41. Mujahid has explained the textual word Amakr in this context as meaning mockery and denial (Ibn Jarir). That is, when Allah sends relief to the pagans after their suffering, they begin to mock at His revelations, denying their validity (Au.).

While on the subject we might remind ourselves of a hadith (in Bukhari: S. Ibrahim). One morning, which was preceded by a rainy night, the Prophet stood up after the Prayers and said,

« هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ؟ ». قَالُوا : اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ :« قَالَ : أَصْبَحَ مِنْ عِبَادِى مُؤْمِنٌ بِى وَكَافِرٌ ، فَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ فَذَلِكَ مُؤْمِنٌ بِى وَكَافِرٌ بِالْكَوْكَبِ ، وَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ مُطِرْنَا بِنَوْءِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَذَلِكَ كَافِرٌ بِى وَمُؤْمِنٌ بِالْكَوْكَبِ ».

ADo you know what your Lord said the last night? They replied, AAllah and His Messenger know best. He said, AHe said, 'This morning, some of My slaves turned believers in me, and some turned unbelievers. Those who said, "We were sent the rains by Allah's bounty and mercy," believed in Me and disbelieved in the stars. While those who said, "We were sent rains because of such and such a star," disbelieved in Me and believed in the stars' (Ibn Kathir).

Taking the cue from Ibn Hajr, Alusi points out that it is not against the spirit of Tawhid to believe that the material objects, or laws of nature, cause rains to descend. Just as it will not be a denial of Allah's sole authority to say said that fire burns. It would be against Tawhid to believe that the material objects, or laws of nature, are free to act, independent of Allah's active will. In fact, as Sheikh Akbar (Muhiyuddin ibn al `Arabiyy) has pointed out, cosmic objects do have their effect on the life on earth, but they do not act independent of Allah's will (slightly reworded).

We cannot be sure what exactly Ibn al-`Arabiyy meant when he spoke of cosmic objects affecting human life, but it is a fact that nothing happens in the cosmos, no matter how distantly, but it has its effects on life on earth, no matter how slightly. Scientifically, this is undeniable (Au.).

Imam Razi points out that in a previous verse of this chapter (no. 12) Allah said, AAnd when an affliction visits man, he begins to supplicate to Us: reclining, sitting, or standing. But when We remove his affliction from him, he passes by as if he never supplicated to Us for the affliction that visited him. Whereas in this present verse Allah added that when He sends relief, the unbelievers begin to plot against His revelation. That is, the two verses are speaking of two classes of unbelievers, the latter kind being the more intransigent.

42. The textual word Afulk is used both for the singular as well as plural, masculine as well as feminine, for a ship or a large boat (Ibn Jarir).

43. The change from plural to singular is common in the Qur'an and in the Arabic literature. Qurtubi cites both from the Qur'an as well as from pre Islamic poetry, instances of similar usages.

44. Like a besieged people encircled by an army assaulting them from all sides (Qurtubi).

45. Another rendering could be, as Majid has done, Amaking their faith pure for Him.

Alusi, Shawkani and others write: (This is what happened with `Ikrimah b. Abu Jahl, except that he remained true to the promise he made to his Lord: Au.). When Makkah was captured, he escaped and embarked a ship to leave the land. They were struck by high winds. The captain of the ship told the passengers, ACall upon one Lord, for your idols cannot do anything for you now. `Ikrimah said to himself, AIf nothing but calling upon one Lord will save me in the sea, no one else can save me on the land either. O Lord! I give You my word that if you rescued me from what I am in, I shall go to Muhammad and place my hand in his. And I am sure I will find You the Forgiving One, the Generous.

The report is in Nasa'i and Abu Da'ud and is sahih of status (S. Ibrahim).

46. Rashid Rida comments: (The Qur'an has depicted a reaction that is natural and common among mankind, since belief in one God resides at the sub conscious level of every human being. But how painful it is to see that when – not non-Muslims – but even Muslims, experience this kind of situation, they do not call upon Allah, making their religion pure for Him. The corruption in faith and beliefs has reached such levels that they call upon other than Allah even in situations where an unbeliever invokes one God. Many reliable sources have reported that when some boats filled with the so called Muslims were battered by storms, cries such as AO Badawi@, AO Rifaa`i@, AO `Abd al Qadir Jeelani were heard from the occupants. It is said that on one occasion there happened to be a true believer among them. He was so upset that he cried out, AO my Lord. Drown us, drown us. There seems to be no one left who acknowledges You. The Indian scholar Hasan Siddiq, as well as Sayyid Mahmud Alusi, have similar observations to make. In Egypt for instance, Rashid Rida continues, Awe were not able to raise the voice of round faith in one Lord God, until the English occupied our lands and allowed us freedom of expression. Despite that, when for the first time I spoke on unblemished and unadulterated Tawhid during a talk in a mosque, there was a great uproar among the audience who went so wild that I was afraid they'd kill me.

47. Asad remarks: AIt is to be noted that at this point the discourse changes abruptly from the direct address 'you' to the third person plural ('they'): a construction which is evidently meant to bring out the allegorical character of the subsequent narrative and to turn it into a lesson of general validity.

To the above it would be right to add that whatever the nature of the narrative, it does reflect a practical truth (Au.).

48. There is a hadith (in Abu Da'ud and Ibn Majah: S. Ibrahim) which says,

مَا مِنْ ذَنْبٍ أَجْدَرُ أَنْ يُعَجِّلَ اللَّهُ لِصَاحِبِهِ الْعُقُوبَةَ فِى الدُّنْيَا مَعَ مَا يَدَّخِرُ لَهُ فِى الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْبَغْىِ وَقَطِيعَةِ الرَّحِمِ

AThere is not a sin more deserving that Allah hasten its scourge in this world, apart from what He has reserved for him in the Hereafter than rebellion and severing off the blood relationships (Ibn Kathir).

The above hadith has been declared Sahih by Albani (Au.).

It is said that someone asked Imam Ja`far al Saadiq for a proof of God's existence. He asked the man what his trade was. He said he worked at the sea. Imam Ja`far asked him to narrate an (unforgettable) situation out there in the seas. The man described a situation when his boat sank and he clung to a wooden plank frantically waiting for help. Ja`far Sadiq asked him if he felt like imploring and supplicating. The man said yes. Ja`far told him that the feeling then experienced was a proof of God's existence (Razi).

49. Few people can perceive in everyday life or in world politics the truth of the Prophetic statement as quoted here by Shawkani. He is reported to have said in a narration preserved by Abu al Sheikh, Ibn Marduwayh, Abu Nu`aym, Khatib and Daylami,

ثلاث من كن فيه فهي راجعة على صاحبها : البغي والمكر والنكث

AThere are three things that recoil on their originators: Rebellion (against an established authority), machinations, and breaking of a promise. Then the Prophet recited the verse under discussion, APeople, surely your rebellion is against your own souls.

Ibn `Abbas has another narrative from the Prophet, preserved by Ibn Marduwayh. He said,

لو أن جَبلاً بَغى عَلى جَبلِ لَدُكَ البَاغِي

AIf a mountain were to rebel against another mountain (i.e., attack it unjustly), surely the oppressing one would be rendered to dust.

Rashid Rida proposes a correction to the effect that the narration about the two mountains is weak as a hadith. More correctly, they are the words of Ibn `Abbas as in Adab al Mufrad of Imam Bukhari.

50. These two verses, 22 and 23, expand upon what was said in brief in verse 21 (Razi).

51. The usage of the word Ataghna in the original, with its root in Aghana draws the following comment from Alusi and Rashid Rida: When it is said, so and so Aghana fi al makan@, it means, the man stayed in that place for a long while.

52. (We have a hadith which depicts the worth of this world). The Prophet said (Ibn Majah: Sayyid Ibrahim),

« يُؤْتَى بِأَنْعَمِ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيُصْبَغُ فِى النَّارِ صَبْغَةً ثُمَّ يُقَالُ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ خَيْرًا قَطُّ هَلْ مَرَّ بِكَ نَعِيمٌ قَطُّ فَيَقُولُ لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَبِّ. وَيُؤْتَى بِأَشَدِّ النَّاسِ بُؤْسًا فِى الدُّنْيَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيُصْبَغُ صَبْغَةً فِى الْجَنَّةِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ بُؤْسًا قَطُّ هَلْ مَرَّ بِكَ شِدَّةٌ قَطُّ فَيَقُولُ لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَبِّ مَا مَرَّ بِى بُؤُسٌ قَطُّ وَلاَ رَأَيْتُ شِدَّةً قَطُّ ».

AA man who had spent his entire life in great luxury would be brought forth on the Day of Judgment. He will be given a dip into the Fire and asked, 'Have you ever tasted a good thing? Have you ever enjoyed comforts?' He will reply, 'Never, O my Lord.' Then another man who had spent his life in harrowing circumstances will be brought forth and given a dip in Paradise. He will be asked, 'Have you ever tasted an evil? Did you ever experience any hardship?’ He will reply, 'Never. O My Lord. I never faced any harrowing circumstances; nor did I ever experience any hardship.' (That is, such is the worth of the pains and pleasures of this life, when compared to those of the Hereafter: Au.).

The above is from Muslim (Au.).

53. Shah `Abd al Qadir (Muwaddih al Qur'an) has beautifully applied the simile in this verse to the life of the humans on this planet. He writes: ALike water, the spirit came down from the heavens. It gathered strength by mixing itself with the body of dust. When the two mingled, man came into being. He committed acts both human as well as beastly. When he achieved skill and his acquaintances began to depend on him, suddenly death appeared (on the stage) and destroyed the whole play. The man disappeared leaving no trace of himself.

54. Abu Qilabah reports the following. The Prophet (saws) said,

لِتَنَمْ عَيْنُكَ وَلْتَسْمَعْ أُذُنُكَ وَلْيَعْقِلْ قَلْبِكَ ، قَالَ : فَنَامَتْ عَيْنِي وَسَمِعَتْ أُذُنِي وَعَقَلَ قَلْبِي ، قَالَ : فَقِيلَ لَهُ : سَيِّدٌ بنى دَارًا وَصَنَعَ مَأْدُبَةً فَأَرْسَلَ دَاعِيًا فَمَنْ أَجَابَ الدَّاعِيَ دَخَلَ الدَّارَ ، وَأَكَلَ مِنَ الْمَأْدُبَةِ ، وَرَضِيَ عَنْهُ السَّيِّدُ ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبِ الدَّاعِيَ لَمْ يَدْخُلِ الدَّارَ ، وَلَمْ يَنَلِ الْمَأْدُبَةَ ، وَسَخَطَ عَلَيْهِ السَّيِّدُ ، فَالسَّيِّدُ اللَّهُ ، وَالدَّاعِي مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، وَالْمَأْدُبَةُ الْجَنَّةُ

AI was told: 'Let your eye sleep, let your heart ponder, let your ear hear.' So my eyes slept, my heart pondered, and my ears heard. Then I was told: 'A Master built a house. Then he got a feast arranged. After that he sent a caller. Whoever answered the caller entered the house, ate the food, and the Master was pleased with him. But whoever did not answer the caller, did not enter the house, did not eat from the food, the Master was displeased with him. Now, Allah is the Master. The caller is Muhammad and the food is Paradise.'

Another version of this report comes from Jabir b. `Abdullah. This version starts with the words,

خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ فِي الْمَنَامِ كَأَنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِي وَمِيكَائِيلَ عِنْدَ رِجْلَيَّ يَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ اضْرِبْ لَهُ مَثَلًا فَقَالَ اسْمَعْ سَمِعَتْ أُذُنُكَ وَاعْقِلْ عَقَلَ قَلْبُكَ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُكَ وَمَثَلُ أُمَّتِكَ كَمَثَلِ مَلِكٍ اتَّخَذَ دَارًا ثُمَّ بَنَى فِيهَا بَيْتًا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ فِيهَا مَائِدَةً ثُمَّ بَعَثَ رَسُولًا يَدْعُو النَّاسَ إِلَى طَعَامِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَجَابَ الرَّسُولَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ فَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْمَلِكُ وَالدَّارُ الْإِسْلَامُ وَالْبَيْتُ الْجَنَّةُ وَأَنْتَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ رَسُولٌ فَمَنْ أَجَابَكَ دَخَلَ الْإِسْلَامَ وَمَنْ دَخَلَ الْإِسْلَامَ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَنْ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ أَكَلَ مَا فِيهَا

AOne of those days the Prophet came out. He said, ‘I saw in a dream as if Jibra'il was at my head and Mika'il at my feet. One of them said to the other, “Draw a simile for him.” So the other said, “Listen. May your ears hear. Think. May your mind think. And the example of yourself and your followers is like that of a master who took a place and then built a house in it. Then he prepared a banquet and sent a messenger to invite the people to the food. Some of them answered the messenger, while others ignored him. Now, Allah is the King, the place is Islam, the house is Paradise and you, O Muhammad, the Messenger. So, whoever answered you entered Islam and whoever entered Islam entered Paradise; and whoever entered Paradise ate thereof.’” (Ibn Jarir).

The first version is mursal (the Companion's name is missing from the chain) but the second version is marfu` (i.e., does not have any such defect) Ibn Kathir.

Hakim has also recorded the substance of this report declaring it trustworthy with Dhahabi seconding it (S. Ibrahim).

The above hadith is narrated in parts by Bukhari, Tirmidhi and Darimi, but even if they are all pieced together, they do not match up fully with the version as presented here (Au.).

55. With reference to this verse, Qatadah has said, AWe have been told that the following is written in the Torah, 'O seeker of virtue, hurry up; and O seeker of evil, halt.' And, Abu Darda' narrated: The Prophet said,

مَا طَلَعَتْ شَمْسٌ قَطُّ إِلاَّ بِجَنْبَتَيْهَا مَلَكَانِ يُنَادِيَانِ يُسْمِعَانِ مَنْ عَلَى الأرْضِ غَيْرَ الثَّقَلَيْنِ : أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ! هَلُمُّوا إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ ، مَا قَلَّ وَكَفَى خَيْرٌ مِمَّا كَثُرَ وَأَلْهَى ، وَلاَ غَرَبَتْ إِلاَّ بِجَنْبَتَيْهَا مَلَكَانِ يُنَادِيَانِ : اللَّهُمَّ! أَعْطِ مُنْفِقاً خَلَفاً ، وَأَعْطِ مُمْسِكاً تَلَفاً

"There is never a fresh day but w two angels appear announcing what the whole of the creation hear except men and Jinn. It is said, 'People. Hasten to your Lord. Surely, what will suffice, although little, is better than the plenty which diverts (attention from Allah)' Ibn Jarir.

The substance of the hadith is found in sahih reports of Ahmad, Hakim and others (S. Ibrahim).

56. Although the words are open and include every good reward and, in addition, forgiveness from Allah, the two words Aal husna and Aziyadah have been widely interpreted as meaning, respectively, AParadise and the ABeatific Vision. In fact, Abu Musa al Ash`ari has even narrated a hadith to this effect (Ibn Jarir). This is the opinion of Abu Bakr, Hudhayfa b. al Yamaan, Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id b. al Musayyib, `Abd al Rahman ibn Abi Laylah, `Abd al Rahman b. Thabit, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Aamir b. Sa`d, `Ataa', Dahhaak, Hasan, Qataadah, Suddi, Ibn Is haaq and many others (Ibn Kathir).

This view is supported by a hadith of Muslim which says,

يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ، إِنَّ لَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَوْعِدًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُنْجِزَكُمُوهُ، فَيَقُولُونَ: وَمَا هُوَ؟ أَلَمْ يُثَقِّلْ مَوَازِينَنَا، وَيُبَيِّضْ وُجُوهَنَا، وَأَدْخَلَنَا الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَخْرَجَنَا مِنَ النَّارِ، قَالَ: فَيُكْشَفُ الْحِجَابُ، فَيَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْهِ، فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا أَعْطَاهُمْ شَيْئًا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّظَرِ إِلَيْهِ

AWhen the people of Paradise would have entered Paradise Allah will ask, 'Do you wish anything more?' They will reply, 'Have You not tilted our Scales, and brightened our faces? Have You not admitted us into Paradise and saved us from the Fire?' So, Allah will remove the veil and lo, they will find that nothing is dearer to them than looking at their Lord. In fact, Qurtubi adds, there are versions in which the Prophet recited this present verse after speaking these words.

Imam Razi writes: There are linguistic grounds to say that the allusion by Amore is to the Beatific Vision alone. If it is said, AI gave you ten kilos of wheat and more, it would mean more that ten kilos of wheat was given. But when it is said, AI gave you wheat and more, then the Amore of the sentence is not wheat. Similarly, the grammatical construction of the sentence does not allow for Amore to be understood as, say, luxuries of Paradise and more of them; or good rewards and more of them. In each case the Amore (ziyaadah) has to be different from what is covered by Athe good (al husna). Therefore, they can only be, respectively, luxuries of Paradise and the Beatific Vision.

57. That is, all relationships between the worshipers and the worshiped will be severed (Ibn Jarir).

58. Mujahid is reported to have said that on the Day of Judgment, idols, deities and all those inanimate objects that the people worshiped in this world would be gathered together. Their worshipers will be asked: Are these the ones you worshiped? Their devotees will say yes. But the worshiped objects will deny that they were worshiped. They will seek Allah's testimony that inanimate as they were, they could not have allowed their worship, but were, in fact, unaware of their devotions (Ibn Jarir).

59. The allusion is to the trial situation between the worshipers and the worshiped, expressed in preceding two verses (Mujahid). However, the opinion of some others is that the textual word Atablu is used in the sense of seeing. That is, Aeveryone will see what it forwarded (Ibn Jarir).