Meaning

Ayah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

1. I [Allah] adjure by the angels who wrench out the souls of the blasphemers;

وَالنَّازِعَاتِ غَرْقًا (1)

والناشطات نشطًا (2)

يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الرَّاجِفَةُ (6)

إِذْ نَادَاهُ رَبُّهُ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى (16)

اذْهَبْ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى (17)

فَقُلْ هَلْ لَكَ إِلَى أَنْ تَزَكَّى (18)

وَأَهْدِيَكَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ فَتَخْشَى (19)

فَأَرَاهُ الْآيَةَ الْكُبْرَى (20)

فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَى (21)

ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَى (22)

فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى (23)

فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الأَعْلَى (24)

فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الْآخِرَةِ وَالأُولَى (25)

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِمَنْ يَخْشَى (26)

ءَأَنْتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ السَّمَاءُ بَنَاهَا (27)

رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا (28)

وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَاهَا (29)

وَالأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَاهَا (30)

أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَاءَهَا وَمَرْعَاهَا (31)

يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ الإِنْسَانُ مَا سَعَى (35)

وَبُرِّزَتِ الْجَحِيمُ لِمَنْ يَرَى (36)

فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى (39)

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى (40)

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا (42)

إِلَى رَبِّكَ مُنْتَهَاهَا (44)

إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُنْذِرُ مَنْ يَخْشَاهَا (45)

كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَاهَا (46)

THE EXPLANATION

Allah adjured by certain things in the first five (5) ayahs to confirm to us that the Day of Judgment is a true matter:

1.  {وَالنَّازِعَاتِ غَرْقًا}                

          Allah adjures by the angels who violently wrench out the souls of the blasphemers,

2.  {وَالنَّاشِطَاتِ نَشْطًا}              

          Allah adjures by the angels who gently slip out the souls of the believers,

3.  {وَالسَّابِحَاتِ سَبْحًا}             

          Allah adjures by the angels who glide back and forth to the horizons to run the errands of managing and carrying out the orders of Allah,

4.  {فَالسَّابِقَاتِ سَبْقًا}                

          Allah adjures by the angels who are keen to race the souls of the believers forward to Paradise,

5.  {فَالْمُدَبِّرَاتِ أَمْرًا}                 

          And Allah adjures by the angels who manage the rain, clouds, and plants as their Lord commanded them.

          Allah cleared the angels from the element of femininity[1] and rebuked the blasphemers who said that the angels are females in ayah 19 of Surah az-Zukhruf:

.{ وَجَعَلُوا الْمَلائِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ إِنَاثًا }

          Hence, the previous verses are in reference to the matters carried out by the angels while clearing them from the element of femininity.  In the first five (5) ayahs, Allah adjured by the aforementioned angels.  Al-Farra’ said,  'The answer statement which clarifies the subject matter of  the adjuration is not mentioned, however, its innate meaning is that Allah adjures by those angels that the blasphemers shall surely be resurrected and judged.  Allah left out stating this meaning because the meaning is insinuated in the text and is easily comprehended by the listener'.

          Ash-Sha^biyy said, 'The Creator adjures by whatever He wills among His creations.  However, the created one adjures only by the Creator.  Allah adjured by some of His creations that stand out in the eyes of His creations, to make His Power known to them.  The things that Allah adjured by indicate and prove the existence of Allah.  Moreover that they are the subject matter of Allah’s adjuration is a sign that they contain benefits for the slaves of Allah.  For example, Allah adjured by at-tin (the figs) and az-zaytun (the olives). This is an indication that they contain benefits for the slaves of Allah.'

          The Hafidh Ibn Hajar said in Fath Al-Bari: 

Ash-Shafi^iyy said, ‘I fear that it may be sinful to adjure by other than Allah (which means that it is extremely disliked).’  The Imam of al-Haramayn said, ‘Our school confirms that adjuring by other than Allah is disliked.’ Others gave details on the subject.  If one believes that what he adjures by is exalted as Allah is exalted, then it is forbidden to adjure by it and indeed it is blasphemy to adjure by it.  This is the context of the hadith narrated by at-Tirmidhiyy: 

<<من حلف بغير الله فقد كفر او اشرك>>

This means:  <<The one who adjures by other than Allah commits blasphemy or shirk>>.  However, if one adjures by other than Allah and aggrandizes it in a befitting manner, one does not blaspheme, but his oath is invalid.

6.  {يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الرَّاجِفَةُ}            

          The term ar-rajifah (الرَّاجِفَةُ) refers to ‘the first sounding of the Horn' as mentioned by Ibn ^Abbas.  When it is sounded, the earth and the mountains will quake.

7.  {تَتْبَعُهَا الرَّادِفَة}

          Ar-radifah (الرّادفة) is 'the second sounding of the Horn.'  There are forty (40) years between the first and the second sounding.  Ibn ^Abbas said:  The two (2) soundings are the two (2) screams.  The first shall make everything die by the Will of Allah.  The second shall follow to quicken everything with life by the Will of Allah. 

8.  {قُلُوبٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاجِفَةٌ}            

          On that day the hearts of the blasphemers will be extremely frenzied and dreadfully agitated.

9.  {أَبْصَارُهَا خَاشِعَةٌ}                

          The eyes of the blasphemers shall be cast downward in humiliation because of the dreadfulness they observe.

10.  {يَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِي الْحَافِرَةِ}             

          Ibn ^Abbas said:  "In mocking and denying the Resurrection, the blasphemers shall say, ‘shall we indeed return to life in the grave!?" Their tone reflects that they believe this will not happen.

          Ibn ^Amir and the people of Al-Kufah recited with two light hamzahs on 'a'inna (أَئِنَّا) to reflect the interrogative context.

11.  {أَئِذَا كُنَّا عِظَامًا نَخِرَةً}        

          Al-Qurtubiyy said:  The blasphemers, in denying the Resurrection said, ‘What! We shall be resurrected when we shall have become rotten decayed bones!’

Hamzah and Abu Bakr from ^Asim recited nakhirah (نَاخِرَةً) and Al-Farra' said both recitations have the same meaning.

12.  {قَالُوا تِلْكَ إِذًا كَرَّةٌ خَاسِرَةٌ}

          Not believing that the Resurrection will happen, the blasphemers mockingly and denyingly said, ‘If this return to the life happens in our graves, it shall be a losing affair for us.’

13.  {فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ زَجْرَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ}       

          Ar-Rabi^ Ibn Anas said that it means, 'But verily, it will be but a single sounding of the horn (in reference to the second sounding) that signals the beginning of the Resurrection and all will be alive again.'  This ayah shows that creating the Resurrection is an easy matter for Allah.  By this, Allah countered the blasphemers’ denial of the Resurrection in ayah 10 by confirming how easily will be created.

14.  {فَإِذَا هُمْ بِالسَّاهِرَةِ}            

          All creations shall gather on the surface of earth, brought up--after having been dead--from the belly of the earth.  Ibn Mas^ud said:

تبدل الأرض أرضًا كأنها فضة لم يسفك فيها دم حرام ولم يعمل عليها خطيئة

This means, ' The earth shall change into a silver-like earth clear of any bloodshed or committed sins'.  The Hafidh Ibn Hajar said:  Al-Bayhaqiyy narrated it in Ash-Shu^ab and the chain of narrators qualify it as sahih.

15.  {هَلْ أتَاكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَى}    

          The meaning was stated by Al-Qurtubiyy and others.  They said it means:  'O Muhammad, you have received the story of Musa and the rebellion of Pharaoh, and how Musa was rescued and Pharaoh was destroyed.'  The underlying message is consoling the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, and putting him at ease--giving him the good tidings that he shall be saved from the harm of the mushriks, and that they shall be destroyed. 

16.  {إِذْ نَادَاهُ رَبُّهُ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى}               

          Al-Hasan said Tuwa (طُوًى) is a valley in Palestine.  Ibn ^Abbas said:  The name of that valley is Tuwa, which means 'saved', that is, 'purified and blessed'.  Allah called to Musa in the pure and blessed Valley of Tuwa.  Ibn Kathir, Nafi^, and Abu ^Amr recited Tuwa-dhhab      ( اذْهَبْ طوى) and the rest recited Tuwan (طُوًى) with a tanwin.

17.  {اذْهَبْ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى}                       

          Allah informed Musa that Pharaoh transgressed by committing blasphemy.  Pharaoh was the title of al-Walid Ibn Mus^ab, the King of Egypt.  In the Arabic language, as was mentioned by al-Jawhariyy, every arrogant, sly snob is called 'pharaoh'. The term 'pharaohnism' in Arabic refers to shrewdness and arrogance.

18.  {فَقُلْ هَلْ لَكَ إِلَى أَنْ تَزَكَّى}                       

          Allah ordered Musa to say to Pharaoh:  “Won’t you accept my call to Islam and purify yourself from sin?”  That is, 'I call on you to become Muslim, to do good deeds, to embellish yourself with merits, and to purify yourself from sins.'  Ibn Kathir and Nafi^ recited  tazzakka (تزكى) with a double zay.

19.  {وَأَهْدِيَكَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ فَتَخْشَى}                       

          (And for Musa to tell Pharaoh):  'I guide you to know Allah through proofs so that you may fear Him and thereby perform the obligations and refrain from the prohibitions.'  This ayah clearly denotes that believing in Allah takes precedence over other acts of obedience because Allah mentioned the guidance first.  Mentioning the fear of Allah came next, making it a consequence of being guided.

20.  {فَأَرَاهُ الآيَةَ الْكُبْرَى}           

          Prophet Musa went to Pharaoh and conveyed what his Lord had ordered him to convey, but Pharaoh demanded a proof.  So Musa performed the great miracle.  Imam al-Bukhariyy narrated in his commentaries that Mujahid said:  'The great sign was the miracle of his [Musa’s] staff and hand.'

21.  {فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَى}               

          Pharaoh belied Musa and disobeyed Allah after witnessing the miracle which proved the truthfulness of Musa.

22.  {ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَى}                

          Pharaoh turned his back on the correct belief, endeavored to commit much corruption, and travailed in scheming against Musa.

23.  {فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى}                 

          Pharaoh gathered his sorcerers and soldiers to obstruct the truth and delivered a loud speech to them.

24.  {فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الأَعْلَى}      

          Pharaoh told them, “I am your Lord, the glorified.”  We seek refuge with Allah from this abhorrent statement.

25.  {فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الْآخِرَةِ وَالأُولَى}                

          Allah punished Pharaoh and made an example out of him for his first statement:     عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرِي}   مَا} (Surah al-Qasas, 38) which means:  [I do not know any other Lord for you but me,] and for his second statement made forty years later:  {أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الأَعْلَى} (Surah an-Nazi^at, 24) which means:  [I am your Lord the glorified.]  Allah punished Pharaoh in this life by drowning, and he shall be severely tortured in the Hereafter in Hellfire.

26.  {إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِمَنْ يَخْشَى}                   

          That which happened to Pharaoh stands as a lesson for the one who fears Allah.

27.  {ءَأَنْتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ السَّمَاءُ بَنَاهَا}                 

          In this ayah, Allah addressed the people of Makkah (who disbelieved in the Resurrection) scolding and refuting them, telling them:  According to you, which is more difficult, recreating you after death considering that you are weak or creating the sky considering its obvious perfect and lasting expanse.  In truth, creating both matters has the same standing in relation to the Power of Allah because His Power is perfect and is not lacking.

28.  {رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا}        

          Allah describes the sky as a sound structure that He created above us.  Allah made the skies very high.  A walking distance of five hundred (500) years separates the surface of the earth from the first sky, and likewise each successive sky to the next, up to the seventh sky.  Each sky has a thickness to it, which is the distance between its bottom surface and upper surface, as stipulated by the interpreter of the Qur’an, Abu Hayyan, in his interpretation An-Nahr al-Madd.  Allah created the sky smooth and level without any defects, clear of any elevations or depressions.  It is well-made and masterly built.

29.  {وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَاهَا}                   

          Allah made the sky’s night dark and brought out its morning sunlight.  Al-Qurtubiyy said:  Allah attributed the duha (ضحى) time which is the light of the sun prior to noon to the sky, because it contains the reason for darkness and daylight which is sunset and sunrise.  In this ayah Allah attributed both the layl (night) and the duha (pre-noon sunshine) to the sky. The layl is a result of the sun setting and the duha is a result of the sunrise. Both of these matters are due to the sun which travels within the domain of the sky.

30.  {وَالأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَاهَا}                         

          Allah created the earth before the sky. He created seven skies.  Ibn ^Abbas said:  Allah made the earth suitable for habitation.

31.  {أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَاءَهَا وَمَرْعَاهَا}

          Allah drew out from the earth its water, springs, and the plants of the pastures.

32.  {وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَاهَا}              

          Allah has firmly moored the mountains on earth to keep the earth stationary.

33.  {مَتَاعًا لَكُمْ وَلأَنْعَامِكُمْ}       

          Allah created that as a benefit for you and your livestock among camels, cows, and sheep as stipulated by an-Nawawiyy when he was proof‑reading the terms of the book of At-Tanbih.

34.  {فَإِذَا جَاءَتِ الطَّآمَّةُ الْكُبْرَى}                        

          Allah elucidated how He created the earths and the skies to prove He has the Power to create death and resurrection. When Allah established this and that the resurrection is intellectually permissible, Allah informed us about its happening.  Al-Mubarrad said:  At-tammah (الطّامّة) means ‘the unbearable one.’  Ibn ^Abbas said:  At-tammah al-kubra (الطَّامَّةُ الْكُبْرَى) means ‘the Day of Judgment’ and Allah deemed its events as great.

35.  {يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ الإِنْسَانُ مَا سَعَى}                      

          On that Day, one shall remember the good and bad deeds he performed during this life.  One will see what is written in ones journal. One will see the things he had forgotten all about, either because of ones extreme negligence about the matters or because they happened long time ago.

36.  {وَبُرِّزَتِ الْجَحِيمُ لِمَنْ يَرَى}                        

          Hellfire shall be placed fully visible, fervidly burning, for everyone with sight.  The believer shall be thankful to Allah for His endowments.  Ibn ^Abbas and Mu^adh recited limar-ra'a (لمن رأى) with a hamzah between the ra' and the 'alif.

37.  {فَأَمَّا مَنْ طَغَى}                  

          Then, for the one who had transgressed and committed sins and blasphemy,

38.  {وَءَاثَرَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا}           

          And had indulged in the desires of this life by following ones personal desires while neglecting preparing for the Hereafter,

39.  {فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى}                          

          Hellfire will be his dwelling place.

40.  {وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى}                    

          As to the one who had attended to the fear of standing before his Lord for judgment of his deeds, and had restrained himself from the sins and the prohibitions,

41.  {فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى}      

          Paradise shall be his abode.

42.  {يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا}              

          Mockingly, the blasphemers of Makkah ask you Muhammad when the appointed time of the Day of Judgment will occur.

43.  {فِيمَ أَنْتَ مِنْ ذِكْرَاهَا}        

          Why do they ask you, O Muhammad, when you have no knowledge of its time?  In this ayah Allah denounced the mushriks for asking Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, when the appointed time of the Day of Judgment is.

44.  {إِلَى رَبِّكَ مُنْتَهَاهَا}             

          Allah alone knows the appointed time of the Day of Judgment.  No one else has such knowledge. Allah said in Surah Luqman, ayah 34:

{ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ }

Which means:  [Allah alone has the Knowledge of the appointed time of the Day of Judgment.]

45.  {إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُنْذِرُ مَنْ يَخْشَاهَا}                       

          O Muhammad, those who will benefit from your warning are those who fear the Day of Judgment and therefore abstain from blasphemy and transgression.  Although Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, is a Warner for every mukallaf (accountable person), the ones who will benefit from his warnings are those who fear the Day of Judgment.  Abu Ja^far recited  mundhirun   (منذر) with tanwin.

46.  {كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَاهَا}                   

          Ar-Raziyy said in Mukhtar Assahah, “When the blasphemers see the Day of Judgment, it will be as if they lived in this world for a single evening’s dusk or a single morning’s pre-noon sunshine.” Also he said that ^ashiyyah (عَشِيَّةً) is from the time of the Maghrib prayer until Nightfall.

Muhammad Murtada Az-Zabidi said: ' duhaha (ضُحَاهَا) is when the sun rises. What is meant is that at these times the world seems little in the eyes of the blasphemer.'