Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:1-15 - Quran Translation Commentary

13. So that you mount upon their backs, and may remember your Lord’s favour when you mount thereon,¹⁴ and may say: ‘Immaculate is He who has subdued these to us, and we were not capable of subduing them.

14. ‘And verily, to Our Lord we are to return.’¹⁵

15. And they have made some of His slaves His part.¹⁶ Verily, man is obviously ungrateful.¹⁷

Commentary

1. These are separate letters, which have been explained in earlier pages. In this Surah Ha Meem hints at the attribute of ‘Hikmat’ (Wisdom) of Allah, which is mentioned in the ayah No.84. It also refers to the quality of Quran, which is Wise.

2. Quran’s being an illuminating Book (clear book) has been explained in Surah Yusuf, Note No.2, and Surah Naml, Note No.2. Here the meaning of swearing by the clear Book is that this Book that lifts the veil from the unseen realities and presents the teaching which appeals to the heart and mind, and does it with such clarity, that it is a clear proof of the fact that it is revealed by Allah only, and that it has opened up the path of right guidance.

3. Please see Surah Yusuf Note No.3, for explanation.

4. Ummul Kitab means (Mother or original Book) means ‘Loh-e-Mahfuz’ (protected board) as is mentioned in Surah Burooj:

“But this is the majestic Quran, which is recorded in’ Loh-e-Mahfuz.’

That is: The arrangement made by Allah in the heavens for recording His words includes this word (Quran) of Allah, and there it is of grand and exalted nature. With this characteristic it is a treasure of wisdom and knowledge. If you do not appreciate it, then it will be your own worthlessness. Otherwise in the heavens it has great value and considered to be the most respected and honoured book. The diamond like Quran is considered to be a stone by those who are stone-minded. Quran is free from any interference by Satan and also safe from any human distortion.Its source is so high that none can reach it. There is also a hint that those who will appreciate this highly exalted word, their status will be raised and they will fill their coffers with pearls of wisdom and knowledge.

5. The address is to the deniers of Quran. They are being told that on account of their straying they want that the words of advice and warning should not be intimated to them, but Allah wants to give a chance to reform and to present to them convincing proof of the truth of His religion. That is why He is reminding them of this by revealing Quran to the messenger. This connection cannot be cut off on account of their wrong desires.

6. That is: He is not the first messenger who has come from Allah with a Reminder. Before him came quite a large number of prophets who had brought counsel and good advice from Allah.

7. Tyrants like Firaun who were more powerful and strong compared to the chiefs of the Quraish of Makkah.

8.This is an argument in favour of monotheism, that when you admit such a big reality that it is Allah only who has created the heavens and the earth, and in whose control is the entire universe and who possesses all knowledge, then where is question of any other being to be considered a deity or worthy of worship? In what contradictory things you believe! On the one hand there is the admission of the reality, and on the other there is its negation. Accepting Allah and also denying His being the only God!

9. This is further clarification of monotheism from Allah, so that belief in it may be strengthened.

10. Refers to natural paths which pass through mountains, etc.

11. That is: By these natural paths you may reach your destination; moreover by seeing these pathways your mind may turn to Allah and you may be rightly guided.

12. This is an argument in support of being raised from the graves on the Day of Resurrection. As the dead earth gets life after receiving rain water, and becomes green and fruit-yielding, in the same way Allah will give life to the humans and they will rise from their graves on the Day of Resurrection.

13. For explanation, please see Surah Yasin, Note No.39.

14. Allah has provided means of travel for mankind on land and on the surface of water, on the backs of the beasts, and in ships, respectively. In those days these were the only means of travel, that is why they have been mentioned. In the present times new means of travels have been invented, e.g. cars, trains, aeroplanes, etc. Although these are invented by men, but in reality they also are a blessing from Allah only, because the energy with which these vehicles move is created by Allah, and Allah has made it agreeable and workable for men. Therefore, whatever may be the vehicle which one may be riding, one may not always remember that it is a great favour of Allah that He has granted us this blessing.

15. In these two ayah, Nos. 13 and 14, a few important things have been stated in connection with the means of travel: First man should consciously feel while riding any of the means of travel that it is the favour of Allah that He has subdued this vehicle or means of travel for mankind; and that Secondly he should also express Allah’s immaculateness and his own gratitude for Him by repeating these words: ‘Immaculate is He who has subdued these to us and we were not capable (of subduing them). Reciting of this prayer is necessary at the time of embarking on any vehicle or riding any kind of mount. Its being a tradition of the Prophet (S.A.W.) is confirmed by an authentic hadith. Thirdly on riding in any vehicle there should not be any trace of pride but one should express one’s status of being Allah’s slave, for these words of prayer create the feeling of being a slave (of Allah). At the time of traveling man should not forget his journey to the second world and should remember that he has to appear before his Lord. Any means of travel, whether ship or beast, is not free from danger. Who knows what accident may occur. Therefore, man set on travel, should remember Allah and keep in view the final journey to the next world. The tragic accidents that occur), daily are sufficient to open men’s eyes.

16. Refers to the special slaves of Allah, like angels and prophets, etc. Making them a part of Allah means to consider them a part of His Being, while His Being is indivisible. Nothing goes out of His Being, nor can anything enter His Being. He is unique and peerless. (For explanation, please see Surah Ikhlas, Notes Nos.3,4, and7). The polytheists of Arabia considered angels to be Allah’s daughters and thus made them a part of Allah. Similarly Christians also imagined Prophet Eesa to be Allah’s son. Sons and daughters are parts of the father, but the fact is that angels and prophets are created by Allah and are His slaves and not born out of Him. How could they then be His part? As for Hinduism, it terms the entire universe to be part of God: “He both is and is not the Created Universe, for while the created universe, is a part of his being, it is not the whole of it.” -(Spiritual Heritage of India by Swami Prabhavanands P.32). How contradictory, involved and misleading, are these points, that have been presented in the form of a philosophy.(We seek Allah’s refuge from this.) It is this influence of Hinduism that some Sufis have adopted the philosophy of ‘Wahdatul Wujud’ (Unitary Existence). They have done away with the difference between the Creator and the created, and termed God and the universe only one existence. This false notion came among Muslims through Sufism. If Muslims were to study Quran carefully they would have found pure monotheism in the Quran and would not have fallen a prey to the Sufis’ misguidance.

17. This is open ungratefulness that man takes benefits of Allah’s favours and blessings and worships others.