Surah 64. At-Taghabun

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-18 [2]

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Quran Text of Verse 11-18مَاۤNotاَصَابَstrikesمِنْanyمُّصِیْبَةٍdisasterاِلَّاexceptبِاِذْنِby (the) permissionاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) Allahوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیُّؤْمِنْۢbelievesبِاللّٰهِin AllahیَهْدِHe guidesقَلْبَهٗ ؕhis heartوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahبِكُلِّof everyشَیْءٍthingعَلِیْمٌ (is) All-Knowing وَ اَطِیْعُواSo obeyاللّٰهَAllahوَ اَطِیْعُواand obeyالرَّسُوْلَ ۚthe Messenger;فَاِنْbut ifتَوَلَّیْتُمْyou turn awayفَاِنَّمَاthen onlyعَلٰیuponرَسُوْلِنَاOur Messengerالْبَلٰغُ(is) the conveyanceالْمُبِیْنُ clear اَللّٰهُAllahلَاۤ(there is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاexceptهُوَ ؕHimوَ عَلَیAnd uponاللّٰهِAllahفَلْیَتَوَكَّلِlet put (their) trustالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ the believers یٰۤاَیُّهَاOالَّذِیْنَ(you) whoاٰمَنُوْۤاbelieveاِنَّIndeedمِنْfromاَزْوَاجِكُمْyour spousesوَ اَوْلَادِكُمْand your childrenعَدُوًّا(are) enemiesلَّكُمْto youفَاحْذَرُوْهُمْ ۚso beware of themوَ اِنْBut ifتَعْفُوْاyou pardonوَ تَصْفَحُوْاand overlookوَ تَغْفِرُوْاand forgiveفَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahغَفُوْرٌ(is) Oft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمٌ Most Merciful اِنَّمَاۤOnlyاَمْوَالُكُمْyour wealthوَ اَوْلَادُكُمْand your childrenفِتْنَةٌ ؕ(are) a trialوَ اللّٰهُand Allahعِنْدَهٗۤwith Himاَجْرٌ(is) a rewardعَظِیْمٌ great فَاتَّقُواSo fearاللّٰهَAllahمَاas much asاسْتَطَعْتُمْyou are ableوَ اسْمَعُوْاand listenوَ اَطِیْعُوْاand obeyوَ اَنْفِقُوْاand spend;خَیْرًا(it is) betterلِّاَنْفُسِكُمْ ؕfor your soulsوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیُّوْقَis savedشُحَّ(from the) greedinessنَفْسِهٖ(of) his soulفَاُولٰٓىِٕكَthen thoseهُمُ[they]الْمُفْلِحُوْنَ (are) the successful ones اِنْIfتُقْرِضُواyou loanاللّٰهَ(to) Allahقَرْضًاa loanحَسَنًاgoodlyیُّضٰعِفْهُHe will multiply itلَكُمْfor youوَ یَغْفِرْand will forgiveلَكُمْ ؕyouوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahشَكُوْرٌ(is) Most AppreciativeحَلِیْمٌۙMost Forbearing عٰلِمُ(The) Knowerالْغَیْبِ(of) the unseenوَ الشَّهَادَةِand the witnessedالْعَزِیْزُthe All-Mightyالْحَكِیْمُ۠the All-Wise

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Translation of Verse 11-18

11. No calamity befalls but by the decree of Allah¹⁵ And whoever believes in Allah, HE guides his heart ¹⁶ and Allah knows everything.

12. Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. If you turn away your face then Our Messenger’s responsibility is only to convey (the message) clearly.

13. Allah is HE, besides Whom there is no god (deity). And the believers should put their trust only in Allah.

14. O believers! some of your wives and your children are your enemies. So beware of them.¹⁷ And if you pardon and overlook and forgive, then verily Allah is Forgiving Merciful.¹⁸

15. Your wealth and your children are but a trial.¹⁹ And only Allah is HE with Whom is the great reward.

16. So fear Allah as much as you can²⁰ and hear and obey,²¹ and spend for the benefit of yourselves.²² And whoever is saved from stinginess of their hearts is successful.²³

17. If you give a good loan to Allah ²⁴ HE will make it manifold for you and will forgive you. Allah is the great Appreciator and Tolerant.²⁵

18. Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Mighty, the Wise.

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Commentary

15. This has been explained in Note 47 of Surah Hadeed.

Here it has been mentioned so that a Muslim may not give up the obedience of Allah and His Prophet after seeing the clouds of calamities. Calamities descend by the order of Allah and they are a means of trial for the faithful. They can come out successful from this trial (test) only if they prove their obedience to God and His messenger.

16. Allah Almighty gives the light of guidance during the darkness of calamities to the one who has a firm faith in HIM. HE guides him in such a way that he does not entertain even an iota of misgiving about Allah. He does not indulge in cries and complaints. Allah directs his sentiments in the right direction, whereby his Faith strengths and he feels satisfied with the Divine decision.

17. Here the word ‘enemies’ has been used to convey the sense that some of the wives and some of the children, despite being Muslim, press their men folk to strive for earning more and more worldly wealth and for raising their standard of life. This is due to their ignorance, childishness or disobedience etc. As a result of it, people become mad after worldly comforts and become unable to meet the demands of religion Similarly when Deen (Islam)demands sacrifice, such attitude of their kith and kin discourages them. Some times such wives urge their men folk even to indulge in anti-Shariat deeds. It is for such circumstances that Almighty Allah has ordered the Faithful that they should be aware of them; that they must examine their demands and advices in the light of Shariah and should not concede their demand unmindfully. Such caution is necessary in the matter of wives and children.

It must be understood that this ayat does not say that every man’s wives and children are such. It says some of them are like that. This automatically makes it clear that the wives and children of a number of men are righteous. Such wives assist their men folk in their religious (Islamic) works and prove the best companions of life. Similarly righteous children too help their parents in carrying out their Islamic duties. They thus cool their eyes.

18. To beware does not mean that the men folk must be harsh at the wrong attitude of their wives and children or should treat them with vengeance. No, but your behaviour should be of pardoning, ignoring and forgiving. Here not one but three words have been used so that the forgiving behaviour may become, beautiful also. Pardon them means do not deal them with harshness. Over look means ignore their faults, do not be over-impressed and, forgive them, means forgive them from the heart. Such largeheartedness will make you the beloved of Allah, WHO will then pardon you and will shower HIS Mercy on you. No wonder if your wives and children too may mend themselves seeing your good behaviour.

19. It is to test whether, becoming blind in your love for wives and children, you leave aside the commandments of Allah and His Prophet or remaining under the greater influence of your love for Allah and His Prophet, live a fully obedient life.

For further clarification please see Surah Munafiqoon, Note 17.

20. The pull of wealth and children becomes a stumbling block for a faithful traveler very often. But Allah will not hold a Momin harshly if he remains God fearing to the best of his ability. HE will forgive his faults. This assurance is a ray of hope for the righteous.

The holy Quran mentions elsewhere:

“Fear Allah as HE should be feared.” (Aal-e- Imran : 102) And here it is ordered:

“Fear Allah to the best of your ability.”

It is thus understood that a man fulfils the demands of Taqwa (God fearing ness) if he lives righteously to the extent of his ability. Only this much has been asked from him. He has not been loaded with a burden which he cannot carry.

This order: “Fear Allah to the best of your ability” is a very important directive principle. It provides the light of guidance in all kinds of unfavorable conditions and situations and confusing problems. In today’s atmosphere wherein the force of evil attack us from every direction and the wrong codes of life have made it very difficult to abide by the Islamic shariat, a Muslim can stick to Taqwa in the light of this guiding principle.

21.There may be difficulties and helplessness. Yet the general and common attitude of a Muslim ought to be that of listening to Allah’s orders heart fully and to obey Him sincerely.

22. Spending in the Way of Allah reduces the love for wealth and increases the love for Allah.

23. This has been explained in Surah Hashr, Note: 23.

24. That is, spending in the way of Allah, especially for a Jihad.

25. Allah is Appreciative. HE appreciates each and every good deed of HIS slaves. And HE is Forbearing. Therefore, HE does not inflict instant punishment but provides a chance for improvement.