24. This is the picture of those who not only claim to believe in Allah but also worship him; but they do so without sincerity and with mental reservations. If pleasant conditions are available, then they wil1 sing the praises of God and will also worship Him. But if adversity strike them, then they are averse to Him and complain against Him. Such people are deprived of those blessings which are available to men in consequence of their belief in Allah, in this world, and in the Hereafter also they will not be glorious.

It becomes clear that only that belief in God is reliable which is based on loyalty and to which man clings in all kinds of circumstances.

25. That is: Idolatry in place of belief in God is totally and absolutely wrong. But if a man wants to act against the reality then his straying from the right path is certain.

26. ‘The reality of the idols is nothing more than that they are bricks and stones which can neither benefit any one nor can harm any one. But their worshippers think that they have their godly existence too. This insensibility of theirs is being shown here that any expectation of benefit from them is a far cry, but there is an immediate and definite harm in worshipping them, which is the breaking up of relation between God and His slave, for regarding some one else as Relief- Giver is to deny that Allah is one and only Relief- Giver. In other words loyalty to the idols is disloyalty to Allah, and this is the biggest and obvious loss.

27. By giving undue veneration to the idols they have created for them very evil masters and friends, who are the cause of their doom.

28.The context shows that having faith and doing acts include the fact that such people practice this with sincerity believing Allah only to be their Relief-Giver and they attach themselves to Allah in all circumstances-good or adverse.

29. This is a warning for a person who becomes pessimistic about Allah’s help in the event of some adverse conditions. He thinks that when Allah does not help him in this world, He will not help in the next world also. Thus such a disappointment from God creates a sense of rebellion in his mind. In the modern times lot of people can be found who are not prepared to regard God as kind and Gracious because they have undergone some hardships, and they therefore, rebel against God. This is nothing but pessimism concerning God’s kindness and His help which has produced an irritation in their minds. Such people are being told that if they can do something against Divine planning, let them do it. If they can throw a rope and stretch it to the sky and reach it, and then cut off the rope so that their relation with the world is severed. Let them find out if by doing this their irritation and anger is removed. It means that if by experiencing delay in Allah’s help if man becomes pessimistic and expresses his anger against him, it is absolutely of no use at all. For he cannot act in a way which would ensure his freedom from the divine planning or he cannot escape from this world of trials to other world. Therefore, the correct line of action is that he should be hopeful of the real help coming from Allah. He should consider Him alone as the Ultimate Help-Giver and should rely on Him only even in adverse circumstances that He alone would come to his rescue.

It may be noted that as stretching the rope to the sky is stated in this ayah similarly in Surah Saad climbing on to the sky has been mentioned: “ Is theirs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them? ‘Then let them climb up to the sky by ropes !” -(Saad-10)

It is obvious that in this ayah climbing up to the sky is meant to reflect the helplessness of the idolaters. Similarly in the ayah under explanation the stretching of the rope to sky, etc. is also to express the helplessness of the infidels. Do you not see that to Allah bow (in Sajdah) whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun and the moon, and the stars and the mountains, and the trees and the beasts, and many men? And there are many to whom the punishment is justly due. He who is humbled by Allah, there is none to honour him. Verily Allah does what He pleases. (Al-Quran)

30. Here the guidance of Qur’an is quite clear and supported by arguments, but from this light is derived only by him whom Allah grants the sight to see it.

31. Here the six religious groups are mentioned who were found in Arabia and the lands surrounding it, viz. Muslims, Jews, Sabieens, christians, Magians and polytheists.

“Sabieens has been explained in Note No.86, Surah Baqarah.

Magians are Fire-worshippers, who call themselves followers of Zoroaster. At that time that was the religion of Iran. For further explanation, see Surah An’am Note No.3.

By polytheists are meant worshippers of various gods, worshippers of deities other than Allah, and idolaters. Other religions outside Arabia, whatever their names, are categorised under these heads only.

Every one of this group claims that in the matter of religion and god the path adopted by them is the right one. Declaring false these claims and complicated arguments of the religious people, Quran explained that the path of right is the path adopted by the people of Faith (Islam), i.e. of those people who accepted the call of the Qur’an, or in other words sincere Muslims whose religion is Islam. If inspite of this people want to stick to their own religions then on the Day of Resurrection they will see the result of their obstinacy, when Allah will deliver His judgment in this dispute.

32. for explanation see Surah Ra’d Note No. 38, and Surah Nahl Note. No.71.

In this ayah contemplation is invited on the fact that all the creatures, whether animate or inanimate, vegetable or minerals, are in bowing position before their Creator, and they bow in sajdah before Him in their own ways. In various symbols their bowing down before their Creator is manifest, and so far as men are concerned many men bow before Allah, but there still are many who are not willing to bow before Him. On such men the whip of Allah’s wrath and punishment is definite to crack. Inspite of this wrong attitude of theirs this reality is unassailable that this universe is paying obeisance to Allah, and when this is the reality, then why do you not change your attitude?

This is the ayat-e-sajdah. therefore. it is essential that sajdah (prostration) be performed whenever it is recited.

33. That is: One group is of the Momins. people of the faith who believe in Qur’an and the other group is that of the infidels, who do not believe in Qur’an, however divided it may be in various religious sects.

34.The very thought of this painful punishment is spine-chilling and blood-curdling. But those whose sensibility has become dead, how can they be expected to take a lesson from this?