Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:1-7 - Quran Translation Commentary

1. Alif Laam. Meem. Raa¹ These are the (Verses) ayaat² of the Book.³And that which is sent down to you from your Lord is the Truth, but most men do not believe.⁴

2. Allah is He who raised the heavens without pillars⁵ as you see them, then established Himself on Arsh⁶ (the throan) and subjected the sun and the moon (to be of service)⁷ each running to an appointed term;⁸ He ordains all things; He explains the signs in detail so that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.⁹

3. And it is He who spread out the earth¹⁰ and placed therein mountains¹¹ and rivers,¹² and of all fruits he placed therein, two in pairs¹³ (male and female). He covers the night with the day. Verily in these are signs for the people who contemplate.

4. And in the earth there are adjoining plots,¹⁴ and Vineyards, ploughed lands, and date palms the single and the clustered,¹⁵ which are watered with one water. And We make some of them excel than others to eat (in taste). Verily in these are signs for the people who understand.¹⁶

5. And if you want to hear a wonder thing, strange is this saying of theirs: “When we are dust, shall we indeed then be created anew?”¹⁷ They are those who deny their Lord. They are those round whose necks will be yokes,¹⁸ They will be companions of Fire, abiding therein forever.

6. And they ask you to hasten¹⁹ on the evil rather than the good, when exemplary punishments have indeed occurred before them. Verily your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind in spite of their wrongdoing; and verily your Lord is severe in punishment.²⁰

7. And those who disbelieve say: “Why not a single sign sent down to him from his Lord.?”²¹ ( O Prophet ! ) Verily You are a warner only, and for every people there was a guide.²²

Commentary

1. For the explanation of these separate letters or abbreviations Note No. 1, Surah Baqarah and Note No.1 Surah Yunus may be seen.

In the Surah Alif points to Allah (monotheism), Lam to La Ilaha Illallah (negation of polytheism), and Meem hints at Mut’al (of the Most Highly Exalted Rank). This attribute of Allah has been mentioned in the ayah No.9. As for Ra, it points to Rab (Lordship of Allah), and also to Ra’d (Thunder), which is particularly mentioned in the ayah No. l3, and in which the veil has been lifted from the reality that behind the apparent thundering outbursts of the clouds there is also the thundering recitation of Allah’s praises.... ..and the real meaning of Allah’s words is known to Allah only.

2. The literal meaning of the word ayah in Arabic is sign or symbol. The short and big sentences occurring in the Quranic Surahs are called ayat (verses). Sometimes an ayah is a complete sentence, sometimes it is a part of a sentence, and sometimes it consists of a few sentences. Their fixation and their order has been arranged in accordance with the Divine revelation. Since every ayah of Qur’an is a sign of the fact that it consists of Allah’s words, it has been termed as an ayah, (sign).

3.Al-Kitab means the Divine Book, that is Qur’an.

4. It means that these verses of Surah Ra’d and all other ayat which have been revealed to the Prophet their having been revealed from Allah, is a fact and a reality, however, it is another matter that many people do not accept it as such inspite of it being a reality. But a reality remains a reality, anybody’s accepting it or rejecting it does not change its nature.

5. In the wide open space the heavenly bodies are spread out and scattered far and wide. According to the scientific discoveries some stars are away at a distance of millions of light years. It gives an idea of the height (vastness) of the skies. This vastness cannot be measured by any parameter. The creation of this vast system of heavens like a roof or a dome without any pillars is an open sign of the greatness of the Creator of this universe.

It should be noted that the appearance of the heavens as standing without any pillars is a thing of common observation. It does not negate the fact that the heavenly bodies are governed by the law of gravity. This law of gravity is also the marvel of Allah’s creation.

As regards the question whether the sky or heaven has any material existence, we have discussed this question in Note No.1, Surah Inshiqaq. On this occasion that note should be kept in mind.

6. This has been explained in Surah A’raf Note No.83.

7. That is: The sun and the moon do not have power of their own. They are bound by the Divine Law, and the service they have been asked to render is being rendered by them.

8. Running or walking here means to keep on moving, regardless of the fact as to what is the nature of their movement. This ayah states that it is not only the moon but the sun is also moving, and the modern astronomy also believes that sun also moves:

“The sun rotates on its axis in a period of about 25 1/3 days” (The Marvels and Mysteries of Science-p. 15).

And Science says that the sun not only rotates round its axis but it moves, with its planets, round its center of gravity at a speed of 200 miles a second:

“Our own star, the sun, is no exception to the general rule, for with its attendant planets it is moving through space at a speed of 200 miles a second, travelling around the center of gravity of its cosmic system. At this speed it requires 250,000,000 years to complete a revolution in its gigantic orbit.” -(do-p.82)

Qur’an also explains that this revolution or movement of the sun and the moon is not without a time limit, but that it is for a fixed period only. Their term will end on the Day of Resurrection when the existing system of universe will be wound up and a new universe will be created.

9. That is: On giving a careful thought or on contemplating over these scattered signs in the heavens, the purpose and the wise scheme that lies behind the creation of this universe can be understood easily, and which Qur’an presents with full explanation. And these matters are not only easily understood, but we also acquire a certain and definite belief that one day we will meet our Lord and receive the fruit of what we have earned here.

10. God has spread out the earth in such a way that it has become able to provide living room to millions and trillions of creatures. Looking at this great might of the Creator man should have spontaneously bowed down before His greatness and should have believed in His being the one and the only God. But a very large number of men have turned away from Him, and among them are also those who, instead of worshipping the Creator of the earth, feel proud in worshipping the earth, and they have made ‘Bhoomi Puja’ as their religious rite and custom. They are unable to understand as to what is the meaning of worshipping that thing. These ignorant people first carve their own ‘god’ and then trample it under their own feet. Strange is their god and strange is their worship.

11. What are mountains? Signs of the greatness of God that have been placed all over the world so that seeing them man may admit the greatness of his Creator, but where is that flash of genius in every man that he should search for reality. If in the past man had made mountains his gods looking to their great heights, then in the present day he is so absorbed in finding out mountains’ types, their layers, their geologica1 components and the fossils found therein that he has no inclination to turn his mind towards the Creator. As a result, in spite of all the treasures of information and knowledge the modern man is fully drowned in materialism.

12. Allah has created flowing rivers on the earth so that man may see them and rivers of praises and gratefulness for God may flow from his lips. But instead he regarded rivers as holy and started worshipping them, and offering presents to them. Or else he achieved progress by constructing dams over the rivers and making full use of the latent energies in their waters. Beyond this, modern man is not prepared to give a thought to the marvel of creation and the greatness of their Creator.

13. The word ‘thamarat’ is used for fruits as well as for the produce. It includes fruits, grains and vegetables. It means that in the vegetab1e kingdom Allah created these plants, etc. in such a way that there are two different sexes, male and female, in them, so that the chain of production may go on. Knowledge about sexes in the vegetable kingdom is common, but the modern science of botany has presented it with such details that its marvellous system comes out clearly, for example, in the plants cells are found, which contain chromosomes, which possess hereditary traits or qualities and which can be observed with the help of the microscope, or the stamens that are found in the flowers have male and female classifications. When the flowers blossom, bees and other insects are attracted towards them by their scent, they transfer pollens from one flower to another and this way fertilization takes place, and thus the flower is converted into fruit.

Does not this system of nature prove the existence of an Absolute Master of the universe?

14. That is: On the earth the vast area is not undivided, but that it is divided in various tracts, plots, etc. or there are different zones. These zones, in spite of being close and adjacent to one another, are different in their characteristics. Some are red and some are black. Some are fertile and some are barren. Some are fit to produce only a particular kind of grain and fruits and some for other kinds of grains and fruits. Some plots of land produce oil and some are mined for gold. What treasures of provision have been placed in the earth for the upkeep of man! Has this system of provision come into being automatically or was there some one Creator who caused it to be created?

15. There are two kinds of date-palms: one is that in which one stem comes out from its root and the other is that in which two or more stems come out from the root, although the same water is given to both kinds of trees. Is not this difference, this variety sufficient to refute the idea that this universe has come into existence as an accident and it is running without a Manager or an Administrator? In the case of an accidental existence, this difference, this variety, this diversity could not have been there.

16. Although all the fruit trees are watered by same water, but the fruits of these trees taste differently, some are sweet, some sour, some are tasteless and some bitter. This variation invites man to think. If man uses his common sense and intellect, it would not be difficult for him to get at the reality which Qur’an is inviting him to grab.

17. These rejectors of faith consider it strange that man will be revived after his death, as Qur’an is preaching. But in fact strange is what they are saying: that how can man be resurrected after he is dead and has become dust! According to them this whole turmoil, this to-do of the universe was merely for man to die and become dust and the chain of life be cut off after a man breathes his last; there is no question of appearing before God, nor is there any Hereafter, no reward and no punishment. This is their concept of life, which means that life is purposeless and the universe is meaningless. However, intellect does not agree with this decision. This is the decision of the blind desires. Therefore, every intelligent man, every intellectual will consider this concept of life of the rejectors of faith as strange-and not the concept of life which Qur’an presents.

18. These deniers of the Hereafter had put on, around their necks, the yokes, the chains of ignorance, prejudice against the Truth, and blind following of falsehood in this world, therefore on the Day of Judgment these yokes, chains will squeeze their necks in the form of yokes and chains of fire.

19. That is: The Prophet has been sent by Allah so that people should accept his message and should rush towards good and virtue, or in other words Allah has sent the Prophet for the good of the ‘people, but the condition of these rejectors is this that instead of collecting good and virtue they are inviting evil. They say that the punishment about which the Prophet is warning them why does it not visit them. Thus they are depriving themselves of good and are waiting for the evil (destruction) to come to them. Here they are being reproached for this wrong mentality of theirs.

20. Allah does not punish people for their wrong-doing and for their excess immediately in this world, but overlooks their faults, in order that they may get a chance to reform themselves and they may take care. But it does not mean that even if they do not improve themselves, He would not punish them. If Allah is a Forgiver, He is also a Severe Punisher.

21. For explanation Notes Nos. 64 and 65 of Surah An’am may be seen.

22. That is: As in the past Allah’s messengers were sent to the previous nations, in the same way, you, O Prophet! have: been sent now for the guidance of these people. Therefore, your task is to shake the negligent people and to guide them to the path of God. It is not your responsibility to meet their demands, therefore, do not pay any attention to their demand of performing a perceptible miracle.

It should be noted that the prophethood of Muhammad was not limited to the people of Arabia only, but as is mentioned in Qur’an in clear terms, that his message was for all the nations of the world, therefore, the question of coming down of a prophet for some nation after him does not arise.