Surah Al-Qalam 68:34-52 - Quran Translation Commentary

26. Yusuf Ali comments: “The spiritual arrogance which rejects faith in Allah is perhaps the worst Sin, because it makes itself impervious to the Mercy of Allah, as a bed of clay is impervious to the absorption of water. It sets up its own standards and its own will, but how can it measure or bind the Will of Allah? It sets up its own fetishes, idols, priests, gods, or godlings. The fetishes may be even God-given gifts or faculties. Intellect or Science, if pushed up to the position of idols. If they are made rivals to Allah, question them: Will they solve Allah’s mysteries, or even the mysteries of Life and Soul?”

27. “It is clearly against both logic and justice that men of righteousness should have the same End as men of sin. Even in this life, man cannot command whatever he chooses though he is allowed a limited freedom of choice. How can he expect such a thing under a reign of perfect Justice and Truth?” (Yusuf Ali).

28. “Nor can the Pagans plead that they have any special Covenants with Allah which give them a favoured position above other mortals. The ‘Chosen Race’ idea of the Jews is also condemned. It is quite true that a certain race or group, on account of special aptitude may be chosen by Allah to uphold His truth and preach it. But this is conditional on their following Allah’s Law. As soon as they become arrogant and selfish, they lose that position. They cannot have a perpetual and unconditional lease till the Day of Judgment" (Yusuf Ali).

29. Or, “will be a guarantor” (Ibn Jarir).

30. Some scholars have suggested that this verse is of the “mutashabihat” type whose meaning cannot be unraveled (Thanwi).

Majid echoes the understanding of the Salaf (as in Ibn Jarir) when he comments: “i.e., some very special form of Divine Manifestation will take place (Th.). But the expression ‘uncovering the shank in Arabic has also another meaning, and is indicative of a grievous and terrible calamity.”

Ibn Kathir writes: The allusion is to the Day of Judgment when events of extraordinary significance will take place. Bukhari said explaining this ayah: عَنْ أَبِى سَعِيدٍ - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِىَّ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يَقُولُ « يَكْشِفُ رَبُّنَا عَنْ سَاقِهِ فَيَسْجُدُ لَهُ كُلُّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَمُؤْمِنَةٍ ، وَيَبْقَى مَنْ كَانَ يَسْجُدُ فِى الدُّنْيَا رِئَاءً وَسُمْعَةً ، فَيَذْهَبُ لِيَسْجُدَ فَيَعُودُ ظَهْرُهُ طَبَقًا وَاحِدًا » Abu Sa`id said that he heard the Prophet say, “Our Lord will lay bare His shank. Every believing man or woman will fall prostrate, there remaining those who used to fall prostrate in the world only to be seen and heard (making a show off). Such a one will try to make a prostration but his back will harden up to become a stiff plate.”

To the above, Ibn Kathir adds: This is how Ibn Jarir understood this verse, and this is how Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others explained it.

Hafiz ibn Hajr points out that another version of the hadith (as in Muslim) does not use the word “`an saqihi” but rather “`an saq” (without the pronoun) which takes the report closer to the Qur’anic text.

Ibn Jarir produces several reports carrying the same meaning as the one in the collection of Muslim, which we reproduce here, although not the whole of it. عَنْ أَبِى سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِىِّ أَنَّ نَاسًا فِى زَمَنِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ نَرَى رَبَّنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « نَعَمْ ». قَالَ « هَلْ تُضَارُّونَ فِى رُؤْيَةِ الشَّمْسِ بِالظَّهِيرَةِ صَحْوًا لَيْسَ مَعَهَا سَحَابٌ وَهَلْ تُضَارُّونَ فِى رُؤْيَةِ الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ صَحْوًا لَيْسَ فِيهَا سَحَابٌ ». قَالُوا لاَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ « مَا تُضَارُّونَ فِى رُؤْيَةِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلاَّ كَمَا تُضَارُّونَ فِى رُؤْيَةِ أَحَدِهِمَا إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ لِيَتَّبِعْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ مَا كَانَتْ تَعْبُدُ. فَلاَ يَبْقَى أَحَدٌ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ غَيْرَ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ مِنَ الأَصْنَامِ وَالأَنْصَابِ إِلاَّ يَتَسَاقَطُونَ فِى النَّارِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ مَنْ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ مِنْ بَرٍّ وَفَاجِرٍ وَغُبَّرِ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَيُدْعَى الْيَهُودُ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ قَالُوا كُنَّا نَعْبُدُ عُزَيْرَ ابْنَ اللَّهِ. فَيُقَالُ كَذَبْتُمْ مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِنْ صَاحِبَةٍ وَلاَ وَلَدٍ فَمَاذَا تَبْغُونَ قَالُوا عَطِشْنَا يَا رَبَّنَا فَاسْقِنَا. فَيُشَارُ إِلَيْهِمْ أَلاَ تَرِدُونَ فَيُحْشَرُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ كَأَنَّهَا سَرَابٌ يَحْطِمُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا فَيَتَسَاقَطُونَ فِى النَّارِ. ثُمَّ يُدْعَى النَّصَارَى فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ قَالُوا كُنَّا نَعْبُدُ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ اللَّهِ. فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ كَذَبْتُمْ. مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِنْ صَاحِبَةٍ وَلاَ وَلَدٍ. فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ مَاذَا تَبْغُونَ فَيَقُولُونَ عَطِشْنَا يَا رَبَّنَا فَاسْقِنَا. - قَالَ - فَيُشَارُ إِلَيْهِمْ أَلاَ تَرِدُونَ فَيُحْشَرُونَ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ كَأَنَّهَا سَرَابٌ يَحْطِمُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا فَيَتَسَاقَطُونَ فِى النَّارِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ مَنْ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى مِنْ بَرٍّ وَفَاجِرٍ أَتَاهُمْ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى فِى أَدْنَى صُورَةٍ مِنَ الَّتِى رَأَوْهُ فِيهَا.

قَالَ فَمَا تَنْتَظِرُونَ تَتْبَعُ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ مَا كَانَتْ تَعْبُدُ. قَالُوا يَا رَبَّنَا فَارَقْنَا النَّاسَ فِى الدُّنْيَا أَفْقَرَ مَا كُنَّا إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَمْ نُصَاحِبْهُمْ. فَيَقُولُ أَنَا رَبُّكُمْ. فَيَقُولُونَ نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْكَ لاَ نُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا - مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا - حَتَّى إِنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ لَيَكَادُ أَنْ يَنْقَلِبَ. فَيَقُولُ هَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ آيَةٌ فَتَعْرِفُونَهُ بِهَا فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ. فَيُكْشَفُ عَنْ سَاقٍ فَلاَ يَبْقَى مَنْ كَانَ يَسْجُدُ لِلَّهِ مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ نَفْسِهِ إِلاَّ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِالسُّجُودِ وَلاَ يَبْقَى مَنْ كَانَ يَسْجُدُ اتِّقَاءً وَرِيَاءً إِلاَّ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ ظَهْرَهُ طَبَقَةً وَاحِدَةً كُلَّمَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ خَرَّ عَلَى قَفَاهُ. ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَقَدْ تَحَوَّلَ فِى صُورَتِهِ الَّتِى رَأَوْهُ فِيهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمْ. فَيَقُولُونَ أَنْتَ رَبُّنَا. ثُمَّ يُضْرَبُ الْجِسْرُ ... الحديث إلى آخره (صحيح مسلم) On the authority of Abu Sa`id al-Khudri, the Prophet was asked, “Messenger of Allah, shall we see our Lord on the Day of Judgment?” He answered, “Yes.” Then he added, “Do you doubt seeing the sun at noon in a clear sky? Do you doubt seeing the full moon in a cloudless sky?” They said no. He said, “You will not doubt seeing Allah on the Day of Judgment any more than you doubt seeing one of the two (mentioned above).

A caller will call on the Day of Judgment, ‘Let every people follow that which he was worshipping.’ No one will be left of those who worshipped other than Allah of the worshippers of idols and graven images but they would fall upon each other in the Fire, until none is left but those who worshipped Allah, including the pious and the impious ones. The People of the Book will be left. Then the Jews will be asked, ‘Who is it you were worshipping.’ They will say, ‘We were worshipping `Uzayr, the son of God.’ They will be told, ‘You have lied. Allah did not take a spouse nor a son. In any case, what is it that you want?’ They will say, ‘We are thirsty Our lord. Give us a drink.’ They will be pointed (to a drink and told), will you not go to that source of drink?’ They will be gathered together near a Fire that will appear as a mirage, waves upon waves. They will fall into the Fire one upon another. Then the Christians will be called and asked, ‘Who is it you were worshipping?’ They will reply, ‘We were worshipping Jesus Christ, the son of God.’ They will be told, ‘You have lied. Allah did not take a spouse nor a son. In any case, what is it that you want?’ They will say, ‘We are thirsty Our lord. Give us a drink.’ They will be pointed (to a drink and told), will you not go to that source of drink?’ They will be gathered together near a Fire that will appear as a mirage, waves upon waves. They will fall into the Fire one upon another. When none is left but those who had been worshipping Allah, the pious and the impious, the Lord of the worlds, the Blessed, the Exalted, will appear in a form other than the form in which they had being seeing Him.

He will say, ‘What are you waiting for? Let every nation follow what it worshipped.’ They will say, ‘Our Lord. We parted company with those in the world at a time we needed their company most, yet never took their company.’ He will say, ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say, ‘Allah’s refuge from you. We shall not associate anything with Allah’ – twice or thrice, until some of them would be close to turning back. He will say, ‘Is there a sign between you and Him by which you could recognize Him?’ They will say, ‘Yes.’ Then the shank will be bared. Then none will remain who had prostrated himself to Allah by his free will, but will be allowed prostration; and none will remain who prostrated to show off, or in hypocrisy, but Allah will turn his back into a single plate. Every time he wished to prostrate, he would fall backward. Then they will raise their heads. In the meanwhile, He would have changed to the form in which they saw Him the first time and will say, ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say, ‘Yes, You are our Lord.’ Then the Bridge will be laid …” until the end of the report.

(For a fuller version of the hadith, see Surah al-Muddaththir [no. 74], note 34).

Commenting on the words, “then the shin will be bared,” Imam Nawawi writes the following: وَفَسَّرَ اِبْن عَبَّاس وَجُمْهُور أَهْل اللُّغَة وَغَرِيب الْحَدِيث السَّاق هُنَا بِالشِّدَّةِ أَيْ يُكْشَف عَنْ شِدَّة وَأَمْر مَهُول ، وَهَذَا مَثَل تَضْرِبهُ الْعَرَب لِشِدَّةِ الأَمْر ، وَلِهَذَا يَقُولُونَ : قَامَتْ الْحَرْب عَلَى سَاق ، وَأَصْله أَنَّ الإِنْسَان إِذَا وَقَعَ فِي أَمْر شَدِيد شَمَّرَ سَاعِده وَكَشَفَ عَنْ سَاقه لِلاهْتِمَامِ بِهِ . قَالَ الْقَاضِي عِيَاض - رَحِمَهُ اللَّه - : وَقِيلَ الْمُرَاد بِالسَّاقِ هُنَا نُور عَظِيم ، وَوَرَدَ ذَلِكَ فِي حَدِيث عَنْ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ اِبْن فَوْرَكٍ : وَمَعْنَى ذَلِكَ مَا يَتَجَدَّد لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عِنْد رُؤْيَة اللَّه تَعَالَى مِنْ الْفَوَائِد وَالأَلْطَاف . قَالَ الْقَاضِي عِيَاض : وَقِيلَ : قَدْ يَكُون السَّاق عَلامَة بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ ظُهُور جَمَاعَة مِنْ الْمَلائِكَة عَلَى خِلْقَة عَظِيمَة ... وَقِيلَ : كَشْف الْخَوْف وَإِزَالَة الرُّعْب عَنْهُمْ وَمَا كَانَ غَلَبَ عَلَى قُلُوبهمْ مِنْ الأَهْوَال ، فَتَطْمَئِنَّ حِينَئِذٍ نُفُوسهمْ عِنْد ذَلِكَ ، وَيَتَجَلَّى لَهُمْ فَيَخِرُّونَ سُجَّدًا . (شرح النووي على مسلم) “Ibn `Abbas and majority of the linguists as well as experts of hadith vocabulary have explained the ‘saq’ here as hardship; i.e., terrible hardships and dreadful events will be laid bare. The Arabs use this metaphor for events bearing hardship. They say, ‘The war has stood on (its) saq.’ The origin comes from the fact that when a man faces a difficult affair, he rolls up his sleeves and bares his shin because of his occupation with it. Qazi `Iyad said, may Allah show him mercy, ‘It is said that the allusion by the term ‘saq’ at this point is to a great Light,’ which is also reported in a hadith. Ibn Fawrak has said that the allusion is to what of the benefits and benevolence that the believers will obtain when the Beatific Vision is granted. Qadi `Iyad added, ‘It is also said that the “shin” would be a sign between Allah and the believers in the appearance of angels in a form that will stun (everyone)’ … Another opinion is that the allusion (by the usage of the words “laid bare the shin”) could be to the removal of fear and awe and other feelings (of terror) in their hearts following which their hearts will feel relaxed. It is then that the Beatific Vision will be granted and they will fall into prostration.’

Shawkani adds: `Abd b. Humayd, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim and Hakim (who declared it Sahih), as well as Bayhaqi in his Al-Asma’ wa al-Sifat, have reported that when Ibn `Abbas was asked about “the day the shin is bared”, he answered, “If you are not able to understand anything of the Qur’an, look for its meaning in Arab poetry. Have you not heard the poet say, و قامت الحرب بنا على ساق “The war has stood for us on its shin.”

Qurtubi offers four examples from poetry to emphasize the point.

31. That is, they were whole and healthy in this world, but when invited to embrace Islam and attend to five-time Prayers, they refused (Ibn Jarir).

Qurtubi comments: Accordingly, although Rabi` b. Khaytham was struck with paralysis, he used to be brought to the mosque on two people’s shoulders. It was suggested that he had a good reason for staying back. He replied, “Whoever heard the adhan should report to the mosque even if he has to drag himself.” When Sa`id b. al-Musayyib was told that (governmental) forces were after him to capture and kill him and so he should go underground, he answered, “Should I try to escape from Allah’s reach?” When told he might at least stay at home (and not come to the mosque) he replied, “Should I hear the call, ‘Come to success,’ and do not respond?” (Qurtubi).

Ultimately, he was captured and killed in court by Hajjan b. Yusuf (Au.).

32. That is, He draws them on gradually into doing what they wish, extending His provision to them, leading them to believe that they were doing fine, until one day He seizes them the seizing of the Most Powerful (Ibn Kathir).

Allah said elsewhere: َلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ [الأنعام/44] “When they had clean forgotten what they were reminded of, We opened unto them the gates of everything (of the nature of material prosperity) until, when they were mighty pleased with what they were given, We seized them suddenly and lo, they slipped into a quiet despair” (Ibn Kathir).

Yusuf Ali adds: “We must not be impatient if we see the wicked flourish. It may be that the very appearance of flourishing here may be a part of the Punishment. There may be an eventual punishment by a sort of Cataclysm; but evolutionary punishment is gradual and sure. Allah may punish wicked people by granting them respite and providing them worldly benefits in abundance, which encourages them in sin and transgression. So when they are finally seized by the Wrath of Allah they are caught suddenly and utterly unprepared, as it were, red handed while engrossed in disbelief, a life of impiety and open revolt against their Lord!‏”

33. “It costs the Unbelievers nothing to hear the Prophet, for the Prophet asks for no reward, and indeed suffers for their benefit. Al-Mustafa is addressed in the first instance, but there is always a universal interpretation. The righteous man asks for no reward for his preaching or example: if he did, the value would be too great for the world to pay for. The Unbelievers behave as if they had the secret of the Unseen, but they are empty triflers, for, if they only tried to formulate spiritual laws, they would fail” (Yusuf Ali).

34. A possible meaning is, “Do not – O Muhammad - hastily ask for the destruction of your people, as the Companion of the fish had done” (Thanwi).

35. The translation is literal. Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid explained the word as meaning, “(he was) aggrieved” (Ibn Jarir).

The call was: لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ [الأنبياء/87] “There is no deity except You, glory to You, I was of the wrongdoers” (Qurtubi).

36. One meaning attributable is that he was cast out in a state un-blameworthy (Qurtubi, Thanwi).

37. That is, restored the revelations, forgave him, accepted his intercession (for his people), and sent him to another people numbering a hundred thousand or more (Qurtubi).

Sayyid comments: “To put it briefly, he was sent to a town, said to be Naynawa now in Mosul (Iraq). The townspeople delayed their decision about him and his message. This angered him. He left them in anger saying to himself, ‘Allah will not place me in the constriction of staying with these rebellious, unbelieving people.’ He thought to himself that he could be sent to another town. His anger took him to the shore where he boarded a ship. However, when they were in the middle of the waters the boat experienced a storm and following a lot drawn, he was cast into the sea. A large fish devoured him and he called to his Lord from the depth of darkness. His Lord heard him and the fish threw him out on to the shore.”

The Prophet has said, as recorded by the Sahihayn: مَا يَنْبَغِي لأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَقُولَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى.‏ “It does not behoove anyone that he should say, “I (i.e., Prophet Muhammad) is better than Yunus b. Matta” (Ibn Kathir).

Yusuf Ali adds: “Jonah was asked to preach to the people of Nineveh, a wicked city. He met with hostility and persecution, fled from his enemies, and took a boat. He was caught in a storm and thrown into the sea. He was swallowed by a fish or whale, but he repented in his living prison, and was forgiven. But the people of Nineveh were also forgiven, for they, too, repented. Here is a double allegory of Allah’s mercy and forgiveness, and a command to patience, and complete and joyful submission to the Will of Allah.”

38. That is, shoot you down with their looks, O Muhammad, if they could (various commentators).

Ibn Kathir comments: This confirms that evil eye is a fact. There are many reports from the Prophet confirming this. He said, as in a report of Muslim: عَنِ ابْنِ عَبّاسٍ، عَنِ النّبِيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: "الْعَيْنُ حَقّ، وَلَوْ كَانَ شَيْءٌ سَابَقَ الْقَدَرَ سَبَقَتْهُ الْعَيْنُ، وَإِذَا اسْتُغْسِلْتُمْ فَاغْسِلُوا “The evil eye is a fact. If anything could overtake the Divine Decree, it would be evil eye. Therefore, when you are asked to take a wash, then wash (for the victim).”

That is, the one who cast the evil eye may take a bath, save the water, and give the victim a wash with that water. See Surah 113 for more details (Au.).

Another hadith is in Bukhari, عن ابنِ عَبّاسٍ قالَ: "كانَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعَوّذُ الْحَسَنَ والحُسَيْن يَقُولُ: أُعِيذُكُمَا بِكَلِمَاتِ الله التّامّةِ، مِنْ كُلّ شَيْطَانٍ وهَامّةٍ، ومِنْ كُلّ عَيْنٍ لاَمّةٍ. وَيَقُولُ: هَكَذَا كانَ إبراهيمُ يُعَوّذُ إِسْحَاقَ وإِسْمَاعِيلَ عليهم السلام".‏ Ibn `Abbas reported that the Prophet used to seek Allah’s refuge for Hasan and Husein. He would say, “I seek refuge for you two with the help of Allah’s complete words: from every Shaytan and Jinn, from every evil eye.” He also said, “This is how Ibrahim (asws) used to seek Allah’s shelter for Isma`l and Is-haq.

Another hadith can be quoted from Bukhari: عَنْ عَائِشَةَ - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ أَمَرَنِى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - أَوْ أَمَرَ أَنْ يُسْتَرْقَى مِنَ الْعَيْنِ `A’isha said, “The Prophet asked me – or ordered (in general) - to treat the evil eye with the help of charms” (Ibn Kathir).

39. “This is a powerful reminder, made early in Makkah, when migration to Madinah was not present in any imagination, that this message is for the whole world” (Sayyid).