Surah Al-Haj 22:58-64 - Quran Translation Commentary

(22:58) As for those who emigrated in Allah’s way, and got killed, or died (a natural death), Allah will provide for them a goodly provision.¹⁰⁴ And surely, Allah is the best of the providers.

(22:59) He shall surely admit them into a place¹⁰⁵ with which they will be pleased. Verily, Allah is All-knowing, All-clement.

(22:60) That, and he who retaliated in a measure he was injured, yet again is oppressed, surely Allah will help him,¹⁰⁶ Surely, Allah is the Pardoner, the Forgiving.

(22:61) That, because Allah makes the night enter into the day, and makes the day enter into the night,¹⁰⁷ and that Allah is All-hearing, All-seeing.

(22:62) That because Allah – He is the Truth, and that what they invoke besides Him, that is the falsehood, and that Allah is Most High, Most Great.

(22:63) Do you not see that Allah sends down from the heaven water, and forthwith the earth becomes clothed with green.¹⁰⁸ Surely, Allah is All-subtle,¹⁰⁹ All-aware.

(22:64) To Him belongs all that is in the heaven and in the earth. And surely, Allah – He is the Self-sufficient, the Praiseworthy.¹¹⁰

Commentary

104. Some scholars of the past have treated the one killed in the way of Allah, and another who died a natural death as of the same status. For instance, when two such dead were brought for burial (during a campaign), and Fudala b. `Ubayd noticed that greater number of people were with the man killed in the battle-field he remarked, “Personally, I don’t care from which grave I am resurrected” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi). The report is in Ibn Abi Hatim also (Ibn Kathir). What Fudalah meant perhaps is that once a man is in the way of Allah, then, whether he gets killed or dies a natural death, it is all the same: after all, in either case he dies in Allah’s cause (Razi, Alusi).

105. Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and many others understood the term “mudkhal” as Paradise, since “mudkhal” is the ‘noun of place’ (Shawkani).

106. It is reported that the Muslims encountered a Makkan sortie in the month of Muharram. They urged the pagans not to fight in the Sacred month. But they would not desist. So a fight ensued in which they suffered defeat, and Allah revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir, Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Another possible meaning is that after a believer has been wronged and he has avenged himself, he is attacked once again, then, it can be because his enemy sees him vulnerable. If that happens to be the situation, Allah’s intervention would be necessary to break the cycle of violence (Au.).

107. What this verse has to do with the previous one? The answer is, says Razi, when Allah said in the previous verse that He has the power to help the oppressed, to substantiation this He said that He has power over more difficult things, such as, making the night enter into the day and the day into the night.

Shabbir adds, “That is how Allah will make the day of Islam enter into the night of pagandom.”

108. The verse is not contrasting the situation of drought when the trees are barren, the plants dead and then, with the rain, the earth becomes green. That does not happen. It takes a couple of days for the earth to become green. But rather, the allusion is to the beauty that engulfs the world of plants after a goodly rain comes down after a spell of dry weather. Within hours the earth turns lush green offering a most refreshing sight (Au.).

Shabbir again, “That is how Allah will soon render the barren lands of pagandom into green lands of Islam,.”

109. “Lateef is both ‘gentle and benignant’ and ‘knower of subtleties and niceties’, and is used here in both senses” (Majid).

Yusuf Ali further explains the term, “Latif, as a name of Allah, is as difficult to define in words as the idea it seeks to represent is difficult to grasp in our minds. It implies (1) fine, subtle (the basic meaning); (2) so fine and subtle as to be imperceptible to human sight; (3) so pure as to be incomprehensible; (4) with sight so perfect as to see and understand the finest subtleties and mysteries; (5) so kind and gracious as to bestow gifts to the most refined kind; extraordinarily gracious and understanding. No. 4 is the predominant meaning here and in xii. 100; Nos. 2 and 3 in vi. 103; and No. 5 in xiii. 19; but every shade of meaning must be borne in mind in each case, as a subsidiary factor in the spiritual melody.”

110. Yusuf Ali once again presents to us a deeper meaning. He writes: Each of the verses xxii. 61-63 mentioned two attributes of Allah with reference to the contents of that verse. This verse now sums up the whole argument, and the two attributes with which it closes sum up the idea by which we can understand Allah’s goodness. Allah’s loving kindness and mercies are not like those of human creatures who all depend upon one another, and often expect some kindness or recognition in return. Allah is above all wants and depends in no way whatever on His creatures. His mercies have therefore a special quality, which we cannot describe except by gratefully singing the praises of Allah.”