Surah 75. Al-Qiyamah

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Verses [Section]: 1-30[1], 31-40 [2]

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Quran Text of Verse 31-40فَلَاAnd notصَدَّقَhe accepted (the) truthوَ لَاand notصَلّٰىۙhe prayed وَ لٰكِنْButكَذَّبَhe deniedوَ تَوَلّٰىۙand turned away ثُمَّThenذَهَبَhe wentاِلٰۤیtoاَهْلِهٖhis familyیَتَمَطّٰىؕswaggering اَوْلٰىWoeلَكَto youفَاَوْلٰىۙand woe! ثُمَّThenاَوْلٰىwoeلَكَto youفَاَوْلٰىؕand woe! اَیَحْسَبُDoes thinkالْاِنْسَانُmanاَنْthatیُّتْرَكَhe will be leftسُدًیؕneglected اَلَمْWas notیَكُheنُطْفَةًa spermمِّنْfromمَّنِیٍّsemenیُّمْنٰىۙemitted ثُمَّThenكَانَhe wasعَلَقَةًa clinging substanceفَخَلَقَthen He createdفَسَوّٰىۙand proportioned فَجَعَلَThen madeمِنْهُof himالزَّوْجَیْنِtwo matesالذَّكَرَ(the) maleوَ الْاُنْثٰىؕand the female اَلَیْسَIs notذٰلِكَ[that]بِقٰدِرٍ(He) Ableعَلٰۤی[over]اَنْtoیُّحْیِ َۧgive lifeالْمَوْتٰى۠(to) the dead

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Translation of Verse 31-40

(75:31) But he testified not, nor Prayed.

(75:32) But rather, cried lies and turned away.

(75:33) Then he went to his homefolk strutting along.

(75:34) Woe unto you, then woe.

(75:35) Again woe unto you, then woe.¹⁶

(75:36) Does man think that he will be left alone (unaddressed)?¹⁷

(75:37) Was he not a sperm drop, emitted?¹⁸

(75:38) Then he was a blood-clot. Then He created and proportioned?

(75:39) Then He made of him two kinds, male and female.¹⁹

(75:40) Is not that (Creator) able to quicken the dead?²⁰

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Commentary

16. It is reported that the Prophet recited these two verses to Abu Jahl (while they were passing together between two hills). Abu Jahl replied, “Muhammad, Do you threaten me? You and your Lord have no power over me. I am the most honored person of those who ever walked between these two hills" (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

17. That is, without being commanded and prohibited (Ibn Jarir from the Salaf, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

According to Razi another connotation is the questioning in the Hereafter. Does man think he will not be questioned? If so, then it means Lord our God is unmindful of whatever the humans do on this earth; which is unthinkable (seeing that such an absurd idea – of unquestionable freedom – is unacceptable to the humans themselves).

18. Of course, every sperm drop is emitted, so why did Allah Most High add the word emitted? The answer is, says Razi, it is to remind man of the moment when he was emitted: an insignificant thing.

Majid adds: “Incidentally, this repudiates the doctrine of the sanctity of human semen. Even Christian sects have been known to deify the seminal secretion. The Carpocrations, for instance, while forbidding procreation, ‘divinized the spermatic fluid. It is quite probable that the Cathers were given to similar excesses, and specially that his disciples, the troubadours, were.’ (Dr. Rongemont, Passion and Society, p. 111).”

19. Although sex-determination process in a growing fetus is known to the scientists, and well researched, but no one ever knows, firstly, why there are two sexes, and, secondly, why is it that they appear in the same proportion in any human population; the female is around 95 for every 100 male.

20. It is reported that when the Prophet ended with the recitation of these verses he would respond with,

سُبحانَكَ بَلى

“Glory to You, surely yes” (Ibn Jarir, Kashshaf, Qurtubi).

Ibn Kathir quotes several other ahadith to this effect, but Albani declared them weak (S. Ibrahim).