Surah Al-Qalam 68:34-52 - Quran Translation Commentary

43. Their eyes will be lowered, disgrace will cover them up. They were being called upon to prostrate when they were sound.³⁹ (but then they kept on refusing).

44. So (O Prophet!) leave alone ME and them who deny this revelation. ⁴⁰ WE will lead them gradually (to their bad end) in such a way that they will not even know. ⁴¹

45. I give them allowance (bear with them). MY strategy is firm.

46. Are you demanding any payment from them so that they are burdened with debt? ⁴²

47. Or they have knowledge of the unseen which they write down? ⁴³

48. So (O Prophet!) Be patient till the judgment of your Lord ⁴⁴ and do not be like the one (who had to remain in the stomach) of the fish ⁴⁵ when he called out (to his Lord) while he was in agony. ⁴⁶

49. Had his Lord’s Grace not reached him he would indeed have been thrown out in the open ground in a plight.⁴⁷

50. But his Lord chose him up and included him in the righteous. ⁴⁸

51. When they (disbelievers) hear the Reminder, they look at you as if they will cause you to stumble with their looks ⁴⁹ and they say: he is, indeed mad.

52. Whereas this (Quran) is a reminder to the nations. ⁵⁰

Commentary

32. Described above was the punishment for disbelievers. This ayah describes the final reward for those who fear Allah. Quran always describes the aspect of reward along with that of the punishment, so that people may fear the Divine wrath and make themselves worthy of Reward.

33. The leaders of unbelievers were, on the basis of their worldly wealth, thinking that God was pleased with them and hence they were given these bounties whereas the prophet and his followers were living a life of poverty due to displeasure of God. So if at all there would be a resurrection they will continue to be happy there also and these people who were with the messenger would never earn God’s pleasure. Refuting this faulty assumption of the disbelievers it is said here that Allah does appreciate HIS obedient slaves and that HE will not deal with them just like with the sinners. Do you imagine that, despite your disobedience, you will be rewarded? What a nonsense and unjust talk you are talking!

34. Have you got any Heavenly Book which says that everything depends solely on your wish and not on your deeds and that you will get whatever you desire?

35. The point is that if you are under the illusion that as you belong to the race of Ibrahim, with whom God hold made a covenant, you have become HIS favoured community and that not withstanding whatever you do you will not be brought to book. Then let it be known to you that GOD had not entered into any such agreement with Ibrahim regarding his race. The Imamat (religious leadership) which was to be raised in his race was not unconditional. It was clarified that ‘MY PROMISE WILL, NOT APPLY TO THE TRANSGRESSORS”. (Baqarah: 124) And Allah has never given a permanent guarantee of salvation to any race or community, that they are free to do whatever they wish. On the contrary, through the media or Messengers, every community was instructed that every individual is responsible regarding his or her deed and that they will get reward or punishment according to their acts.

36. Who from among you takes up the responsibility of proving that there hold been such a covenant? Obviously such hollow claims can never be proved.

37. If their self-made partners have given them a decree of salvation then let them produce it so that the truth may be seen. A section of ignorant Muslims is also under such illusion that since they are the devotees of such and such peers (saints) they will not be caught whatever may be their deeds; that those ‘buzurgs’ will save them in this world and deliver them in the Hereafter too.

38. The original word used in the text is “SAQ” which literally means ‘leg shin’. It also means the trunk of a tree and so also the root of anything. Here this word has been used as a common noun and that too in a particular manner. Hence according to linguists it is a usage of Arabic language which indicates vehemence of something. It is mentioned in ‘Lisaan-ul- Arab’:- “In Arabic language ‘Saq’ means a severe thing and its ‘kashf’ (opening) is byway of an example of the severe ness of it. For instance, they say ‘His hand is closed;’ But in that case there is neither a hand nor its closing. It is an example to indicate extreme miserliness. Similarly, here there is neither a leg shin nor its opening or revealing.” (Lisan-ul- Arab, Vol:10, p.168) Most of the Mufassirs too have taken it in the meaning of severity and hence we have translated it as “the day when a severe calamity will befall”. But some commentators have translated it as “On the Day of Qiyamat when Allah will open His leg shin.” In support of this translation they have quoted a hadith of the’ Saheehain’ the words of which are: “When Our Lord will reveal His leg shin.” (Bukhari, Kitabut Tafseer) But, first, these words are not in conformity with the words of the Quran because the Quran has never made any mention of Allah’s leg shin but has used the common noun ‘Saq’. Moreover, though this hadeeth is found in the ‘Saheehain’ one of its narrators is Zaid bin Aslam who is not much reliable. Ibne Uyaynah says: Zaid bin Aslam was a righteous man but his memory was weak. And Aboo Hatim says Zaid’s narration ‘Rivayat’ from Aboo Saeed is ‘mursal’. Ibne Habban has considered him among ‘thiqah’ (reliable) narrators whereas what Ibne Abdul Barr has said in the Muqaddimah indicates that he used to commit ‘tadlees’ (a defect in quotation). (‘Tahzeebut Tahzeeb’, Vol:3,p.397) And Ubaidullah bin Umar says: We do not find any defect in this narration but he was explaining Quran according to his own opinion. (Meezaanul Etedaal, Vol:2, p. 98) It seems this hadeeth has been quoted ‘bill Maanee’ (that is, the original words have not been preserved). Therefore the words of the holy Quran are the real argument and they mean severity of something.

39. A time will come in the field of assembly in the Hereafter when these disbelievers will be commanded to prostrate before Allah but their backs will not bend and despite their intention to prostrate they will not be able to do so. This display of their inability will be arranged so that they may realise and remember that in their worldly life when they were bodily sound and strong and when they were being asked to bow (prostratrate) before Allah they were refusing to do so and were bowing before others besides Allah. The Messenger of God was asking them to prostrate before ONLY ALLAH; [which was one of the forms of HIS worship,] they did not obey him and brought this disgrace to themselves.

40. That is, now you need not worry about these deniers. I will deal with them Myself.

41. I will cause such causes whereby, looking to the apparent conditions, they will consider themselves quite safe but, in reality, those conditions will cause their ruin. The disbelievers feel happy due to their wealth and prosperity. But their prosperity becomes the cause of their destruction. Similarly whatever conspiracies they make in order to oppose the true religion (DEEN) turn upon themselves and they fall in their own traps.

But his Lord chose him up and included him in the righteous. When they (disbelievers) hear the Reminder, they look at you as if they will cause you to stumble with their looks and they say: he is, indeed mad. Whereas this (Quran) is a reminder to the nations.(Al-Quran)

42. This has been clarified in Surah Shuara, note: 98.

43. This has been explained in Surah Toor note:40.

44. The holy prophet has been advised to be patient and await Allah’s decision, and not to leave his place until Allah’s command arrived.

45. “Sahibil Hoot” (man of the fish) means Prophet Yunus (Peace Be Upon Him) who was swallowed by a big fish. His community had denied him. So in embarrassment he left his community and went out without waiting for Allah’s command. As a consequence of this lapse God put him in the stomach of a fish. This event has been described in Surah Saf-faat, ayah 139 to 148. Pointing to it, here, the holy prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is being advised not to become restless and not to leave his people until Allah asks him to migrate.

46. That is, when prophet Yunus was in extreme grief in the stomach of the fish he cried out to Allah. He recited the Tasbeeh by which he was delivered by Allah from the stomach of fish. This tasbeeh has been mentioned in Surah Anbiya, ayah 87.

47. When the fish vomited him out he fell on a plain barren ground. Had Allah not showered His Grace on him he would have remained listless in that lonely field. But Allah showered His Mercy on him and caused a shadowy tree to grow over him and protected and helped him in every way. Please also see Surah Safaat, note: 128.

48. HE pardoned his lapse and chose him as HIS Messenger. HE guided him and made him among the righteous. A Prophet’s life is an example for others. Whenever he makes any mistake, Allah instantly cautions him and they make necessary improvement at once. Thus there remains no blame on their high moral character nor are the people misguided at all.

49. This refers to the angry and resentful and malicious looks of the disbelievers. Whenever they saw the holy prophet (peace be upon him) reciting the holy Quran to his audience the disbelievers ‘eyes used to become red hot with “anger. By such looks they were trying to awe the holy prophet so that be may waver. But, by the Grace of Allah such contemptible attempts of the kafirs never succeeded. The meaning of “cause you to stumble with their looks” is the same as mentioned above. It is just like we say: “He was looking at me as if he will eat me.” Obviously here eating’ is not in its usual sense but only indicates the vehemence of anger. Some Mufassirs have taken this ayah as an evidence of the influence of an evil eye’. They have also quoted the hadeeth “Al AIYNU HAQQUN” (influence of an evil eye is a fact). Bukhari and Muslim and Abu Dawood have also narrated it. (Please see Bukhari Kitabut Tibb. Muslim: Kitabus Salam and Abu Dawood: Kitabut Tibb). But what is understood by saying ‘influence of the evil eye’ is that when some one may look at somebody with an evil intention the other fellow may become ill under the influence of that look. But there is nothing of this kind in this ayah. What is said in it is that these disbelievers look at the prophet with so much contempt and anger as if they will move him from his stand. There is a big difference between this assertion which has been made as a figure of speech and the talk of an evil eye’s influence. In short, it is wrong to support the prevalent thought of evil eye’s influence by this ayah. As regards the hadeeth ‘al aiynu haqqun’ its meaning too should be fixed in the light of the clear orders of the Quran and Sunnah. Quran digs out the roots of superstition and guides us to walk in the light of knowledge: “Do not be after that of which you have no knowledge.” (Bani Israil: 36) When someone becomes ill, they think he is under the influence of an evil eye. The\question arising here is how can we know that he fell ill due to the evil eye and not because of something else? Obviously this is mere superstition for which there is no justification. Again how strange is the idea of evil eye! If somebody is struck by someone else’s beauty he or she looks at that beautiful person and he or she becomes ill. The question is whether the ‘evil’ strikes due to a look at the beauty or due to jealousy or contempt? Some people think that if a man is taking food and if someone else looks at him with a greedy eye the cater vomits out his food. But this happens only with the superstitious fellows, never with others. Why so?! Do not thousands of people eat in Market and do not many greedy people pass by them daily? Does it cause vomiting? What is more astonishing is that the influence of an evil eye has become a matter of belief. So a special formula has been invented to ward off that evil influence. They take some quantity of salt, a little turmeric and some mustard seeds in hand, then pass it over the body (from head to feet) of the affected person. Thereafter when that mixture is burnt in fire which emits smell they think that the evil effect has now been warded off. It seems they have acquired this practice from the Hindus as this practice is still prevalent among them. Anyway this idea of the effect of evil eye and its removal is based entirely on ignorance. There is no room for such superstitions in Islam. Hearing someone’s cry or shriek man becomes sorrowful. A frightening sound awes him. Similarly eye-looks can also affect people. For example if a murderer stares scornfully at somebody the other fellow does become fearful. Maybe some mischievous looks are such which may cause the other fellow’s face to become pale with fright. All this is possible due to natural reasons. Hence if there is some such natural reason or cause we can say that it is the cause of the trouble. This is what is meant by the hadeeth “Al Ainu Haqqun”. Mischievous eyes (looks) do have effect. Man sometimes becomes awed. It is also possible that he becomes pale faced with fear. But if there is no such natural cause, it is mere superstition to think that the trouble is due to an evil eye. Further it is a misplaced suspicion to believe that the eye of someone has caused the trouble. According to the hadeeth: “A baseless suspicion is the worst kind of lie”. The meaning of the hadeeth “Al Ainu Haqqun” which we have described is supported also by that hadeeth of Saheeh al Muslim wherein it is mentioned that when the holy prophet had become ill, the angel Jibrail (peace be on him) had recited this prayer: “May Allah cure you from the evil of the look of the jealous”. (Muslim: Kitabus Salam). These words of this prayer are in conformity with the Quranic words of Surah Falaq: “And from the evil of the jealous when he indulges in jealousy: (For the explanation of this verse please see Surah Falaq, note:7). Therefore it will not be correct to take the hadeeth “Al Aiynu Haqqun” in a sense which may be contrary to the apparent cause and which may drive one to superstition. Hadeeth also teaches, for the cure of the affliction from eye, the same prayer which has been taught for all other diseases: “O Lord of Mankind! Remove the ailment trouble. Heal me. YOU alone are the Curer. There is no cure save YOUR cure. Grant me such a cure which may not allow any diseases to persist.” (Bukhari Kitabut Tib) This is the best prayer (Duaa). To leave it aside and to turn toward charms and spells will only corrupt true belief.

50. When they hear Quran from the mouth of the Messenger they term him ‘mad’ whereas this Quran is, from beginning to end, exhortation and admonition for the entire humanity, and it reminds people that lesson which is inherent in their nature. This ayah also makes it clear that Quran is not meant only for the Arabs but that it has been revealed as a reminder for the whole mankind.