Surah 36. Ya-Sin

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Verses [Section]: 1-12[1], 13-32 [2], 33-50 [3], 51-67 [4], 68-83 [5]

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Quran Text of Verse 33-50وَ اٰیَةٌAnd a Signلَّهُمُfor themالْاَرْضُ(is) the earthالْمَیْتَةُ ۖۚdeadاَحْیَیْنٰهَاWe give it lifeوَ اَخْرَجْنَاand We bring forthمِنْهَاfrom itحَبًّاgrainفَمِنْهُand from itیَاْكُلُوْنَ they eat وَ جَعَلْنَاAnd We placedفِیْهَاthereinجَنّٰتٍgardensمِّنْofنَّخِیْلٍdate-palmsوَّ اَعْنَابٍand grapevinesوَّ فَجَّرْنَاand We caused to gush forthفِیْهَاin itمِنَofالْعُیُوْنِۙthe springs لِیَاْكُلُوْاThat they may eatمِنْofثَمَرِهٖ ۙits fruitوَ مَاAnd notعَمِلَتْهُmade itاَیْدِیْهِمْ ؕtheir handsاَفَلَاSo will notیَشْكُرُوْنَ they be grateful سُبْحٰنَGlory beالَّذِیْ(to) the One Whoخَلَقَcreatedالْاَزْوَاجَ(in) pairsكُلَّهَاallمِمَّاof whatتُنْۢبِتُgrowsالْاَرْضُthe earthوَ مِنْand ofاَنْفُسِهِمْthemselvesوَ مِمَّاand of whatلَاnotیَعْلَمُوْنَ they know وَ اٰیَةٌAnd a Signلَّهُمُfor themالَّیْلُ ۖۚ(is) the nightنَسْلَخُWe withdrawمِنْهُfrom itالنَّهَارَthe dayفَاِذَاThen behold!هُمْTheyمُّظْلِمُوْنَۙ(are) those in darkness وَ الشَّمْسُAnd the sunتَجْرِیْrunsلِمُسْتَقَرٍّto a term appointedلَّهَا ؕfor itذٰلِكَThatتَقْدِیْرُ(is the) Decreeالْعَزِیْزِ(of) the All-Mightyالْعَلِیْمِؕthe All-Knowing وَ الْقَمَرَAnd the moonقَدَّرْنٰهُWe have ordained for itمَنَازِلَphasesحَتّٰیuntilعَادَit returnsكَالْعُرْجُوْنِlike the date stalkالْقَدِیْمِ the old لَاNotالشَّمْسُthe sunیَنْۢبَغِیْis permittedلَهَاۤfor itاَنْthatتُدْرِكَit overtakesالْقَمَرَthe moonوَ لَاand notالَّیْلُthe nightسَابِقُ(can) outstripالنَّهَارِ ؕthe dayوَ كُلٌّbut allفِیْinفَلَكٍan orbitیَّسْبَحُوْنَ they are floating 36. Ya-Sin Page 443وَ اٰیَةٌAnd a Signلَّهُمْfor themاَنَّا(is) thatحَمَلْنَاWe carriedذُرِّیَّتَهُمْtheir offspringفِیinالْفُلْكِthe shipالْمَشْحُوْنِۙladen وَ خَلَقْنَاAnd We createdلَهُمْfor themمِّنْfromمِّثْلِهٖ(the) likes of itمَاwhatیَرْكَبُوْنَ they ride وَ اِنْAnd ifنَّشَاْWe willنُغْرِقْهُمْWe could drown themفَلَاthen notصَرِیْخَ(would be) a responder to a cryلَهُمْfor themوَ لَاand notهُمْtheyیُنْقَذُوْنَۙwould be saved اِلَّاExceptرَحْمَةً(by) Mercyمِّنَّاfrom Usوَ مَتَاعًاand provisionاِلٰیforحِیْنٍ a time وَ اِذَاAnd whenقِیْلَit is saidلَهُمُto themاتَّقُوْاFearمَاwhatبَیْنَ(is) before youاَیْدِیْكُمْ(is) before youوَ مَاand whatخَلْفَكُمْ(is) behind youلَعَلَّكُمْso that you mayتُرْحَمُوْنَ receive mercy وَ مَاAnd notتَاْتِیْهِمْcomes to themمِّنْofاٰیَةٍa Signمِّنْfromاٰیٰتِ(the) Signsرَبِّهِمْ(of) their Lordاِلَّاbutكَانُوْاtheyعَنْهَاfrom itمُعْرِضِیْنَ turn away وَ اِذَاAnd whenقِیْلَit is saidلَهُمْto themاَنْفِقُوْاSpendمِمَّاfrom whatرَزَقَكُمُ(has) provided youاللّٰهُ ۙAllahقَالَSaidالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelievedلِلَّذِیْنَto those whoاٰمَنُوْۤاbelievedاَنُطْعِمُShould we feedمَنْwhomلَّوْifیَشَآءُAllah willedاللّٰهُAllah willedاَطْعَمَهٗۤ ۖۗHe would have fed himاِنْNotاَنْتُمْ(are) youاِلَّاexceptفِیْinضَلٰلٍan errorمُّبِیْنٍ clear وَ یَقُوْلُوْنَAnd they sayمَتٰیWhen (is)هٰذَاthisالْوَعْدُpromiseاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou areصٰدِقِیْنَ truthful مَاNotیَنْظُرُوْنَthey awaitاِلَّاexceptصَیْحَةًa shoutوَّاحِدَةًoneتَاْخُذُهُمْit will seize themوَ هُمْwhile theyیَخِصِّمُوْنَ are disputing فَلَاThen notیَسْتَطِیْعُوْنَthey will be ableتَوْصِیَةً(to) make a willوَّ لَاۤand notاِلٰۤیtoاَهْلِهِمْtheir peopleیَرْجِعُوْنَ۠they (can) return

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Translation of Verse 33-50

33. The dead-earth is a big sign to them. We gave it life,³⁷ and from it brought forth grain so that they eat thereof.

34. And We have provided therein gardens of date-palm and grapes and We have caused water springs to gush from there,

35. So that they may eat its fruit; and it was not the work of their hands. Will they not then, give thanks?³⁸

36. Immaculate is He who created pairs of all the things,³⁹ which the earth grows,⁴⁰ and of their own kind,⁴¹ and of which they have no knowledge.⁴²

37. A sign for them is the night. We draw out from it the day, and they are in darkness.⁴³

38. The sun proceeding to its resting place; ⁴⁴ that is the decree of the Mighty One, All-Knowing.⁴⁵

39. And as regards moon, We have appointed for it mansions till it becomes as an old dry palm-branch. ⁴⁶

40. It is not (possible) for the sun to overtake the moon, nor can the night outpace the day. They move each in an orbit. ⁴⁷

41. And a big sign for them is that We carried their offspring in the laden Ark. ⁴⁸

42. And We have created for them similar (vessels) in which they sail. ⁴⁹

43. And if We will, We drown them, and there is no help for them, nor can they be saved; ⁵⁰

44. Unless by mercy from Us and as comfort for a while.

45. And when it is said to them: “Have fear of that which is before you and that which is behind you,⁵¹ so that mercy be shown to you” (they do not heed).

46. There comes to them no sign of their Lord’s signs, but they turn away from it.

47. And when it is said to them: “Spend (in charity) from what Allah has provided you,” those who disbelieve say to those who believe: “Shall we feed them whom Allah, if He willed, would feed? ⁵² You are in error manifest.”

48. And they say: “When will this promise (of Doomsday) be fulfilled,⁵³ if you are truthful’?

49. They are just waiting for a terrible shout which will overtake ⁵⁴ them while they are disputing.

50. Then they will neither be able to make a will, nor can they return to their own people. ⁵⁵

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Commentary

37. Giving life to the dead-earth means that the dry land which was lying dry and unproductive became crop-yielding and green after it received the life-giving rainwater. It is a matter of observation for everybody that after the rains the dry land produces crops. Is it not the proof that there is a hand behind this process, the hand of a great and mighty Being, and does it not lead us to think that such a Being has the power to revive the dead men also?

38. Crop and fruit, etc. are food for the humans and none of these things are created by men. Man sows the seeds created by Allah, which finally produce the crops and the fruits. Thus man only does the farming or gardening, and Allah it is who produces the plants, trees and the crops and the fruits, etc. But how strange it is that inspite of taking benefit of the blessings and bounties created by Allah man does not become grateful to Allah.

Mention of dates and grapes has been made because the land in which the Quran was revealed had around it trees and creepers of these two fruits, and besides they were very tasty and also full of food values.

39. To be in pairs is the characteristic of the created living beings, for the members are similar and also complementary. But the Creator cannot be presumed to be like the creatures, for He is free from all defects, therefore, there is none equal to Him. He is quite unique.

40. In the vegetable world pairs are found in different forms. Some are fruit-bearing and others do not bear any fruits. Some products are of two parts as commonly observed, like gram, pulses, seeds of different kinds, almonds, cashew nuts, pistachio, etc. Their two parts can be easily separated. Some plants are such as have pollens are having male and female characteristics only:

“Most forest trees in fact, have separate flowers for each sex (some for pollen others for ovules) but have both types of flowers on every tree.” -(Hugh Johnsons.-Ency. of Trees London, p.15).

And they bear fruit after a process of fertilization, splitting the seed and dividing it into two parts. According to Botany this Fragmentation is the process of reproduction (See Encyclopedia Britannica, under the heading ‘Reproductive System, Plant cells). And modern Science has discovered that plants have cells and every cell has pairs of chromosomes (Please keep in view Note No.13 of Surah Ra’d too).

41. That is: Male and Female.

42. That is: Allah has created the opposite sex of everything, but there are quite a few things about which man does not know what is the nature of their opposite sexes. About inanimate things nobody knew that they had opposite sexes, but the modern science has discovered that every Atom consist of a nucleus, and the nucleus is Made up of neutron and protons. Protons are the Positive Charged particles. Revolving around the nucleus are electrons which have the Negative charge. Mc. Grow Hill Ency. of Science and Technology, New York, Vol. 1 P. 844).

Although the realities presented by the Quran are not dependent for their authenticity on the academic discoveries, for they are presented by an All- Knowing and All Aware Being, in which there is no possibility of any error, but from the discoveries of the modern science the truthfulness of Quran becomes more forceful.

43. That is: When we draw away the white sheet of the day, then only darkness remains. It means that the light of day is a great favour and blessing of Allah for mankind. If man may contemplate over this phenomenon which occurs daily, then it is very likely that a belief in the one and only God will develop in his mind and he will become thankful to Him who has provided such blessings for him.

44. That is: The sun is moving, and it is moving towards its abode or resting place. It means that whatever path has been appointed for it, it is moving or proceeding or running along that path only and it is moving towards its ultimate destination. Its ultimate destination is the mansion of the Doomsday, where its movement will stop.

In Bukhari this explanation of the ayah is quoted from the Prophet, Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, that when the sun sets it goes below the divine Arsh for offering sajdah (Bukhari-Kitabut Tafseer). Here a metaphor is used to turn the minds towards religion, the idea is to explain that when the sun, after providing daylight, disappears from sight, it remains under the power of Allah only, obeying the divine law which has been fixed or appointed for it. It shows that the sun is bowing before Allah or is obedient to Allah. Those people who do not look at the matter in the right perspective or in the right context, they go after literal meaning of the words and start unnecessary discussions and on account of lack of understanding deny the hadith.

So far as the modern science is concerned it accepts that the sun is moving, according to which the sun completes its rotation in 27 day:

“The sun is a slow rotator,... period of rotation is 26.9 days.” -(The New Ency. Britannica Vol. 17, p. 799 and 801).

So far as the Orbital rotation of the sun is concerned, till now nothing definite has been discovered. However scientists estimate that it moves with the system at the rate of 250 kilometers per second:

“Earth’s sun moves with the system at a speed of about 250 kilometers (160 miles) per second.” - (The New Ency. Britannica Vol. 17, P.833 15th, Edn.).

These explanations of science conform with the statement of the Quran to the extent that the sun is moving, but the explanations of science have an element of conjecture in them, and therefore, a question arises that if the sun moves on its orbit, then there must be some increase or decrease in the distance between the sun and the earth. However it is possible that the sun is moving with the whole solar system, and this possibility appears to be in accordance with the statement of Quran, for Quran clearly states that the sun is moving towards its resting place. And the statement of Quran is the expression of reality. But it is another matter that our knowledge and understanding are not so far-reaching as to be able to fully grasp the nature of the whole matter.

45. This movement of the sun is not an accidental thing. It is the planning of a great Being. This plan is so strong that the sun cannot deviate from it to the extent of even a hair. If the sun were to be a deity, as some polytheists think, then it would not have been bound to a fixed programe; and if it had been created as an accident, as the atheists think, then it would not have moved with this regularity and unfailing punctuality. Then why this regular system of the sun does not create a belief in man’s heart that all this is going on under a well planned system, and this planning is by a Being who is the Mightiest and the Most Powerful?

And as regards moon, We have appointed for it mansions till it becomes as an old dry palmbranch. It is not (possible) for the sun to overtake the moon, nor can the night outpace the day. They move each in an orbit. (AL-Quran)

46. The moon completes its rotation in a month. Its form changes daily. From the new moon it become full moon, and then diminishing it comes back to the original shape of the new moon, as if it is a dried old branch of a palm tree, shrivelled and curved. These phases of the moon are the result of the orbital motion, that is why its movement has been termed as a journey in the mansions, as if the moon completes one phase of the journey daily, manifesting its changing forms and completes its rotation.

47. The sun cannot come out of its orbit and enter the moon’s orbit nor can the night appear in day time. The circle or the orbit which has been appointed for everyone, they have to move in that only (For further explanation, please see Surah Anbia Note No.42).

48. This refers to Prophet Nooh’s Boat (Noah’s Ark) which carried all people of faith and their domestic animals, and sailed safely through the deluge which destroyed the entire human population.

“Then We saved him and those who were with him in the laden Ark.” -(Surah Ash-Shua’ra -119).

Those who sailed in the Ark were the total savings of the human race, and later on from their offspring’s this world was re-populated. If Allah had not saved them, then there would have not been any trace of man on the surface of the earth. This important historic event is the manifest sign of the fact that it is Allah who safely saw the Ark through this storm and it is His mercy that saved the human race.

49. The first boat that was built of Prophet Nooh, which he had built according to Allah’s guidance. After this people made other boats, and the modern huge ships are derived from these models which man had built as guided by Allah in the beginning. Therefore, these boats and ships, though are the handiwork of men, in reality they are vessels created by Allah.

50. That is: Why do these people not contemplate that when they are sailing by the boats, if Allah were pleased to drown them, none would be able to come to their help, nor can they be saved by anyone else.

In the ayah the word’ Sarikh ‘ is used, which means ‘coming to help.’ The word ‘Ghauth’ has also the same meaning. This ayah openly declares that there is none ‘Ghauth’ besides Allah nor there is anyone who can help the boat to cross the stormy seas. Therefore, it is wrong of the polytheists to think that their deities are able to come to their help, so also it is wrong of the Muslims to consider that their ‘peers’ and saints are their ‘Ghauth’ (helpers), and it is polytheistic thinking.

51. What is before you means the punishment in the world, and what is behind you means the punishment which will be given in the Hereafter. It means that you should have fear that the divine punishment may not overtake you from before and behind.

52. In this ayah the condition of those disbelievers is mentioned whose love for wealth had reached the stage of stone-heartedness. They felt no compassion for the condition of the poor. And when the people of faith used to say to them to spend for the poor they used to ridicule them and say that those whom Allah did not feed, how could they feed such people, and that is why they are needy and poor.

The unreasonableness of this argument of theirs is quite obvious. Therefore, it has not been answered. Human nature prompts men to feed the hungry, and it is natural for feelings of sympathy to be created in human hearts seeing people in difficulties. Moreover, there is also a test for man whether he fulfills this demand of the religion and nature or not. But senseless people instead of realising their wrong attitude, raise objections against Allah and His religion.

53. Means the promise of the Day of Resurrection.

54. That is: They want to see their own adverse fate. The Doomsday about which they are being informed will occur in the form of a terrible Shout and it will occur at such a time when the people will be unaware and will be indulging in disputing whether the Doomsday will occur or not.

It is learnt that the discussion about the Doomsday will go on and the deniers will go on denying it till the Doomsday will occur with its terrific consequences, and will end the discussion and disputes once and for all.

55. That is: The Doomsday will come so suddenly that people will not get any reprieve. They will get no time to make a will or no leave to go back home. Wherever they may be they will crumple there only.