness…]”. Soon they will know.

In these verses, the inconsistency of the Meccans and the Messenger of Allah’s despair concerning them are reported, followed by instructions to the Messenger on how to deal with the Meccans.

As mentioned earlier, the polytheists acknowledge God, yet they persist in their own way of thinking:

(Luqman/25)

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

(Jonah/25)

In verse 89, the Messenger of Allah is commanded not to engage the polytheists, but simply to say “Peace!” and move on. This mode of communication, which the Messenger was instructed to follow, is the Sunnah of our Lord and has already been shown in several places.

⁶³And servants of Rahman; Allah, the One Who shows great mercy on the earth to all living beings that He created, are such people who walk on the earth in humbleness and when the ignorant people tease them, they say “Salam [health, peace, happiness…]!”.

(Furqan/63)

^47,48Abraham said: “Salam [health, peace, happiness…] be upon you, I will ask my Rabb for forgiveness for you. Surely, He is the One Who gives bounties to me. And I turn away from you and that which you worship from among those that are inferior to Allah. And I will invoke my Rabb. I expect that I will not be unhappy in my invocation to my Rabb”.

(Mary/47, 48)

¹⁰Their prayers therein will be, “My Allah! Purified are You from all deficiencies!”. And their greetings therein will be, “Salam [health, peace, happiness…]!”. And the end of their prayers will be, “All praise is to Allah, Rabb of all universes!”.

(Yunus/10)

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!”.

(Al-An’am/54)

Verse 88 states, “O my Lord! Surely they are a people who do not believe.” In this verse, the Messenger of Allah gives up hope in his people and consigns their matter to Allah. In another verse, another complaint of the Messenger of Allah is mentioned:

³⁰And the messenger will say : “O my Rabb! Surely, my people have taken this Qur’an as an isolated/abandoned thing”.

(Furqan/30)

Prophet Noah thought of his people as the Messenger of Allah thought of his people:

^5-12Noah said: “My Rabb! Indeed, I have invited my people day and night/continuously. Yet, my invitation has only increased their escape. And indeed, every time I invited them, so You may forgive them, they blocked their ears with their fingers, covered themselves with their clothes, persisted and acted arrogantly with great arrogance. Then I indeed invited them aloud. Then I indeed declared for them. And I told for them in secrecy. Then I said: “Ask your Rabb so He may forgive you. He is definitely very forgiving. He may send upon you rains in abundance. He may help you with wealth and sons, give you gardens and rivers. ¹³What is the matter with you that you expect that Allah will not question the sinners, punish them and will not maintain justice; will not intervene what you do on the earth?

(Noah/5-12)

^26-28And Noah said: “Do not leave even a single one from those infidels who walk around in this place; those who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb. Indeed, if You leave them, they will lead your servants astray from the path and they will raise children who will only do evil deeds while they stuck in evil by disbelieving in the religion-faith and who are infidels; who consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb. My Rabb! Forgive all of us/me, my mother and father, those who enter my house as a believer and believing men and believing women! And increase those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with You only in destruction”.

(Noah/26- 28)

Allah is the Best Knower of truth.

^[1] (See the analysis of al-Ghafir/1 in the same volume for these attributions).

^[2] (Razi, al-Mefatih al-Ghayb; Qurtubi, al-Jami’a li Ahkami’l-Qur’an)

^[3] (Qurtubi; al-Jami’a li Ahkami’l Qur’an)

^[4] (Razi; al-Mefatih al-Ghayb)

^[5] (Genesis/41; 37-44)

^[6] (Qurtubi; al-Jami’a li Ahkami’l Qur’an)

^[7] (Razi; al-Mefatih al-Ghayb)

^[8] (Muqatil)