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Tafsir Ishraq al-Ma'ani

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Introduction | Wiki
1. Al-Fatihah
2. Al-Baqarah
3. Al-Imran
4. Al-Nisa
5. Al-Maidah
6. Al-Anam
7. Al-Araf
8. Al-Anfal
9. Al-Taubah
10. Yunus
11. Hud
12. Yusuf
13. Al-Rad
14. Ibrahim
15. Al-Hijr
16. Al-Nahl
17. Bani Israil
18. Al-Kahf
19. Maryam
20. Ta-Ha
21. Al-Anbiya
22. Al-Hajj
23. Al-Muminun
24. An-Nur
25. Al-Furqan
26. Ash-Shuara
27. An-Naml
28. Al-Qasas
29. Al-Ankabut
30. Ar-Rum
31. Luqman
32. As-Sajdah
33. Al-Ahzab
34. Saba
35. Fatir
36. Yasin
37. As-Saffat
38. Saad
39. Az-Zumar
40. Al-Mumin
41. Ha-Meem-As-Sajdah
42. AShura
43. Az-Zukhruf
44. Ad-Dukhan
45. Al-Jathiyah
46. Al-Ahqaf
47. Muhammad
48. Al-Fath
49. Al-Hujurat
50. Al-Qaf
51. Adh-Dhariyat
52. At-Tur
53. An-Najm
54. Al-Qamar
55. Al-Rahman
56. Al-Waqiah
57. Al-Hadid
58. Al-Mujadalah
59. Al-Hashr
60. Al-Mumtahinah
61. As-Saff
62. Al-Jumuah
63. Al-Munafiqun
64. Al-Taghabun
65. At-Talaq
66. At-Tahrim
67. Al-Mulk
68. Al-Qalam
69. Al-Haqqah
70. Al-Maarij
71. Nuh
72. Al-Jinn
73. Al-Muzzammil
74. Al-Muddhththir
75. Al-Qiyamah
76. Ad-Dahr
77. Al-Mursalat
78. An-Naba
79. An-Naziat
80. Abas
81. At-Takwir
82. Al-Infitar
83. At-Tatfif
84. Al-Inshiqaq
85. Al-Buruj
86. At-Tariq
87. Al-Ala
88. Al-Ghashiyah
89. Al-Fajr
90. Al-Balad
91. Ash-Shams
92. Al-Lail
93. Ad-Duha
94. Al-Inshirah
95. At-Tin
96. Al-Alaq
97. Al-Qadr
98. Al-Bayyinah
99. Az-Zilzal
100. Al-Adiyat
101. Al-Qariah
102. At-Takathur
103. Al-Asr
104. Al-Humazah
105. Al-Fil
106. Al-Quraish
107. Al-Maun
108. Al-Kauthar
109. Al-Kafirun
110. An-Nasr
111. Al-Lahab
112. Al-Ikhlas
113. Al-Falaq
114. An-Nas
Surah 15. Al-Hijr
Verses [Section]: 1-15[1], 16-25 [2], 26-44 [3], 45-60 [4], 61-79 [5], 80-99 [6]

Quran Text of Verse 61-79
فَلَمَّاAnd whenجَآءَcameاٰلَ(to the) familyلُوْطِ(of) Lutلْمُرْسَلُوْنَۙthe messengers قَالَHe saidاِنَّكُمْIndeed youقَوْمٌ(are) a peopleمُّنْكَرُوْنَ unknown قَالُوْاThey saidبَلْNayجِئْنٰكَwe have come to youبِمَاwith whatكَانُوْاthey wereفِیْهِin itیَمْتَرُوْنَ disputing وَ اَتَیْنٰكَAnd we have come to youبِالْحَقِّwith the truthوَ اِنَّاand indeed weلَصٰدِقُوْنَ surely (are) truthful فَاَسْرِSo travelبِاَهْلِكَwith your familyبِقِطْعٍin a portionمِّنَofالَّیْلِthe nightوَ اتَّبِعْand followاَدْبَارَهُمْtheir backsوَ لَاand notیَلْتَفِتْlet look backمِنْكُمْamong youاَحَدٌanyoneوَّ امْضُوْاand go onحَیْثُwhereتُؤْمَرُوْنَ you are ordered وَ قَضَیْنَاۤAnd We conveyedاِلَیْهِto himذٰلِكَ[that]الْاَمْرَthe matterاَنَّthatدَابِرَ(the) rootهٰۤؤُلَآءِ(of) theseمَقْطُوْعٌwould be cut offمُّصْبِحِیْنَ (by) early morning وَ جَآءَAnd cameاَهْلُ(the) peopleالْمَدِیْنَةِ(of) the cityیَسْتَبْشِرُوْنَ rejoicing قَالَHe saidاِنَّIndeedهٰۤؤُلَآءِtheseضَیْفِیْ(are) my guestsفَلَاso (do) notتَفْضَحُوْنِۙshame me وَ اتَّقُواAnd fearاللّٰهَAllahوَ لَاand (do) notتُخْزُوْنِ disgrace me قَالُوْۤاThey saidاَوَ لَمْDid notنَنْهَكَwe forbid youعَنِfromالْعٰلَمِیْنَ the world 15. Al-Hijr Page 266قَالَHe saidهٰۤؤُلَآءِTheseبَنٰتِیْۤ(are) my daughtersاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou would beفٰعِلِیْنَؕdoers لَعَمْرُكَBy your lifeاِنَّهُمْindeed theyلَفِیْwere inسَكْرَتِهِمْtheir intoxicationیَعْمَهُوْنَ wandering blindly فَاَخَذَتْهُمُSo seized themالصَّیْحَةُthe awful cryمُشْرِقِیْنَۙat sunrise فَجَعَلْنَاAnd We madeعَالِیَهَاits highest (part)سَافِلَهَاits lowestوَ اَمْطَرْنَاand We rainedعَلَیْهِمْupon themحِجَارَةًstonesمِّنْofسِجِّیْلٍؕbaked clay اِنَّIndeedفِیْinذٰلِكَthatلَاٰیٰتٍ(are) the Signsلِّلْمُتَوَسِّمِیْنَ for those who discern وَ اِنَّهَاAnd indeed itلَبِسَبِیْلٍ(is) on a roadمُّقِیْمٍ established اِنَّIndeedفِیْinذٰلِكَthatلَاٰیَةًsurely (is) a Signلِّلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَؕfor the believers وَ اِنْAnd wereكَانَAnd wereاَصْحٰبُ(the) companionsالْاَیْكَةِ(of) the woodلَظٰلِمِیْنَۙsurely wrongdoers فَانْتَقَمْنَاSo We took retributionمِنْهُمْ ۘfrom themوَ اِنَّهُمَاand indeed they bothلَبِاِمَامٍ(were) on a highwayمُّبِیْنٍؕ۠clear
Translation of Verse 61-79

(15:61) At length when the envoys came to Lut’s folk,

(15:62) He said, ‘Behold! You are a folk unknown (here).’55

(15:63) They said, ‘Rather, we have brought you what they have been doubting.

(15:64) We have brought you the truth. And indeed we speak truly.56

(15:65) Therefore, set forth with your home-folk during a portion of the night, yourself following them in the rear.57 And let none of you turn around;58 keep going to where you are commanded.’

(15:66) And We decreed to him the affair that the roots of these people will be severed by the morning.

(15:67) And the town folk came rejoicing.59

(15:68) He pleaded, ‘These are my guests. So put me not to shame.

(15:69) Fear Allah, and disgrace me not.’60

(15:70) They said, ‘Have we not forbidden you about all and sundry?’61

(15:71) He said, ‘Here, these are my daughters, if you will be doing.’62

(15:72) By your life,63 verily, in their drunkenness they were stumbling blindly.

(15:73) So a cry seized them by the sunrise.

(15:74) And we turned its uppermost bottommost and rained on them stones of baked clay.

(15:75) Surely, in that are signs for those who mark.64

(15:76) And it65 is right on the high-road.66

(15:77) Surely, in that is a sign for those who believe.

(15:78) Certainly, the dwellers in the Thicket were inveterate evildoers.67

(15:79) So we inflicted Our retribution on them. And they both68 lie on a high-way, open.


Commentary

55. The original “munkarun” carries the connotation of a slight distaste, as if Lut (asws) was not too happy with their visit. Qurtubi has something close to say.

Another possible rendition is: “You are a strange people.” And Lut only said that when he did everything possible to save them from the city-men raiding his house, but he observed that the guests themselves sat out coolly, quite unconcerned and pretty well-composed. So, as if Lut told them, “You are a strange people. I am working so hard to avoid the crisis, but you sit there complacently?” They replied, “Do not worry, we are angels and have been sent to destroy the towns” (Shabbir).

56. Perhaps Lut was finding it hard to reconcile himself to the fact that his people will be destroyed, root and branch (Au.).

For greater details of the story, summarized here, see Hud, verses 77-83.

57. That is, let none of you turn back when you hear the blast seize them (Ibn Kathir).

Why were they commanded not to look back? Mawdudi explains, “This does not mean that as soon as they looked behind, they would be turned into pillars of salt, as the Bible says (Genesis, 19: 26). What was being asked was simply that they should not be prompted by the noise behind them to pause and see what was going on.”

58. That is, ‘keep yourself at the rear as you set off, preventing anyone from falling out for any reason.

59. Majid remarks, “(They were pleased by) the news of the arrival of young and handsome strangers.”

60. This happened earlier, before he knew that they were angels, but sequence is not important here (Ibn Kathir). Nevertheless, it is also possible that when Lut came to know that they were angels and sent to destroy his people, he went out to the men to plead for sensibility, for one and the last time. Who knows, they could avoid the punishment? (Au.)

61. They reminded him that they had instructed him never to accept guests (who were their own right for their own purposes: Au.) nor offer them protection (Qatadah and others: Ibn Jarir).

62. He meant their own women, calling them his daughters because a Prophet is the father of his nation (Zamakhshari).

63. Qadi Abu Bakr b. `Arabiyy has said that the unanimous opinion of the commentators is that Allah swore by the life of our Prophet as a mark of honor, for, his own people, the Quraysh, were drunk in power, also stumbling blindly. However, Ibn al-`Arabiyy has added that there is no reason why Allah (swt) would not have sworn by the life of Lut. That of course will not reduce our own Prophet’s status (Qurtubi).

Qurtubi also points out that according to Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal and Malik, for us humans to swear by the life of the Prophet is a sin, calling for expiation, to which Ibn Khuwayzmandad has added that unless the meaning were to be, “by the Lord of Muhammad” in which case it would be allowable.

Majid comments on Allah swearing by the Prophet’s life, “It is the absolute purity of the holy Prophet’s life that is cited here as witness.”

64. It is akin to saying, ‘When you come across their story during your study of history, place a mark there’ (Au.).

Asad comments: “In its full significance, the term mutawassimun denotes ‘one who applies his mind to the study of the outward appearance of a thing with a view to understanding its real nature and its inner characteristics’ (Zamakhshari and Razi).

This is also the meaning given by the Salaf who said that it means, “mutafarrisin” meaning as given by Asad above. The Prophet (saws) has said in a hadith of Tirmidhi al-Hakeem,

إن لله عز وجل عبادا يعرفون الناس بالتوسم

“There are some slaves of Allah who know the people by (their) marks.” Another hadith says,

اتَّقُوا فِرَاسَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ، فَإِنَّهُ يَنْظُرُ بنورِ اللَّهِ

“Beware of the believer’s sight of eye. He sees by the light of Allah” (Tirmidhi, who declared it weak).

Ibn ‘Abbas said, “It never happened that someone asked me a question and I did not know whether the man is learned or not.”

And, it is reported that once Imam Shafe`i and Muhammad b. al-Hasan (Abu Hanifa’s pupil) were in the Ka`bah yard when a man entered the Haram gate. One of them said, “I think he is a carpenter.” Another said, “Rather, I believe he is a blacksmith.” Someone who had heard their remarks went up and asked the man what he did for his living. He said, “I used to be a carpenter, but now I work as a blacksmith.” It is reported of ‘Umar that when the Madh-hij tribe visited him with Ashtar as one of them, he looked hard at him and remarked, “I see in this man tribulations for the Muslims.” (Ashtar later played his role in the martyrdom of Hasan).

It is also reported that once Malik b. Anas passed by the market-place where he stared at a beautiful woman. When he entered upon ‘Uthman (b. ‘Affan) he remarked, “One of you enters upon me while he has marks of adultery in his eyes.” Malik remarked, “What! revelation after the Prophet?” He replied, “Rather not, but signs and penetrating eyes.” Many such incidents have been reported of the Salaf (Qurtubi).

65. That is, the city of Sodom (Ibn Jarir).

66. Now the city lies under the Dead Sea, as is in everybody’s knowledge (Ibn Kathir).

Asad writes: “The existence of that road, which led from northern Hijaz to Syria, skirting the Dead Sea - to the north-east of which Sodom and Gomorrah were situated - has received startling confirmation through aerial photographs recently published by the American School of Oriental Research (New Haven, Connecticut). These photographs clearly show the ancient road as a dark streak winding northwards, more or less parallel with the eastern shore of the Dead Sea.”

Yusuf Ali adds: “The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly destroyed, and even their precise position cannot be identified. But the brimstone plain of the tract still exists, right on the highway, between Arabia and Syria. To the traveler in the neighborhood of the Dead Sea the whole locality presents a scene of dismal desolation which truly suggests the awful punishment for unspeakable crimes.”

67. The word ‘aykah is for an orchard thick with trees (Ibn Kathir). According to Qatadah, they were one of the two nations to whom Shu`ayb (asws) was sent, the other being Madyan. These people are referred to as the dwellers in the Thicket (As-hab al-`aykah) because they owned huge orchards and whose economy largely depended on fruit production. It is said that when Allah (swt) decided on their destruction, He sent upon them a scorching heat lasting for a week. Thereafter He sent a piece of cloud. They gathered under its shade. A fire came down from the cloud and they were all burned. Hence the Qur’anic reference to the punishment elsewhere as (26: 189), “punishment of the day of Shade” (Ibn Jarir).

However, another opinion is that ‘Aykah was the name of a town (Shawkani).

68. Although Ibn Jarir writes that the allusion by “the two” is to the cities of Lut and Shu`ayb (Au.), it could also be to the two cities of Shu`ayb: the Thicket City and Madyan (Kashshaf and Razi).