Surah 13. Ar-Ra'd

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Verses [Section]: 1-7[1], 8-18 [2], 19-26 [3], 27-31 [4], 32-37 [5], 38-43 [6]

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Quran Text of Verse 8-18اَللّٰهُAllahیَعْلَمُknowsمَاwhatتَحْمِلُcarriesكُلُّeveryاُنْثٰیfemaleوَ مَاand whatتَغِیْضُfall shortالْاَرْحَامُthe wombوَ مَاand whatتَزْدَادُ ؕthey exceedوَ كُلُّAnd everyشَیْءٍthingعِنْدَهٗwith Himبِمِقْدَارٍ (is) in due proportion عٰلِمُKnowerالْغَیْبِ(of) the unseenوَ الشَّهَادَةِand the witnessedالْكَبِیْرُthe Most Greatالْمُتَعَالِ the Most High سَوَآءٌ(It is) same (to Him)مِّنْكُمْ[of you]مَّنْ(one) whoاَسَرَّconcealsالْقَوْلَthe speechوَ مَنْor (one) whoجَهَرَpublicizesبِهٖitوَ مَنْand (one) whoهُوَ[he]مُسْتَخْفٍۭ(is) hiddenبِالَّیْلِby nightوَ سَارِبٌۢor goes freelyبِالنَّهَارِ by day لَهٗFor himمُعَقِّبٰتٌ(are) successive (Angels)مِّنْۢfromبَیْنِ(before)یَدَیْهِ(him)وَ مِنْand fromخَلْفِهٖand behind himیَحْفَظُوْنَهٗwho guard himمِنْbyاَمْرِ(the) commandاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) AllahاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahلَا(does) notیُغَیِّرُchangeمَا(the condition)بِقَوْمٍof a peopleحَتّٰیuntilیُغَیِّرُوْاthey changeمَاwhatبِاَنْفُسِهِمْ ؕ(is) in themselvesوَ اِذَاۤAnd whenاَرَادَwillsاللّٰهُAllahبِقَوْمٍfor a peopleسُوْٓءًاmisfortuneفَلَاthen (there is) noمَرَدَّturning awayلَهٗ ۚof itوَ مَاand notلَهُمْfor themمِّنْfromدُوْنِهٖbesides Himمِنْanyوَّالٍ protector هُوَHeالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoیُرِیْكُمُshows youالْبَرْقَthe lightningخَوْفًاa fearوَّ طَمَعًاand a hopeوَّ یُنْشِئُand brings upالسَّحَابَthe cloudsالثِّقَالَۚthe heavy وَ یُسَبِّحُAnd glorifiesالرَّعْدُthe thunderبِحَمْدِهٖ[with] His praiseوَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُand the Angelsمِنْforخِیْفَتِهٖ ۚfear of Himوَ یُرْسِلُAnd He sendsالصَّوَاعِقَthe thunderboltsفَیُصِیْبُand strikesبِهَاwith itمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُHe willsوَ هُمْyet theyیُجَادِلُوْنَdisputeفِیaboutاللّٰهِ ۚAllahوَ هُوَAnd Heشَدِیْدُ(is) Mightyالْمِحَالِؕ(in) Strength 13. Ar-Ra'd Page 251لَهٗTo Himدَعْوَةُ(is) supplicationالْحَقِّ ؕ(of) the truthوَ الَّذِیْنَAnd those whomیَدْعُوْنَthey invokeمِنْbesides Himدُوْنِهٖbesides Himلَاnotیَسْتَجِیْبُوْنَthey respondلَهُمْto themبِشَیْءٍwith a thingاِلَّاexceptكَبَاسِطِlike one who stretchesكَفَّیْهِhis handsاِلَیtowardsالْمَآءِwaterلِیَبْلُغَto reachفَاهُhis mouthوَ مَاbut notهُوَitبِبَالِغِهٖ ؕreaches itوَ مَاAnd notدُعَآءُ(is) the supplicationالْكٰفِرِیْنَ(of) the disbelieversاِلَّاbutفِیْinضَلٰلٍ error وَ لِلّٰهِAnd to Allahیَسْجُدُprostratesمَنْwhoeverفِی(is) inالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضِand the earthطَوْعًاwillinglyوَّ كَرْهًاor unwillinglyوَّ ظِلٰلُهُمْand (so do) their shadowsبِالْغُدُوِّin the morningsوَ الْاٰصَالِ۩and in the afternoons قُلْSayمَنْWhoرَّبُّ(is) the Lordالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ؕand the earthقُلِSayاللّٰهُ ؕAllahقُلْSayاَفَاتَّخَذْتُمْHave you then takenمِّنْfromدُوْنِهٖۤbesides Himاَوْلِیَآءَprotectorsلَاnotیَمْلِكُوْنَthey have powerلِاَنْفُسِهِمْfor themselvesنَفْعًا(to) benefitوَّ لَاand notضَرًّا ؕ(to) harmقُلْSayهَلْIsیَسْتَوِیequalالْاَعْمٰیthe blindوَ الْبَصِیْرُ ۙ۬and the seeingاَمْOrهَلْisتَسْتَوِیequalالظُّلُمٰتُthe darkness[es]وَ النُّوْرُ ۚ۬and the lightاَمْOrجَعَلُوْاthey attributeلِلّٰهِto Allahشُرَكَآءَpartnersخَلَقُوْاwho createdكَخَلْقِهٖlike His creationفَتَشَابَهَso that seemed alikeالْخَلْقُthe creationعَلَیْهِمْ ؕto themقُلِSayاللّٰهُAllahخَالِقُ(is) the Creatorكُلِّof allشَیْءٍthingsوَّ هُوَand Heالْوَاحِدُ(is) the Oneالْقَهَّارُ the Irresistible اَنْزَلَHe sends downمِنَfromالسَّمَآءِthe skyمَآءًwaterفَسَالَتْand flowsاَوْدِیَةٌۢthe valleysبِقَدَرِهَاaccording to their measureفَاحْتَمَلَand carriesالسَّیْلُthe torrentزَبَدًاa foamرَّابِیًا ؕrisingوَ مِمَّاAnd from whatیُوْقِدُوْنَthey heatعَلَیْهِ[on] itفِیinالنَّارِthe fireابْتِغَآءَin order to makeحِلْیَةٍornamentsاَوْorمَتَاعٍutensilsزَبَدٌa foamمِّثْلُهٗ ؕlike itكَذٰلِكَThusیَضْرِبُsets forthاللّٰهُAllahالْحَقَّthe truthوَ الْبَاطِلَ ؕ۬and the falsehoodفَاَمَّاThen as forالزَّبَدُthe foamفَیَذْهَبُit passes awayجُفَآءً ۚ(as) scumوَ اَمَّاand as forمَاwhatیَنْفَعُbenefitsالنَّاسَthe mankindفَیَمْكُثُremainsفِیinالْاَرْضِ ؕthe earthكَذٰلِكَThusیَضْرِبُAllah sets forthاللّٰهُAllah sets forthالْاَمْثَالَؕthe examples لِلَّذِیْنَFor those whoاسْتَجَابُوْاrespondedلِرَبِّهِمُto their Lordالْحُسْنٰی ؔؕ(is) the blissوَ الَّذِیْنَAnd for those whoلَمْ(did) notیَسْتَجِیْبُوْاrespondلَهٗto Himلَوْifاَنَّthatلَهُمْthey hadمَّاwhateverفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِthe earthجَمِیْعًاallوَّ مِثْلَهٗand like of itمَعَهٗwith itلَافْتَدَوْاsurely they would offer ransomبِهٖ ؕwith itاُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseلَهُمْfor themسُوْٓءُ(is) a terribleالْحِسَابِ ۙ۬reckoningوَ مَاْوٰىهُمْand their abodeجَهَنَّمُ ؕ(is) Hellوَ بِئْسَand wretchedالْمِهَادُ۠(is) the resting place

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Translation of Verse 8-18

(13:8) Allah knows what every female bears; and what the wombs fall short of (in gestation), and what they may add.¹⁷ With Him everything is in a fixed measure.

(13:9) He knows both what is hidden and what is manifest. He is the Supreme One, the Most High.

(13:10) It is all the same for Him whether any of you says a thing secretly, or says it loudly, and whether one hides oneself in the darkness of night, or struts about in broad daylight.

(13:11) There are guardians over everyone, both before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's command.¹⁸ Verily Allah does not change a people's condition unless they change their inner selves. And when Allah decides to make a people suffer punishment, no one can avert it. Nor can any be of help to such a people against Allah.¹⁹

(13:12) He it is Who causes you to see lightning that inspires you with both fear and hope, and He it is Who whips up heavy clouds.

(13:13) The thunder celebrates His praise and holiness,²⁰ and the angels, too, celebrate His praise for awe of Him.²¹ He hurls thunderbolts, striking with them whom He wills while they are engaged in disputation concerning Allah. He is Mighty in His contriving.²²

(13:14) To Him alone should all prayer be addressed,²³ for those to whom they do address their prayers beside Him are altogether powerless to respond to them. The example of praying to any other than Allah is that of a man who stretches out his hands to water, asking it to reach his mouth, although water has no power to reach his mouth. The prayers of the unbelievers are a sheer waste.

(13:15) All that is in the heavens and the earth prostrates itself, whether willingly or by force,²⁴ before Allah; and so do their shadows in the morning and in the evening.²⁵

(13:16) Ask them: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "Allah."²⁶ Tell them: "Have you taken beside Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?" Say: "Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals?²⁷ Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?"²⁸ If that is not so, then have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them?²⁹ Say: "Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible."³⁰

(13:17) Allah sends down water from the heavens and the river-beds flow, each according to its measure, and the torrent carries along a swelling scum.³¹ In like manner, from that metal which they smelt in the fire to make ornaments and utensils,³² there arises scum like it. Thus does Allah depict truth and falsehood. As for the scum, it passes away as dross; but that which benefits mankind abides on the earth. Thus does Allah explain (the truth) through examples.

(13:18) There is good reward for those who respond to the call of their Lord. And those who do not respond to their Lord, (a time will come when) they shall offer all they have - even if they have all the riches of the world and the like of it besides to redeem themselves (from the chastisement of Allah).³³ They will be subjected to a severe reckoning³⁴ and Hell shall be their refuge. What a wretched resting place it is!

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Commentary

17. This means that while a child is in his mother’s womb, God — and He alone — watches over the development of that child in every respect. He oversees the increase or decrease in each of its limbs, endowments and capacities.

18. God directly watches over everyone and is well aware of everyone’s deeds and movements. Not only that, but the angels appointed by Him also remain with everyone throughout their lives and record all their actions. This truth has been emphasized with a view to warning those who fancy that they are free to lead the kind of life they wish to, and that they are not accountable to anyone. Such people court their own disaster.

19. People are told in plain words not to entertain the illusion that any saint or jinn or angel is powerful enough to rescue people from God’s chastisement.

Such patrons that they may choose will be utterly unable in the Next Life, despite the bribe of homages and offerings received from their devotees, to be of any effective help to them.

20. The thunder of the clouds shows. that it is God Who causes winds to blow, vapors to rise, heavy clouds to accumulate, the lightning to flash, and the clouds to bring about the downpour which provides His creatures with water. All this shows that God’s wisdom and power are absolute; that He is perfect and free from all defect; that none shares with Him in His godhead. For those who are not appreciative of their distinct humanity and thus look upon the thunder in the manner of brutes hold that thunder is no more than a deafening sound from the clouds. But those who have ears that are capable of heeding the truth realize that thunder proclaims God’s unity.

21. The statement that the angels celebrate God’s praise for awe of Him has been made for a definite reason. The reason is that polytheists, throughout the ages, have taken angels as deities, as objects of worship, thinking that they share godhead with God. Refuting this mistaken belief, the Qur’an says that they are not God’s partners in His sovereignty. If anything, they are His obedient servants who hold God in awe and celebrate His praise and holiness.

22. God has innumerable devices which He can use against anyone He pleases. He can even punish people by means which they will be unable to anticipate even a moment before it comes to pass. Who could consider such people, who arbitrarily blurt out all kinds of nonsense about the All-Powerful Being, to be wise?

23. To ‘address all prayer to God’ signifies one’s calling upon God to come to one’s aid. People ought to do so because the power needed to fulfil man’s purposes and to remove his difficulties and distresses lies with God alone.

Hence, it is quite appropriate to address all prayers to Him, and to Him alone.

24. Prostration refers to bowing down in obeisance, to carrying out a command, and to lowering oneself in submission to someone. In this sense, every creature of God in the heavens and the earth is in a state of prostration before God. The laws of God are such that no creature is capable of deviating even a hair’s breath from His providential will. In fact, both the believer and the unbeliever submit to the natural laws devised by God. The difference between the two is that while the believer submits out of volition, the unbeliever submits out of compulsion for it is beyond his power to do otherwise.

25. The prostration of shadows before God refers to the falling of the shadows on the earth: to the west, in the morning, and in the afternoon to the east. This symbolizes the subjection of those objects to God’s will and command.

26. It should be clear that even the unbelievers were convinced that God is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Hence, when they were asked: ‘Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ they could not have said that God is not the Lord of the heavens and the earth. For to say that would be contrary to their own belief. However, when the Prophet (peace be on him) put that question to them, they evaded saying unequivocally that God is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. They were equivocal in their reply because a clear statement to the effect that God is the Lord of the heavens and the earth would necessitate affirmation of monotheism. They would then be left with no reasonable ground to cling to polytheism. ‘Sensing the weakness of their position, the unbelievers kept quiet. It is for this very reason that the Qur’an directs the Prophet (peace be on him) on several occasions to put such questions to the unbelievers: Who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth? Who is the Lord of the universe? Who provides sustenance to all? Further, after having put those questions, the Prophet (peace be on him) is directed to come forth with the response — that Allah is the Creator and Lord of the universe Who provides sustenance to all. The logical corollary of that statement is — and this has also been explicated in the Qur’an — that since Allah is the Creator, Lord and Sustainer, there are no grounds for man serving or worshipping anyone other than Him.

27. The word ‘blind’ in the verse has been used to refer to those who even while they observe the natural phenomena are nevertheless blind to the signs of God’s unity in them. The ‘seeing ones’ are those who not only observe the natural phenomena but who also appreciate that every particle of the universe and every leaf of the trees provide a wealth of knowledge about God. The question posed here amounts to telling the unbelievers that if they are mentally blind, this does not mean that those who see should also behave like them. How is it possible that those who clearly perceive the truth should stumble in darkness as do the blind?

28. The word ‘light’ here obviously refers to the light of true knowledge which belonged to the Prophet (peace be on him) and his followers. As for ‘darkness’, it stands for the ignorance in which the unbelievers were stumbling. Through the present query the unbelievers are told that those who are blessed with light can never agree to part with it and so do not wander about in darkness as do the unbelievers. If light had no meaning for the unbelievers, that was their business. But there are also those who not only have light but also know the difference between light and darkness. How is it possible that those, who are able to see their way in life by dint of the broad daylight in which they live, would agree to distance themselves from light and so revert to darkness?

29. The point that is being made here is that quite evidently God alone has created the universe and all that there is in it. There is no ambiguity in the matter making it difficult for people to decide which objects were created by God and which were created by others. Had there been any such ambiguity there would at least have been some basis for polytheism. The fact, however, is that even polytheists admit that their deities created absolutely nothing. So, what justification is there in believing that false deities have a share either in the power or rights of God?

30. The Qur’anic expression qahhar means one who has the power to command and to keep all in a state of subservience. That God alone is the Creator of all persons and things was acknowledged by everyone, including the polytheists. Once a rational being affirms that God is the Creator, he is also bound to affirm that God is ‘the One, the Irresistible’. Naturally, the Creator is bound to be unique since everything and everybody has been created by Him.

What justification is there, then, to associate anyone or anything with the Creator in His attributes, powers and rights? Likewise, God is bound to be Irresistible. For to be in a state of subjection to, and under the control of, the Creator is innate in the very nature of everything and everyone created by God. For if the Creator does not have absolute power, He will be unable to create. Hence, anyone who accepts God to be the Creator of all cannot deny two rational and logical corollaries of that belief — (a) that God is One, and (b) that He is Irresistible. It is, therefore, an act of rank irrationality that anyone should consider someone other than the Creator to be the object of his worship. It is equally irrational that rather than pray in distress to the Creator Who is possessed of absolute power, one should pray to a creature who is shorn of that power.

31. This parable is about the knowledge granted to the Prophet (peace be on him) through revelation. This knowledge has been likened to ‘water from heaven’. As for men of faith, they have been likened to ‘river-beds’. They are filled with rainfall, each according to its capacity, whereafter they flow. The tumultuous campaign of opposition against Islam mounted by its enemies has been likened to the ‘swelling scum’ which appears on the surface of flood water.

32. A furnace is heated up in order to purge a metal of its impurities. In so doing, impurities appear on the surface and momentarily it appears as if there is nothing else.

33. Those who do not accept the call of the Prophets will be subjected to severe chastisement. Such will be the severity of this chastisement that people would be quite willing to part with all their riches to rescue themselves from it.

34. The ‘severe reckoning’ of a person would mean one in which none of the omissions or mistakes committed by him are forgiven, nor any misdeed allowed to go unpunished.

The Qur’an tells us that those who rebelled against God would be subjected to such reckoning. In contrast, those who were faithful to God and had submitted themselves to Him will have an ‘easy reckoning’. In view of the good deeds of such persons, their lapses will be overlooked. In deference to their overall record, many of their omissions will be forgiven. This point has been further elaborated in a tradition in Abu Da’ud on the authority of ‘A’ishah. ‘A’ishah says: ‘I said, O Messenger of Allah! For me the most terrifying verse of the book of Allah is the one which says: ‘‘Whoever does evil shall reap its consequence’’ (al-Nisa’ 4: 123).’ To this the Prophet replied: ‘O ‘A’ishah! Don’t you know that any inconvenience which an obedient servant of God suffers in this life, so much so that even if he is pricked by a thon, Allah reckons it as an atonement for some of his sins. Thus his account is cleared during his worldly life. As for those who will be subjected to reckoning in the Hereafter, they will inevitably be punished’. ‘A’ishah said: ‘If that is so, then what is meant by the verse: ‘‘Then he who is given his record in his right hand, will be subjected to an easy reckoning”’ (al-Inshiqaq 84: 7-8).’ The Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘That means that his whole record of deeds will be presented before God. However, one who is subjected to reckoning, will amount to his undoing.’ (Cf. Abu Da’ud, K. al-Jana’ iz, ‘Bab ‘Iddat al-Nisa’ , where substantively the same point has been emphasized, even though there are some slight differences in the text of the tradition in the different works of Hadith — Ed.) The matter can perhaps best be understood by the analogy of a master and a servant. If the servant is faithful, the master will be inclined to connive at his minor faults. In fact, in view of the great services the servant may have rendered his master, the latter is likely even to overlook his major faults.

However, the master’s attitude will be altogether different if there are reasons for him to feel convinced that the servant has been treacherous towards him or has willfully committed a breach of trust. In such cases, he will be inclined to disregard any services he may have rendered in the past, and will presumably take cognizance of all his offences — both major and minor.