Surah Al-Jathiyah 45:12-21 - Quran Translation Commentary

12. It is Allah who has subdued the ocean to you ¹⁴so that ships may sail on it at His bidding, so that you may seek His bounty ¹⁵and render thanks to Him.

13. And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, all is from Him.¹⁶Surely there are signs ¹⁷in this for thinking men.

14. Tell those who believe to forgive those who do not look forward to the exemplary warning days of Allah, so that He may requite the people what they earn.¹⁸

15. Whoever does what is right, does it to his own advantage, and whoever commits evil does so at his own peril. ¹⁹Then to your Lord you will be returned.²⁰

16. We gave to Bani Israil the Book, and wisdom and prophethood, ²¹and provided them with good things ²²and exalted them above the (other) nations.²³

17. And gave them clear commandments. And they did not differ until after the knowledge came to them, through rivalry among themselves. Verily your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Judgment about what they used to differ.²⁴

18. Then We sent you on a plain Shariah, so follow it, and do not follow the desires of ignorant men.²⁵

19. They can be of no use to you in comparison to Allah.²⁶And verily as for the wrong doers, some of them are friends of one another and Allah is friend of those who fear Him.

20. These are the points of enlightenment for mankind,²⁷and a guidance and a mercy for people who are firm in their belief.

21. Or do those who indulged in evil acts suppose that We shall make them as those who believe and perform good acts, the same in life and death?²⁸What a bad judgment that they make!²⁹ One of the worst decision that is being taken by them.

Commentary

14. Subdued to you means placed at your disposal to serve you. It is His physical law that in the oceans large ships remain floating on the surface, while a stone thrown in its water sinks.

15. Means trade journeys which are the means of earning livelihood, which is termed as Allah’s bounty, because it is Allah’s over lordship and power which grant man his livelihood and provision for sustenance, for which thanks are due. Trade and business are done by a believer as well as a disbeliever. But their ways of thinking and attitude are basically different. A believer thinks that his efforts are to seek Allah’s bounty that the provision that He has made will be achieved by him and he will offer thanks to Him. While a disbeliever thinks that he has to earn his livelihood on the strength of his own ability. And whatever he gets he thinks that it is on account of his own efforts.

16. All things are created by Him and He has put them in the service of mankind for their benefit. Besides Him there is none who is their Creator nor anybody who can put them to service.

17. These are the signs towards which man’s attention has been drawn. They are the best means of attaining Allah’s recognition and developing a correct relationship with Him. And every person can achieve these results on pondering over these signs in the guidance of Quran, as is being presented by Quran. These signs are such that can be understood by classes and masses and they appeal more to the heart, while the logical arguments which are presented to man are not so easy that can be understood by every one, nor are they so impressive.

18. By days of Allah are meant those historic days on which Allah punished the guilty nations of the world. Such instructive punishment will be given in future also to people who will follow footprints of the guilty nations. But in case of these who do not fear any such reprisals inspite of their guilty acts and persist in hurting the interests of the people of faith, instructions are given that their acts be ignored and they should be left to be dealt with by Allah. On the one hand this is the guidance of Quran, and on the other the attitude of the present Muslims is that on the slightest provocation they are exceedingly irritated and are ever ready to launch a protest movement. It may be noted that there is a place and occasion for acting on the guidance of ignoring or forgiving the hurt from the disbelievers, and also there is a time and place for fighting against them. There is no contradiction in both the ayah, and there is no reasons to believe that one cancels the other.

19. For explanation, please see Surah Ha Meem As-Sajdah, Note No.71.

20. That is: From where your beginning had taken place, to that place you will have to return. Your birth had taken place at the bidding of your Lord. You have not been created by any other being nor are you to return to any other being.

21. Bani Israil were given Scriptures like the Torah, Bible and the Psalms. Along with it they were given wisdom (commandments) that is the understanding of the Divine Book, so that they may take guidance from it in their practical life, and among them a series of prophets were sent.

22. That is: Pure lawful provisions, food, etc., were provided to them. In Egypt they had to live as an oppressed people. After coming out from Egypt the free ambience which was made available to them and the kingdom which they got in Palestine all this was provided to them so that they might earn lawful livelihood and lead righteous life. It has become easy for them to earn their livelihood living within the limits of the Shariah.

23. Compared to others, they were selected to invite the people of the world to the religion of truth and to give them a lead. This was a great honour. And for this purpose Baitul Maqdis was made the centre of the Islamic dawah.

24. For explanation, please see Surah Aal-e- Imran Notes Nos.27,28 and Surah Ha Meem As- Sajdah Note No.68 and Surah Yunus NoteNo.144. The difference of Bani Israil about which Quran speaks is a lesson for the followers of Quran. Yet Muslims have adopted the same attitude as that of the Bani Israil. Before them is the clear command of the Quran and the authentic traditions of their prophet, even then they have been split up in groups and various sects, and interpret according to their own whims. Free from blind following and undue devotion, very few Muslims appear to be unprejudiced, who study the Quran, and there are still few Muslims who follow the teachings of Quran and the traditions of the Prophet. Today the Muslim society is riddled with various innovations and they are badly under the pressure of their personal desires.

25. Follow the Shariah which is being given to you through the Quran and do not follow the ways of the people of the Book by leaving this Shariah, which they have adopted in their religion to follow their whims.

26. This is a warning that if you leave this Shariah and follow the invented ways of the people of the Book according to the desires, they will not save you from Divine Punishment on the Day of Judgment.

27. These are the things which give you knowledge.

28. For explanation, please see Surah Saad Note No. 38

29. This is a very unreasonable and unjustifiable fact that evil doers should be placed on the same level as the righteous persons, and it should be thought that whatever method be used it is similar in the sight of Allah. He neither takes any notice of those who commit evil and tyrannize people, nor does He get pleased with those who perform good acts, and rewards them.