Surah Ash-Shuraa 42:1-9 - Quran Translation Commentary

(42:5) The heavens would almost burst forth from above them;⁵ the angels celebrate the praises of their Lord and seek forgiveness for those on earth. Lo! Allah is indeed the All-forgiving, the All-merciful.

(42:6) As for those who took protectors other than Him, Allah is a Watcher over them; you are not a guardian over them.

(42:7) And thus have We revealed to you an Arabic Qur’ān,⁶ that you may warn the Mother of the Towns⁷ and those around it,⁸ and warn of the Day of gathering, wherein is no doubt: a group in Paradise and a group in the Blaze.⁹

(42:8) And, had Allah willed, He could surely have made them one community but He admits into His mercy whomsoever He will.¹⁰ As for the transgressors,¹¹ they have neither a protector nor a helper.

(42:9) Or, have they taken protectors besides Him? But it is Allah who is the (true) Protector; He quickens the dead and He has power over all things.

Commentary

2. Ibn Kathir presents at this point the well-known hadīth from the Sahihayn: `A’isha reports that Harith b. Hisham asked the Prophet, “Messenger of Allah, how does the revelation come to you?” He replied, “Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell.

This one is the most difficult of its kind. Then, as it is drawn to a close I would have retained in memory all that he (the angel) would have said. At other times the angel appears to me in the form of a man. He speaks to me and I am able to retain in memory what he said.” `A’isha - Allah be pleased with her - said, “I have seen him on a chillingly cold day, the revelation coming down upon him. By the time it stopped sweat would be dropping down his forehead.”

3. “I.e.,” writes Asad, “the basic truths propounded in the Qur’ānic revelation – some of which are summarized in the sequence – are the same as those revealed to all the earlier prophets.”

Some commentators have pointed out however, that by the use of the past-present tense in “yuhi”, a hint is hidden that this revelation is not a new or odd phenomenon, but rather, your Lord has been revealing His messages throughout human history.

4. Commenting on, “To Him belongs what is in the heavens and the earth,” Sayyid writes: “Quite some people, deceived by the fact that they find things in their hands subjected to them, benefitting them and which they can use as they wish, are led to believe that they own those things. Of course they do not. Allah is the real owner. It is He who creates and destroys, who gives life and deals death, who has the power to let people own what He wishes, or take away from their possession what He will, to place them in the hands of some others when He will. True ownership remains in His hands who dispenses with them in a manner that suits His Grand Plan. Things respond to Him and transform themselves following His Scheme. In this latter sense, none has the ownership of the heavens and the earth but He.

Once a people become fully cognizant of this fact, they know where and how to seek them and how to deal with them.”

5. “From above them”: i.e., owing to the Greatness and Majesty of the Lord of the worlds above them – an opinion attributed to Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah and Suddi (Ibn Jarir); wherein, “above” is not for indicating the direction (Au.).

If it is asked, writes Zamakhshari, why “from above them?” then the answer is: Because the greatest of signs and evidences with reference to the Exaltedness and Majesty are above the heavens viz., the `Arsh, the Kursiyy, rows of angels, their glories of their Lord, their praises ringing around the `Arsh, and various other holy manifestations of His stupendous Power and Kingdom. These are all above the heavens (under the force of which they could burst forth).

Another opinion as attributed to Ibn `Abbas preserved by Hakim is that the heavens could collapse because of the weight (of the angels above them) – Alusi. This is supported by a hadīth in Musnad Ahmad which says, “The heaven creaks, and it is right of it that it should creak for there is not a four-finger space but an angel is there in prostration.”

Thanwi tries to answer a doubt raised by the materialists concerning weight of the angels. But for today’s Muslim it should offer no difficulty to imagine that billions upon billions of angels, each loaded with immense energy (being made of “nur”), the heaven below them could well collapse if not for Allah’s holding Power.

A third opinion is that the heavens could burst forth because of attribution of a son to Allah. The following verse supports this (19: 90-91): “The heavens could well-nigh explode thereby, the earth split asunder, and the mountains collapse into ruins, that they should attribute to the Most Merciful a son.”

6. The objective of the statement that this is an Arabic Qur’ān is to impress on its being plain, simple, and, communicating its message in clear terms (Ibn Kathir, reworded).

`Araba is to express oneself clearly, plainly, distinctly and precisely, in chaste language (Au.).

7. That is, Makkah, because, according to one opinion, it has been the spiritual center throughout human history, and, according to another, because the earth was stretched from below it. As for being the spiritual center throughout human history, this might sound a little strange, but we need to recall the ahadīth that speak of the ancient Prophets visiting Makkah for pilgrimage. Abu Ya`la has a report in his collection narrated by Ibn `Abbas that, “When the Prophet arrived at the `Usfan valley during his Hajj, he asked Abu Bakr, what valley it was? Abu Bakr replied that it was the `Usfan valley. The Prophet said, ‘Nuh, Hud and Ibrahim have passed by this valley on their red camels led by coiled halters, wearing a lower garment and an upper striped cloak.

They had come to perform the pilgrimage of the Ancient House.’”

The Musnad of Ahmad has another report of Ibn `Abbas who said, “When the Prophet passed by the `Usfan valley during his pilgrimage, he asked, ‘Abu Bakr, what valley is this?’ He told him that it was the `Usfan valley. The Prophet said, ‘Hud and Saleh passed by this valley on red camels, coiled halters, wearing lower garments and striped cloaks, uttering the Supplicatory words of pilgrimage of the Ancient House.’”

Haythami said about the report of Ahmad that one of the narrators was a controversial person; while he was considered weak by some, a few others treated him as trustworthy (Au.).

Writes Ibn Kathir: Makkah has been so called because it is the holiest of lands in the sight of Allah as several ahadīth tell us. One of them is as follows: `Abdullah ibn `Adiyy says, “I have seen the Prophet standing on (a mound of earth called) Hazwarah and saying, ‘Surely, you are the best of Allah’s lands, and the most pleasing to Allah. If I was not forced out, I would not have left.’”

This version is in Tirmidhi who judged it Hasan-Gharib-Sahih. Similar reports are in Nasa’i and Ibn Majah (Ibn Kathir).

Some Orientalists have used this Ayah to argue that the Prophet was sent only to the Arabs. It is a strange case of seeking evidence from the Qur’ān while disbelieving in it. If the Qur’ān is trustworthy in its statement that the Prophet’s mission was restricted to the Arabs, then, why is it not trustworthy in its statement that there is no god but One? Or, as Imām Razi has pointed out, why is it not trustworthy in its other statement (34: 28): “We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but to the whole of the mankind.”

8. “Those around it” could include the settlements around Makkah as well as all those living around it in every direction (right up to where the human population ends) – Shafi`.

See Surah Anfal, note 153 for a fuller discussion.

Sayyid Qutb presents a somewhat detailed, although not a fully comprehensive, discussion as to why Allah chose Makkah and its surroundings as the first choice for sending down and addressing the final Message in the Arabic language. He writes in effect, “Obviously, Allah knows where to place His Message. Nonetheless, when we look back at the events and occurrences behind us, beyond the conditions and demands of our times, and, considering all that this mission has been through, yielding the results and consequences that have been, we begin to realize some of the wisdom that could have been there for choosing this place as the center for a message whose universality had been decided from day one.

“At the time of the birth of this final message, this earth was ruled principally by four empires: (i) Roman, covering Europe and parts of Asia and Africa; (ii) Persian, extended over parts of Asia and Africa; (iii) Indian and, (iv) Chinese. The last two were more or less confined to themselves, locked in, politically, religiously, and culturally, within their boundaries. It were the first two that had far reaching influence on the humans and their developments.

“Two revealed religions, Jewish and Christian, were confined in their influence to within these two great empires. They were, of course, under the subjugation of these two empires, having failed to win them over to their causes, in addition to themselves having suffered (moral and spiritual) corruptions and degeneration.

“Judaism had suffered ravages, sometimes at the hands of the Persians and at others at the hands of the Roman imperialism. It could not find any quarter in the lands worthy of consideration where it could rule the people and their hearts. It ended up becoming, for a variety of reasons, a closed religion, reserved for the Israelites, without any wish on the part of its followers to accommodate people other than those of their race.

“As for Christianity, it took birth within the shades of the Roman imperialism.

It ruled all those areas: Palestine, Syria, Egypt and others, where this new religion was being spread secretly. It used to conceal itself from the reaches of the ruling power which was persecuting it resulting in the death of thousands of Christians. But when the era of persecution ended, and the rulers themselves came into Christianity, they brought in with them all the superstitions and practices that were part of the pagan religion. They even brought in with them the issues that were being hotly debated among the pagan Greeks. Christianity took a new form, one which had nothing to do with the revealed religion that it was at birth. The imperial state too, which had accepted this new faith, was in no way influenced by it. The state in fact ruled the religion. It was not the other way round. Over and above this, Christianity itself broke into countless sects, of such severity, that the divisions all but divided the empire itself.

“It was in this situation that Islam appeared. It came to rid human ity of all that it was suffering from: corruption, degeneration, tyranny, and ignorance that filled every place.

It came to rule over humanity and guide it to light. In view of the above, it was necessary for Islam to begin its work in an area untouched by occupation; a place which had remained free of slavery to imperialism of the sort that surrounded it. It had to take root and grow free of all the corruptions and degenerations that previous religious systems had suffered.

The Mother of the Towns, therefore, was most suited as a starting point before it spread over the globe.

“At the time Islam appeared, there was no government of any sort in Arabia. This geographical patch was free of rules and regulations, police and armies, system of government and its overwhelming dominance over life and society. It imposed no state religion, no set of beliefs upon a subdued people, as it happens to be the state of affairs in oppressive states. Nor was there a systematized religion with clear-cut beliefs and practices. But rather, it was a disorganized house of pagan pantheons, disunited in beliefs and disunited in practices. Consequently, there was no united religious force to stand up and face Islam. If not for the material and economic interests attached to the old system, the Quraysh would not have in fact opposed Islam as vehemently as they did.

“On the political front, things were not better organized than on the religious front which of course was a favorable point since that left no organized political system to take a stand against Islam.

“Within the chaos, there were values that were upheld by all. They came to Islam’s aid. For example, the social system was tribal-based. Family had a strong appeal. Therefore, when the Prophet stood up with his message, he found Banu Hashim – although by and large unbelievers - supporting him with their drawn swords for no reason other than that he was a Hashimi. In fact, the tribes withheld their hands from every one of the earliest Muslims who had the most insignificant connection with one or the other tribe, leaving those tribes to discipline or torture them themselves.

Those slaves that had embraced Islam were tortured by their own masters. None else could touch them. When Abu Bakr purchased them and freed them, once again no one could dare stretch his hand at them. This of course was a favorable factor for Islam.

“In addition, there were certain Arab characteristics, specific to them, such as, courage, fortitude, pride, etc., that were necessary traits for taking a new mission forward and bearing the hardships that it demanded.

“Again, the Arab Peninsula was then carrying as seeds personalities of such extraordinary qualities that proved useful later. They were also well experienced in the affairs of the world, and had good knowledge of the surrounding world by virtue of their travel to the north and the south every now and then entering into the territories of the two notable empires of the time, Roman and Persian. After Islam had taken good roots, these seeds became trees and Islam was able to make good use of them for the propagation of its message. Presence of extraordinary figures in such large numbers had surely a hidden Hand. Personalities such as: Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, `Ali, Hamza, `Abbas, Abu `Ubaydah, Sa`d b. Waqqas, Khalid b. Walid, Sa`d b. Mu`adh, Abu Ayyub Ansari and numerous other figures (of such stature as only appear as singles among nations over centuries: Au.) welcomed Islam, bore its message, took it forward, and spread it around. No doubt, they were the products of Islam, but the potential was there.

“This is not the place to deal with this issue in a thorough fashion. It might require a whole work for a better understanding.

Enough should be the few points we have placed above, for a common reader to get some idea of the causes that made the spread of Islam possible, the reasons why Allah chose the Mother of the Towns and its surroundings as the area to be first addressed.”

9. In connection with the statement, “a party in Paradise and a party in the Blaze,” the following Hasan-Gharib- Sahih hadīth could be quoted. (Ibn Jarir presents it at Ayah 7): `Abdullah b. `Amr narrated, “The Prophet came out with two books in his hand. He asked, ‘Do you know what these two books are?’ We said, ‘No, O Messenger of Allah. Will you not tell us?’ So pointing to his right hand he said, ‘This is the book of the Lord of the worlds. Herein are names of the inhabitants of Paradise complete with the names of their fathers and tribes. The list ends with the last of them so that there will never be any addition or deletion.’ Then he said about what was in the left hand, ‘This is the Book of the Lord of the worlds.

Herein are names of the inhabitants of the Fire, complete with the names of their fathers and tribes. The list ends with the last of them so that there will never be any addition or deletion.’ At that his Companions said, ‘Then for what end the deeds, O Messenger of Allah, if the affair has already been decided?’ He answered, ‘Be steadfast and try to be (as) close (to the ideal as possible).

As for the man of Paradise, (his life) will be terminated in accordance with the deeds of the inhabitants of Paradise no matter what he did (during the life). As for the man of Hellfire, (his life) will be terminated in accordance with the deeds of the inhabitants of Paradise no matter what he did (during the life).’ Then the Prophet tossed away the two books and said, ‘Allah is done with (His) slaves, a group in Paradise and a group in the Fire.’” (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

Tirmidhi remarked that this is a Hasan-Gharib-Sahih report. A similar report is in Nasa’i.

10. One possible connotation is, Allah (swt) could have made the people a single community of either believers or unbelievers – Qurtubi.

That is, had Allah willed, He could have forced them all to belief, or, could have left them all to themselves and they would all have cho- sen disbelief. But He opens the gates of mercy and guides some to belief to admit them in (Au.).

11. The words, “He admits into His mercy whomsoever He will; as for the transgressors ..” are plain in their meaning that it is Allah who admits people into belief and obedience: by His mercy, but it is humans who leave themselves out of the range of mercy by adopting transgression (based on Razi).