Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:11-20 - Quran Translation Commentary

(46:11) And the unbelievers say with regard to the believers, ‘If it had been a good (thing), they would not have outstripped us to it;’⁹ and since they are not guided by it, they will surely say, ‘This is an old falsehood.’

(46:12) Yet before it was the Book of Musa, a guide and a mercy; and this is a Book confirming, in Arabic tongue, so that it might warn the wrongdoers, and as glad tiding to those who excel.

(46:13) Surely, those who said, ‘Allah is our Lord,’ and then stayed steadfast, no fear shall be on them nor shall they grieve.¹⁰

(46:14) Those are the companions of Paradise, abiding therein; as a recompense for what they were doing.

(46:15) We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents. His mother bore him in pain and gave birth in pain;¹¹ and his bearing and his weaning is in thirty months;¹² until when he attains his full strength¹³ and attains forty, he says, ‘My Lord, grant me that I be grateful for the blessings wherewith You have blessed me and my parents, and that I should do such good deeds as would please You; and make righteous for me my children. I turn to you (in penitence) and I am of those who have surrendered.’¹⁴

(46:16) They are those – among the Companions of Paradise - from whom We shall accept the best of what they did, and shall pass over their evil deeds¹⁵ - the promise of true word that they were being promised.

(46:17) As for him who said to his parents, ‘Fie upon you.¹⁶ Are you promising me that I will be brought forth, when already (many) generations have passed before me?’¹⁷ while they call upon Allah for help (saying), ‘Woe unto you! Believe. Surely, Allah’s promise is true.’ But he says, ‘This is nothing but tales of the ancients.’

(46:18) They are the ones against whom the Word has come true from among nations of Jinn and Men that passed away before them¹⁸ – that they were the losers.

(46:19) And for everyone are degrees,¹⁹ according to what they did, so that He might recompense them in full for their deeds; and they shall not be wronged.

(46:20) And the day the unbelievers are exposed to the Fire, ‘You exhausted your good things in the life of the world,²⁰ and enjoyed them well. Today you shall be recompensed with a punishment of extreme humiliation for that you waxed proud in the earth without any right and for that you were wont to act corruptions.’²¹

Commentary

9. The allusion was to Bilal, `Amm ar, Suhayb, Khabb ab and others of their like (Ibn Kathir), and Zinneerah, `Umar’s slave-girl (Shawkani).

Asad adds: “.. the above ‘saying’ has undoubtedly timeless import inasmuch as the poor and lowly have always been among the first to follow a prophet. Moreover, it may also have a bearing on our times as well, inasmuch as the materially powerful nations, whom their technological progress has blinded to many spiritual verities, are increasingly contemptuous of the weaknesses of those civilizations in which religion still plays an important, albeit largely formalistic, role; and so, not realizing that this very formalism and the ensuing cultural sterility, and not religious faith as such, is the innermost cause of that weakness, they attribute it to the influence of religion per se, saying, as it were, ‘If religion were any good, we would have been the first in holding on to it’ – thus ‘justifying’ their own materialistic attitude and their refusal to be guided by spiritual considerations.”

10. “The words, ‘Allah is our Lord,’ is not simply a statement made out. Indeed, it is not merely a catechism. But rather, it is a complete way of life that includes its every facet; in fact, every movement and every feeling. It becomes a criterion for thoughts and ideas, for the people, things, acts, events and relationships; everything in existence.

“Allah is our Lord: so, worship is His right alone, the direction is toward Him, of Him is the fear, and in Him is the trust.“Allah is our Lord: so, none is to be taken account of except Allah, and, there is no fear of anyone, no striving for anyone except He.

“Allah is our Lord: so, every activity, every thought, and every evaluation is directed to Him.

“Allah is our Lord: so, there is no seeking the commandment but from Him, and no authority but for His Laws and no guidance except His.

“Allah is our Lord: so, everything and everyone who is in existence is related to us and we meet them as related to Allah.

“Allah is our Lord: A complete way of life on this pattern; not a mere word uttered by the tongue, not a negative attitude or escape from the realities of life.

“Then comes steadfastness … after the path has been chosen, the heart’s steadfastness, the soul’s tranquility ... no regrets, no hesitancy, no doubts, no skepticism, and hence steadfastness of the deeds and acts, on the chosen path, the path filled with thorns, obstacles and hurdles, with side openings here and there (for those who wish to take the escape route).

“Such are those who shall have nothing to fear and nothing to regret” (Sayyid).

11. Majid quotes a few medical authorities on the pain that a woman bears in pregnancy: “Nature demands in her body a pitiless dictatorship of the ripening fetus, concentrates all her forces for the protection of this tiny lump of now living matter, and mercilessly demands for the latter the most complete self-abnegation on the part of all the organs and tissues of the mother.”.. “In case of the fertilization of her gamete by the male sex cell, woman is robbed of entire periods of her own individual life in which the biological processes are absorbed by the ‘physical altruism.’” .. “Though a physiological state, pregnancy imposes a strain on the efficient working of every system of the body..” “In no other living creature is the birth of a new individual accompanied by so much suffering as in the human race.” “Birth-giving pains are the most unbearable and, owing to the construction of woman’s body, are absolutely unavoidable.”

(Hadith literature is full of the rights of parents, and, in particular, of the mother). A single hadith may be quoted here. It is in Ibn Majah and Ahmed:

A man asked the Prophet, “Who deserves my good behavior most?” He replied, “Your mother.” He asked, “Who after her?” He said, “Your mother.” He asked, “Who after her?” He replied, “Your mother.” He asked, “Who after her?” He replied, “Your father.”

Sayyid comments: "How true..! It is reported that,

A man from Yemen appeared with his mother on his shoulders. He began to go round the Ka`ba saying, “I am her tamed camel. If she scares her mount, I will not be scared, and, she did not carry me more (than this).” Then he asked Ibn `Umar, “Have I recompensed her?” He replied, “No. Not even by a nail.”

Sayyid quotes the above as a hadith, and his commentator traces it to Al-Bahr of Bazzar. But it could not be located there. In the above two books it is preserved as a report involving Ibn `Umar and not the Prophet (Au.).

12. If this verse is compared with another of the Qur’an (2: 233):

“And (let the mothers) suckle their children two full years. This is for him who wishes to complete the suckling,” then, the conclusion drawn by the legal authorities is that a successful birth can take place six months after pregnancy, (i.e., thirty months including pregnancy and feeding, minus 24 months of feeding).

Alusi adds: The minimum is known (i.e. six months), and has been the reported observation of one of the Greek philosophers; but there is no consensus over the maximum period of pregnancy. Ibn Sina reports in his “Kitab al-Shifa’) that he came to know through very reliable sources that a woman gave birth four year after pregnancy, and that the child had grown teeth.

Ibn Kathir presents a report which says that once `Uthman had condemned a woman to stoning because she gave birth to a child in six months after pregnancy, and that `Ali intervened and explained that the possibility was there. He used these two verses to make the deduction. But the report is not found in any hadith collection, and seems to be forged, although no Hadith Doctor has said so, obviously because it is not there at all in any hadith collection. Ibn Jarir does not mention it either (Au.).

13. At this point “ashadd (fi ‘l `umuri)” [attainment of full age] perhaps alludes to forty years, as the following words of the ayah indicate (Au.).

Ibn Kathir states: “When he has attained his full age”: i.e., at the age when his physical and mental maturity is complete and he has attained (a few) abilities. (This could happen early for some, later for others). Forty years however is the time in life when the intellect is at its full maturity, comprehensive abilities are well achieved and when further changes are not likely.

In other words, the interpretation of “ashadd (fi ‘al `umuri)” will depend on the context. If basic obligations are concerned, such as Salah, Zakah, participation in Jihad, etc., the “attaining of full age” is physical maturity. But when the attainment of “full mental maturity” is concerned, it would be forty as stated by some of the Salaf (Au.). Zamakhshari writes: We could also say that the age of full maturity starts in early thirties and ends with forty.

14. It is said that the verse was revealed in reference to Abu Bakr and his father Abu Quhafa. It is also said that there was none among the Emigrants or Ansar except Abu Bakr who had the distinction of he, his parents and children (three generations) bearing testimony to the truth of Islam (Zamakhshari, Razi). Indeed, his slaves could also be mentioned (Au.).

Qurtubi writes: Although the application is general, applying to everyone who is qualified with qualities stated in this passage, its immediate application was to Abu Bakr. A single report may be presented here. It is from Muslim:

The Prophet (saws) asked a group of Companions: “Which of you is fasting today?” Abu Bakr said, “I.” He asked, “Which of you has been to the graveyard today following a bier?” Abu Bakr replied, “I.” He asked, “Which of you has fed a destitute today?” Abu Bakr replied, “I.” He asked, “Which of you has visited a sick man today?” Abu Bakr replied, “I.” The Prophet said, “Never will these qualities combine in a man but he will enter Paradise.”

15. Ibn Abi Hatim reports from Yusuf b. Sa`d, who narrated on the authority of Muhammad b. Hatib, that once while `Ali lay on a couch, `Ammar, Sa`sa`ah, Ashtar and Muhammad b. Abi Bakr, who were sitting around, began to talk ill of `Uthman. One of them said, “Now, you have someone here. Why should you not get his opinion?” So they asked `Ali. He answered, “`Uthman was of those about whom Allah said, ‘They are those – in Paradise - from whom We shall accept the best of what they did, and shall pass over their evil deeds.’ Then he added, “By Allah, (it applied to) `Uthman and his companions.” At that Yusuf added, “I asked Muhammad b. Hatib, ‘By Allah, did you hear this from `Ali?’ He answered, ‘By Allah, I heard this from `Ali” (Ibn Kathir).

16. Yusuf Ali’s commentary offers solace to many: “A godly man often has an ungodly son, who flouts all that the father held sacred, and looks upon his father himself as old-fashioned and unworthy of respect or regard. The contrast in an individual family may be matched by the contrast in the passing and the rising generations of mankind. All this happens as a passing phase in the nominal evolution of mankind, and there is nothing in this to be despondent about. What we have to do is for the mature generations to bring up their successors in godly ways, and for the younger generations to realize that age and experience count for something, especially in the understanding of spiritual matters and other matters of the highest moment to man.”

Some of the earliest commentators have reportedly said that it was `Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Bakr who had said this to his parents. But this is not correct. (Although it is true that he was late in embracing Islam, having fought against Muslims at Badr and Uhud: Qurtubi at v.71 of al-An`am), he was an excellent Muslim (who was earlier known as `Abd al Ka`ba, which was changed on the Prophet’s suggestion to `Abd al-Rahman after he embraced Islam. He was a participant at Hudaybiyyah: Qurtubi). It is said that when Marwan was trying to recruit support for Mu`awiyyah, who had decided to nominate Yezid as his successor, he (Marwan) began to say in (the Prophet’s) mosque that if Mu`awiyyah was nominating a caliph after him then (it was nothing new) as he was following the “sunnah” of Abu Bakr and `Umar, who too had nominated. At that `Abd al-Rahman interrupted him to say, “But rather this is the Sunnah of the Roman and Persian emperors.” Marwan was mad at him and tried to get him arrested. But `Abd al-Rahman escaped into the house of (his sister) `A’isha. Frustrated, Marwan said, “It is this man about whom Allah (swt) revealed, ‘He who said to his parents, fie upon you.’” When this statement reached `A’isha she reacted strongly, and said, “Marwan lied. It was not `Abd al-Rahman. If I wished I could reveal the name of the person who had said this to his parents. But rather, the Messenger of Allah had cursed Marwan’s father (Al-Hakam b. abi al-` As) while Marwan was in his loins. Thus, Marwan is an outcome of Allah’s curse” (Zamakhshari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Kathir and Shawkani also present a shorter version of the above report as in Bukhari.

Moreover, Alusi and some others add, the latter part of the verse tells us emphatically that it cannot be applied to `Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Bakr. He had also participated in the battles of Yamamah against the apostates.

17. That is, so many generations have passed before, but none came back alive (Ibn Jarir).

18. This verse is evidential that the Jinn also die and are replaced by new generations (Alusi).

19. That is, ranks both in Paradise as well as in Hellfire, in accordance with the deeds (Au.).

20. It is reported that the Prophet went up the platform (known as Suffah) where the impoverished Muslims spent their time. He found them with tattered clothes that had been patched up with leather pieces. He asked them, in effect, “Are you better today than what you will be tomorrow, well-dressed up and covering your homes with drapes, like you cover the Ka`bah with drapes?” They replied, “That day we should be in a better condition.” He said, “Rather, today you are in a better condition” (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari).

And, Qays al-Ash`ari reports his father saying, “My son! Only if you had seen us those days with the Prophet, when it would rain upon us and we would begin to stink like goats, because we wore (rough) woolen clothes.” It is reported of `Umar that when he visited Syria, he was offered a dinner full of delicacies. He remarked, “This is for us! But what about those of the poor Muslims who left this world in a state that they could not fill their stomachs, not even from barley meals?” Khalid b. al-Walid said, “They will be rewarded with Paradise.” Umar’s eyes became wet. He said, “If this is the junk that we get, then, surely, they left us high and dry, far removed from us” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi). `Umar also said at that point, writes Zamakhshari, “I would rather reserve the good things for the Hereafter.”

Qurtubi adds: In our modern culture, it might be enough if one ate what comes by the way, not going after the dainties and delicacies (wasting his time getting them). Today, the emphasis has to be on the consumption of that alone which is lawful.

(That is, these are times of plenty, when we need not worry over the high quality of food we consume, as against the poor quality consumed by the Salaf, but rather, we might only take care not to consume the unlawful. And of course, in all circumstances, moderation should never be lost sight of: Au.).

21. That is, they were corrupt of heart and corrupt of limbs (Alusi).