Surah Al-Qamar 54:41-55 - Quran Translation Commentary

27. It is reported that `Umar used to wonder what multitude it is and what defeat it will be until, “I saw the Prophet on the day of Badr clad in a coat of mail (emerging from his tent) saying, ‘The multitude will be routed and show their backs.’ It was then that I realized what it meant“ (Zamakhshari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

28. That is, the torments the unbelievers will go through as a result of their disbelief are much simpler than the perils and bitterness that are to follow in the Hereafter (Razi).

Bukhari preserved the following:

`A’isha says, “I was a little a girl in Makkah, playing, when this was revealed to Muhammad, peace be upon him, ‘Nay, the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour is most perilous and most bitter’” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

29. Ibn Kathir foreshadows modern style of interpretation when he says, “The allusion at this point by ‘su`ur’ – although meaning fires - is to the inner condition of doubts, skepticism, uncertainty and anxiety, that visit every unbeliever, and which finally lead him to the Fire in the next world.”

nother possible connotation of “su`ur” is madness (Razi and others).

30. “Saqar” is one of the names of Hell (Zamakhshari).

31. “Qadr” has several connotations, two prominent ones being: (a) measure, and (b) divine decree (Razi).

Of course, a creation which results in an organized system, in addition to the balance obtained, necessarily leads to predestined decree; so, the two lead to one and the same meaning (Au.).

Muslim, as well as Ahmad have a hadith explaining the context of revelation:

The pagans went up to the Prophet arguing about pre-destination, so Allah revealed this verse.

Ibn Kathir (and partly Qurtubi) goes on to narrate a few more ahadith on this topic. One is in Ahmad (declared more or less trustworthy by Haythami: Au.),

Ibn `Abbas was told, “A man has appeared who denies predestination.” He said, “Lead me to him.” He was then blind. They said, “What will you do with him?” He answered, “By him in whose power is my life, if I manage to overpower him I will pluck out his nose. If I get hold of his throat, I will strangle him. I have heard the Prophet say, ‘As if I can see Banu Fihr’s women (of Khazraj) circumambulating, but idolatresses. This (denial of pre-destination) is the first of the acts of Association (paganism, while of the women described above being last: Au.). By Him in whose Hand is my life, either they will give up their evil opinions about Allah, or they will end up ruling out Allah as One who destined the good, just as they have ruled Him out as having destined the evil.”

The following is from Tafsir of Ibn Abi Hatim,

`Ata’ b. Rabah said, “I met Ibn `Abbas while he was drawing water from Zamzam well. The hem of his lower garment had become wet. I said, ‘They are talking about pre-destination.’ He said, ‘Are they doing it?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘By Allah, the ayah, “Taste then the Saqar, We have indeed created following a predestined a measure’ – was revealed in reference to these people. They are the most evil of this Ummah. So, do not visit their sick, do not Pray over their dead. If I were to see one of them I would pluck his eyes with these two fingers of mine.’”

The above is not a hadith and its authenticity-report could not be traced (Au.).

The following is from Abu Da’ud and Musnad Ahmad:,

It is said that Ibn `Umar had a friend in Syria with whom he used to exchange correspondence. Ibn `Umar wrote to him, “I have been told that you talk about pre-destination (i.e., deny it). Stop writing to me henceforth for I have heard the Prophet say, ‘There will be people in my Ummah who will deny pre-destination.’”

In this connection, the following report declared trustworthy by Tirmidhi is traceable to Ibn Majah and Ahmad (Au.).

Nafe` reports that a man came to Ibn `Umar and told him that so and so sends you his salam. He replied, “I have come to know that he has brought in some innovation. If it is true that he has brought in innovation, then do not give him my salam for I have heard the Prophet say, ‘There will be in this Ummah (or perhaps he said, ‘my Ummah’), earth-splitting, transformation, or pelting (of stones) upon those who deny pre-destination.’”

One more is from Muslim:

Ta’us said, “I met several Companions of the Prophet who used to say that everything is by predestination.” He also said, “I heard `Abdullah ibn `Umar report the Prophet as saying, ‘Everything is by predestination to the extent of dullness and smartness’ or (maybe he said), smartness and dullness.’”

There is another hadith in Muslim that pertains to this topic. It reports the Prophet as having said,

“Seek Allah’s help and do not sit back. Yet, if you are struck by something, do not say, ‘Had I done that, it would not have struck me in this way.’ Rather say, ‘By Allah’s decree. What Allah willed, He accomplished.’ For, “if” opens the way for Satan.”

One more on the topic is from Tirmidhi. A longer hadith that ends with the Prophet’s admonition to Ibn `Abbas in words,

“And know that if the people were to gather together to do you a good, they will not be able to benefit you except by as much as Allah has written it for you; and if they gather together to do you a harm, they will not be able to harm you except by as much as Allah has written for you. Pens have been lifted and the Scriptures have gone dry.”

Yet another report is from Ahmad but whose authenticity-status could not be traced:

`Ubadah’s son reports, “I entered upon `Ubadah. He was sick and I thought his sickness will probably end his life. I said, ‘Father, advice me and take the trouble for me.’ He said, ‘Make me sit up.’ Then he said, ‘My son. You will never taste the sweetness of faith nor ever reach the dept of knowledge of Allah until you believe in the divine decree, the good of it and the bad of it.’ I asked, ‘My father. How am I to know the good of the decree and its evil?’ He replied, ‘By knowing that what missed you could not have struck you, and what struck you could not have missed you. My son, I have heard the Prophet say that the first thing that Allah created was the Pen. And then said to it, “Write.” At that hour it wrote down all that was going to happen until the Day of Standing. My son. If you died but not on this faith, you will enter the Fire.’”

Another report in this context is also in Tirmidhi who declared it Hasan Sahih Ghareeb.

Abdullah b. `Amr said, “I heard the Prophet say, ‘Allah wrote down the decrees of the creations fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth. His `Arsh was then on water.’”

Quotes from Ibn Kathir (and Qurtubi) end here.

Referring to the word “qadr” (meaning “measure, or balance”) Sayyid writes on the balance that the created world exhibits. It is being observed that there is perfect balance of forces in the things as they exist: galaxies, stars, planets and their satellites. The placement of each cosmic object, with its size, its mass and its gravitational power, at appointed places, in orbits suitable for maintenance of order, speaks of the measures.

The existence of life on this earth is possible because of various balances maintained between it and other cosmic bodies. Its placement in a particular zone around the sun, its exact distance from the sun, the sun’s size, mass, energy and gravitational pull, the earth’s tilt, its speed of rotation around its own axis as well as around the sun, the presence of moon causing tides in a certain measure: not to inundate the land altogether, nor leave the waters undisturbed altogether, all these are so finely balanced that any minor alteration can lead to a situation in which life cannot exist.

Come down to life. We have pointed out earlier how the balance of population is maintained on the earth. Large, flesh eating animals are few in numbers: lions, eagles, etc. If they were too many, they would eat off all the smaller animals and die out themselves. Flies, for instance, lay eggs in millions. But they do not live for more than 15 days. Their eggs are the diet of several large animals by means of which their population remains controlled, otherwise they would fill the earth. (The Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia states that if a pair of fruit flies are left to multiply, unhindered for one year, they will make a ball of flies of diameter between the earth and the sun: Au.). Or consider the microbes. There are millions upon millions of them. But they are infinitesimally small, and easily destroyed, otherwise, they multiply so fast that no other life-form would be possible if they are allowed to grow in numbers without check.

The balance, check and existence in well-decreed quantities, is visible in the construction and function of living bodies also. Consider a mother’s breast milk. There is hardly any before birth yielding a few milliliters immediately after birth. But in time, as the child grows, the yield increases to about a liter and a half per day. At the start the milk is low in fats and sugars, high in water content, thin and yellowish. It has such chemical elements as which kill off various diseases that attack the infant. Subsequent yield is higher in fat and sugars. Thus, day by day the milk is altered in contents to suit the child as it grows. This is by Allah’s decree (condensed and re-worded).

32. Such as the word “kun” with which the things become in a twinkling of the eye (Razi). One quick example is that of a speck of dust called virus, or viroid, of which millions float around. But no sooner does one of these DNA packages enters into a cell’s machinery, it comes alive in the twinkling of an eye (Au.).

33. Hence one should heed the advice the Prophet gave to `A’isha. He said to her,

“`A’isha. Beware of the insignificant sins for there is someone from Allah demanding” (the consequences: Au.) – Ibn Kathir.

34. While the word “maq`ad” carries the meaning of place, it also carries the connotation of time (Razi).

35. But this closeness is not in the sense of measurable distance, but in the sense of status, honor and respect (Razi, Qurtubi).