Surah Al-Anbya 21:42-50 - Quran Translation Commentary

44. Nay, but We provided good things to them and their fathers, until a long period elapsed.⁵⁸ Do not they see how We proceed to the land, reducing its borders?⁵⁹ Can they then be victors ?

45. Say: “I warn you by revelation.” But the deaf can hear no call when they are warned.⁶⁰

46. And if a breath of your Lord’s punishment were to touch them, they would cry out: Alas for us! Surely we were wrong-doers.⁶¹

47. We will set up just scales⁶² on the Day of Resurrection, so that no man in the least may be wronged. We will bring (for weighing) actions as small as a grain of mustard seed. And sufficient are We as reckoners.⁶³

48. And We”⁶⁴verily gave Moosa and Haroon the Criterion⁶⁵ (of right and wrong) and a light⁶⁶ and a Reminder for those who fear God,⁶⁷

49. Those who fear ⁶⁸ their Lord unseen and who dread the Hour of the Doomsday.

50. And this is a blessed Reminder⁶⁹ that We have revealed. Will you then reject it?

Commentary

55.’That is: It may be day or night, man’s life is always in danger at every step, and it is the Most Gracious Allah only who protects him. If instead of protecting you He would subject you to suffering, there would be none who would be kind to you and protect you against Him.

56. That is: Their condition is such that they have no realisation of God’s favours, and they do not like to hear the mention of His favours and mercies being made. How unrealistic does polytheism make a man about the realities of life!

57.That is: If Allah’s punishment has to descend, then will these deities protect them from it? How would they protect them when they are unable to protect their own selves, particularly when they do not have the support of the Almighty. Here the hint is about those deities of the polytheists about whom they believed that they would protect them from all troubles.

58. Quraish were not only well to do but also enjoyed the privilege of being leaders. All this was achieved by them with the favour of Allah only. As they had been enjoying good times for quite a long time, they had become indifferent to God. The intoxication of wealth and power makes man negligent of God.

59. That is: The effects of Islam’s popularity in the vicinity of Makkah and around were becoming manifest, and its superiority was being gradually established.

The ayah hints at Madina in particular, where people were embracing Islam in good numbers, as if the world was becoming narrow for the polytheists of Makkah, so much so that a few years after the revelation of this surah the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) came to power in Madina. This coming into power in Madina preceded the victory of Makkah. In other words the victory of Makkah is the correct interpretation of this ayah. He said : “Nay, but your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, who created them and to this I bear witness. ”And, by Allah, I will plot against your idols after you have gone away and turned your backs. (Al-Quran)

60. It becomes clear that only those hear the voice of the revelation and that of the Prophet, who keep their ears open.

61. That is: Just now they are demanding that the punishment should visit them soon, but when even a part of that punishment would touch them, they would repent for what they had done and would admit that they had committed sins.

62. For explanation, please see Surah Qaria’ Note No.6

63. On the Day of Resurrection when the gathering of humans will be like a human sea, it will not be difficult for God to take the reckoning of every individual person on that day, and that His reckoning will be perfect.

64. From here starts the narrative about a few great Prophets. In the Qur’an mention of prophets occurs quite often, so that different aspects of their biographies and their teachings are brought into focus, the golden pages of the Prophets’ histories may be preserved, and the readers may get guidance from reading them. It also helps in removing the doubts of the deniers and makes them realise that the existence of the Prophets is a historical reality, and Allah has been sending them in different countries at different times. A particular advantage of this narrative is that the people of faith may get the benefit of their company by reading about them in the Qur’an, as if when Qur’an narrates the chronicle of any prophet, the reader is carried in the company of that ideal personality so that it may provide nourishment for his soul.

65. The word used here is ‘Furqan’ which means those signs which distinguish the truth from the falsehood and manifest the differences between the two. Accordingly in the Surah Muminoon it is stated :

“Then We sent Moosa and his brother Haroon with Our signs and manifest authority.” - (Muminoon -45)

66. ‘Zia’ (Light) means the light of guidance.

67. ‘ Zikr’ (Reminder) means the Torah, which was revealed to Prophet Moosa, and since Prophet Haroon was made a prophet and his minister on the request from Prophet Moosa, he has also been included in this favour.

This reminder proved to be beneficial practically in the case of only those who feared God. Those who did not want to fear God, could not derive any benefit from this.

68.To fear God without seeing Him is a great attribute of the God-fearing men. Those who put the condition of first seeing God before fearing Him have neither understood the greatness of God nor do they realise their own position that they have been placed in a testing ground and they are on trial whether they would employ their intelligence and common sense, with the help of the internal and external signs (the human world and the universe), and with the guidance from the divine revelations and in response to the voice of their conscience would recognise their Lord or not ?

From this it also becomes clear that efforts to see God by indulging in difficult physical exercises is useless, and is a deviation from the method that has been set for man in his life of trial.

69. That is: Qur’an.