Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:1-10 - Quran Translation Commentary

3. We have created the skies and the earth and what is between them with (purposeful) truth,³ and only for a term appointed.⁴ But these disbelievers turn away from what⁵ they are being warned.

4. Say: Have you thought over whom you invoke besides Allah? Show, which thing of the earth they have created. Or have they any share in the creation of the skies? Bring me a Book revealed before this, or some vestige of knowledge (in support of what you say), if you are truthful.⁶

5. And who is further astray than those who, invoke besides Allah those who are unable to answer them till the Day of Resurrection, and are unaware of their invocation.⁷

6. And when mankind will be gathered, they will be their enemies and will disown their worship.⁸

7. When our clear Ayaat are recited to them these disbelievers say, about the Truth which has come to them, that this is obvious magic.⁹

8. Do these people say that this man has invented it? Say: “If I have invented it, then you will not at all be able to protect me from Allah. He knows well what you say about it. He suffices for a witness between me and you. He is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.¹⁰

9. Say: I am not a new thing among the Messengers¹¹ and I do not know what will be done with me or with you.¹² I only follow what is revealed to me, and I am but an open and clear warner.¹³

10. Say: Have you thought this also that if this is from Allah and you rejected it, whereas a witness from Bani Israil to the like there of believed in it and you became proud ¹⁴ (what a big crime will it be?). Allah does not guide such wrongdoing people.

Commentary

1. For the explanation of these letters please see Surah Momin, Note 1. In Ayah 2 of this Surah there is a mention of Allah’s being Wise. These letters point towards that attribute of Allah.

2. For explanation, please see Surah Jathiyah, Note 2.

3. For explanation please see Surah An’aam, Note 124 and Surah Yunus, Note 15.

4. For explanation, please see Surah Room, Note 14.

5. That is: From the Day of Resurrection and the Reward and Punishment of the Hereafter.

6. Worthy of worship can only be He who is the Creator. The polytheists should show what has been created by those whom they worship. Have they any share in the creation of this universe? If not, then how they became gods? And if anybody claims that something has been created by some ones other than Allah and hence they are partners of Allah then how did they come to know it? The only source of knowing it can be Allah’s Book or the Prophetic Guidance, which should have been recorded in such a way that it may attain the degree of knowledge and certainty. Now if such proof is not available either in any Divine Book revealed before the Quran nor in any Guidance recorded in the sayings of prophet Ibrahim or Prophet Ismail, then what is the basis of such a big claim? It must be kept in mind that this challenge of the Quran is regarding only those books which are divine and whose revelation to the prophets is a historical fact. Although many unauthorized changes have been made in the Torah, Psalms and the Bible, yet there are some parts of the Divine Word in them. Nowhere in these books it is mentioned that some one else besides God has created something, or that there are more than one God or that man should worship also some being other than one God. As for those books which have been declared by various religious groups as the holy books of their religion, there is no historical proof of their being divine scriptures, nor do these books claim to be the words of God, nor do their topics testify that they are words of God. Therefore, if in these books a concept of various gods and goddesses (Devi Devtas) is found, it is neither a proof nor an acceptable argument, but it is a false belief of their compilers, which they have presented as the holy books of their religion. This is a false imputation and calumny against Allah, and not the statement of Allah. Similarly, in the matter concerning belief, only those traditions attributed to the prophets will be admitted as proof and as acceptable argument which have the position of being knowledge and certainty. For example the construction of Baitullah (House of Allah) by Prophet Ibrahim and the starting of the custom of Hajj pilgrimage so that the marks of monotheism may remain prominent in every age. That is why Quran has put the condition of “Min Ilmin” with “Atharatin” thereby meaning that only those things whose being related to the Prophets have attained the degree of knowledge and certitude.

7. The word “man” (whom) is used in this Ayah which, in Arabic language, is used to indicate creatures with intellect. Hence they can mean only angels, jinns, prophets and pious persons. Quran makes it clear that to invoke them for meeting needs, for easing out of difficulties and for help is grave straying and a totally meaningless thing. There is no ground for invoking them nor are they able to hear anybody’s call. Inspite of this explanation of Quran a large number of Muslims is involved in this straying. They invoke saints and peers for help and think that despite being burried in graves they hear our call, where as they remain totally unaware of their calling. This belief itself is corrupt that those who are burried in graves hear the call of the invoker. When, during their lives, they could not hear the voice of one who called them from a distance, then wherefrom did they get the power or establishing contact with those who are living in the world while they themselves are in the other world of Barzakh and of hearing the call of everyone of their followers living any corner of the world? This is a totally absurd thing. But the “ignorant Maulavis” have made such absurd things Islamic belief. They interpret these Ayat saying that they are concerning idolaters. As a result of this wrong interpretation a large number of Muslims are entangled in polytheism. Had they studied Quran with a pure mind they would have received Guidance.

8. It means: do not think that those whom you are invoking for the fulfillment of your desires, by showing excessive devotion, will, on the Day of Reckoning, be pleased with you. No. They will become your enemies saying why did you behave with them in a way which befits only Allah. They will deny your calling, which is a kind of worship, and will say, ‘we were not aware of it’.

9. Seeing the effects of the Divine Word they term it as magic.

Though before this the Book of Moses has arrived as a guide and a mercy. And this Book confirms it in the Arabic language so that it may warn the wrongdoers and it is a glad tiding for the righteous. Those who said: Allah is our Lord and then remained firm thereon there is no fear for them and neither will they grieve.(Al-Quran)

10. That is: He is giving you a chance to repent and to reform your behaviour and thus be worthy of His Mercy and Pardon.

11. That is: Man’s history is not without Divine messengers, and therefore there is no reason that my claim of being a messenger should startle them that a novel or unique thing is being presented to them. When history is a witness to the arrival of prophets previously too, then my prophethood is, by no means, a novel thing. Hence you should think seriously whether this claim of mine is merely a hollow claim or it is a fact which is proved by undeniable arguments.

12. I do not know that, as a messenger, through what stages I will have to pass. I also do not know when and what decision will be taken about you. That is: will you be granted the wisdom to repent or you too will be destroyed as the people before you were destroyed. I do not possess detailed knowledge of such matters. Of course, I believe in whatever I get by way of revelation. This Ayah makes it clear that the Holy Prophet knew about future happenings only to the extent the revelation revealed. It is only Allah who has the knowledge of the unseen. Explaining this Ayah, Allamah Aaloosi writes: “I do not consider good the saying of a person who says that the Prophet had the knowledge of the unseen. It would, instead be better to say that’ Almighty Allah had intimated him about the knowledge of the unseen and He had granted him this knowledge’. (Roohul Ma’ani,Vol.26,P.10.)

13. Meaning: Henceforth it is your responsibility to accept Faith. It is not my responsibility to compel you to become believer per force.

14. A witness from Bani Israil means a man from Bani Israil who had the knowledge of Torah and who had accepted Faith at the time of the revelation of these Ayah. Thereafter a few more persons from the People of the Book living in Makkah also accepted Faith as mentioned in Surah Bani Israil: “Verily, those who were given knowledge before it, prostrate themselves upon their faces when it is read to them saying: Immaculate is our Lord! The promise of our Lord was bound to be fulfilled’. (Surah Bani Israil, 107,108) In this Ayah of Surah Bani Israil no special person is meant, similarly in this Ayah also no specific person is in view, but it refers to a person who had the knowledge of the Torah and who had embraced Islam and had believed in Quran. Allamah Ibne Katheer also has interpreted this Ayah in the same way. Those commentators who have taken this Ayah to refer to the Jew scholar Abdullah bin Salam of Madina have declared this Ayah to have been revealed in Madinah, although the whole Surah is Makkan. They had to indulge in this formality only because Abdullah bin Salam became Muslim after the Holy Prophet migrated to Madina. Hence he could not be the person meant in this Ayah. The author of “Tadabbur-e-Quran” has said something different and that is by “witness” is meant the Christ (peace be upon him) who had prophecied the coming of Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) but the words of the Ayah ‘like thereof’ are not in conformity with this statement (of the author of ‘Tadabbur-e- Quran). The purpose of this Ayat is to turn the attention of the deniers of the Quran to this fact that when a person from Bani Israil having the knowledge of a Divine Book became a believer of this Quran giving witness that the teaching of it was similar to the teaching of the Torah, how much irresponsible is it on your part to reject it considering it a strange teaching!