Verse:68 Commentary In the last of the verses cited above, it was said: وَمَن نُّعَمِّرْ‌هُ نُنَكِّسْهُ فِي الْخَلْقِ أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ (And whomsoever We give long life, we reverse him in creation. Do they then not have sense?). The word: نُّعَمِّر (nu'ammir: We give a long life) in this verse has been derived from: تَمِیر (ta` mir) which means to prolong years of life. And the word: نُنَكِّسْهُ (nunakkishu) is a derivation from: تَنکِیس (tankis) which means to reverse, invert or turn upside down. In this verse, Allah Ta' ala has described yet another manifestation of His perfect power and eloquent wisdom in that every living being lies under the free will of Allah Ta' ala all the time. The process of nature is going on. The thing started from a lifeless drop. Wrapped with three layers of darkness in the womb of the mother, that which came to be was this essence of the universe, and a small world in its own right. Countless was the number of most delicate mechanisms that were embedded into its life form. Then it was made to come alive with the infusion of the spirit. After having been nourished and grown for nine months inside the womb of the mother, a perfect human being came into this world. Of course, perfect it was, but the body it had was weak. Nature took care of that by placing in the breast of the mother food that would suit an infant's physical requirement. This gave it the gradual supply of needed energy. From that time to the time of youth, passed many stages and then came a strong body at its total bloom. Then came claims of the power thus acquired and rose the desire to defeat every conceivable adversary.

But, that was not the end. When the creator and master of this new aspirant into the world decided otherwise, all these strengths started waning. Even the decline was not sudden. It took time. There were countless stages. Finally, came the fag end of the years of life. Once there, just imagine, has this person not reached back into the stage of one's childhood. Habits started changing. Reflexes became different. Things that used to be the dearest started appearing hateful. What was comfort once turned into suffering. This is what the Qur'an calls "tankis," that is, being turned upside down. One trusts what one sees with one's own eyes and what one hears with one's own ears in the life of this world. This too does not remain trustworthy during the later years of old age. Clearly understanding what is being said becomes difficult because one becomes hard of hearing. The same thing happens to the sense of sight that becomes weak. One cannot see well enough. The classical Arab poet, al-Mutanabbi has said:

و من صحب الدّنیا طویلا تقلَّبّت ---- علی عینہٖ حَتّٰی یری صدقھا کذبا

And for one who lives long in the world, it will turn upside down right before his eyes to the extent that what he saw as truth will start appearing to be a lie.

Not only that this major change in man's frame of existence is a standing manifestation of the unique power of Allah Ta' ala, it is also a great favor to him. Is it not that all strengths the supreme Creator has placed in the living presence of man are, in reality, the God-given functional devices issued to him with the clarification that they were neither his property nor were they everlasting and that, finally, they will be taken back from him. This obviously required that, once came the time of such take over, all such strengths should have been taken back simultaneously. But, the most merciful and sublime Lord has not elected to do that. Instead, He has allowed that these strengths be taken back in installments that too are prominently long and spaced apart. Thus, these are taken back gradually, bit by bit, so that one gets alerted and starts getting ready to embark on the ultimate journey of the Hereafter. And Allah knows best. Verse:69 Commentary Commentary

In the first verse cited here, it was said: وَمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ الشِّعْرَ‌ وَمَا يَنبَغِي لَهُ (And We did not teach him poetry and it is not proper for him.) Since the deniers of the appearance of a prophet and messenger with a mission could not deny the unique effectiveness of the Qur'an and its ability to move hearts that was a matter of common experience, therefore, they invented convenient excuses. At times, they would call this Divine Word, some magic and the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، a magician. Then, on other occasions, they would say that this Word was poetry and he was a poet. By saying that, they wanted to prove that this unique effectiveness did not come out of the Divine Word as such, instead, they were either words of magic or sorcery that made an impression on hearts, or it is poetic speech for that too affects hearts.

In this verse, Allah Ta' ala said that He did not teach His prophet the art of poetry, nor was it appropriate to his station and saying that he was a poet, is false and wrong.

Here, we have a question. Is it not that Arabs are a people who have poetry in their blood? Even their women and children would compose impromptu lines of poetry. They knew poetry and its reality. How could they say that the Qur'an was poetry and the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was a poet? On what basis could this be because neither is the Qur'an restricted by the compulsion of poetic meter, nor of radif (the unchanging word that appears at the end of the hemistich) and qafiyah (the changing rhymed word that appears before the radif) anywhere in the text? Not even someone who is pathetically ignorant of the mores of poetry would think of calling this poetry.

To answer this, it can be said that, essentially, poetry is composed of self-structured imaginary subjects, whether in poetry or prose. By calling the Qur'an, poetry and the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، a poet their purpose was to tell him that the Divine Word he claims to have brought, is no more than imaginary tales. Or, may be, they called him a poet in terms of the well recognized meaning of poetry with a certain congruity in mind, that is, the effect produced by the Qur'an is similar to the effect produced by poetic compositions.

Quoting his own chain of authority, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas (رح) has reported that someone asked Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ if the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to recite some verse of poetry once in a while. To that, she said, "No, however, he once did recite a verse of Ibn Tarfah:

----۔ و یأتیک بالاخبار من لّم تزوّدِ ستبدی لک الایام ما کنت جاھلاً-----

"The time will reveal to you that which you did not know, and the news will be brought to you by one whom you did not appoint to do so.

But the holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم recited this as: وزن شعری in a manner that broke the poetic measure. Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ submitted, 'Ya RasulAllah, this verse is not like that.' He said, 'I am not a poet, nor is poetry appropriate for me."

Ibn Kathir has reported this narration in his Tafsir, and at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'I and Imam Ahmad have also reported it. This tells us that he simply did not consider reciting verses of poetry composed by others as appropriate for him. That he would compose it himself was unthinkable. As for some sentences having the resonance of poetic measure reported from the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself, they did not issue forth from him with the intention of composing formal poetry. They were casual, and should some one or two lines issue forth from a person that fall into poetic measure, these do not make him a poet. But, from this natural condition of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that was based on great considerations of wisdom, it does not become necessary that poetry should be taken as blameworthy in any absolute sense - as explained under the details of injunctions relating to poetry in our commentary on verse 224 of Surah Ash-Shu` ara' (26) appearing at its end in Volume VI of Ma' ariful-Qur'an, English. Those interested may see it there. Verse:70 Commentary - - - Verse:71 Commentary In verse 71, it was said: أَوَلَمْ يَرَ‌وْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ (Did they not see that We have created for them cattle, among things made (directly) by Our hands, then they are their owners?). Along with the mention of the Divine novelty and beneficence in the creation of the cattle in this verse, yet another great favor of Allah Ta' ala has been identified. It has been said that man has played no role in the creation of these cattle. Allah Ta' ala made them, exclusively, by His own hands, so to say. Then, He not only let human beings benefit from these cattle with His permission, but also made them their owners, so that they could dispose them off in any manner they chose - use them to their advantage or sell them off and use the money thus acquired.

Gift of God - not capital or labor - is the real wisdom behind the ownership of things

In our day, debate is still going on between various economic theories as to the basis of production of things and their ownership. Is it wealth, or is it labor? The votaries of the capitalist economic system declare capital and wealth as its basis. The protagonists of the socialist and communist system support labor as the real reason or justification behind production of things and their ownership. This decree of the Qur'an tells us that none of these two has any role to play in the creation of things and their ownership. The creation of anything does not rest in the possession or control of human beings. That is an act of Allah Ta' ala, directly. Then, reason demands that the one who creates something should also be its owner. Therefore, when it comes to things of this world, the essential and real ownership is that of Allah Ta' ala. The ownership of human beings in anything whatsoever can take effect only when Allah Ta' ala passes it on to them in His mercy. Allah Ta' ala has already revealed the law of the proof and transfer of ownership through his prophets. Counter to this law, no one can become the owner of anything. Verse:72 Commentary In verse 72: وَذَلَّلْنَاهَا لَهُمْ (And We have brought them under their control), yet another favor and blessing has been pointed to. If one were to look at the camel, horse, elephant, ox and other animals, it will be realized that they are seemingly far stronger than human beings. Man is weak as compared to them - as a result of which, it should have not been possible for him to tame and control them. But, Allah Ta` la had it arranged in His own way. The way He created these animals and gifted them to human beings, in the same way, He made these free animals naturally subservient to man. A boy reins a strong horse and rides on its back to anywhere he likes to go. This thing too is no achievement of man. This comes from Allah Ta` H1a as His grace, a blessing that is given to man without asking. Verse:73 Commentary - - - Verse:74 Commentary - - - Verse:75 Commentary In the last verse cited above (75), it was said: وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ مُّحْضَرُ‌ونَ (rather they are an army brought forth for them). One sense of this verse is to take the word: جُندٌ (army) in the text to mean an opponent or adversary and take the verse to mean that the things they have made their objects of worship in the mortal world will turn against them on the Day of Judgment and also bear witness against them.

And according to a Tafsir reported from Hasan and Qatadah رحمۃ اللہ علیہما ، it means that these people had taken to idols as gods in the hope that they would help them. But, the reality on the ground proved to be that they were already incapable of helping them. As a result, the very people who used to worship them as their servants and soldiers are now guarding them to the extent that they would take their side and fight against anyone who opposes them (a1-Qurtubi). The translation given in the text (with brackets) is based on this interpretation. Verse:76 Commentary - - - Verse:77 Commentary Commentary

The last five verses of Surah Ya Sin were revealed in the background of a particular event. This event has been attributed to Ubayy Ibn Khalaf in some narrations, and to 'As ibn Wa'il in some others. And there is no improbability in that such an event came to pass with both of them. The first narration was reported by al-Baihaqi in Shu` abul-'Iman, and the other reported by Ibn Abi Haatim from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ says that 'As Ibn Wa'il picked up a bone from the sandy and pebble-strewn valley of Makkah and after breaking it with his hands rubbed it into a handful of bone meal and then said to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، "Will Allah revive this bone you are seeing in my hands?" The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Yes, Allah Ta' ala will put you to death, then bring you back to life and then He will put you in Hell." (Ibn Kathir)

The expression: خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ (an open adversary) in verse 77 means that this man was created from a lowly drop, yet he has the audacity to challenge Allah, and refuse to accept His power. Verse:78 Commentary In verse 78, it was said: ضَرَ‌بَ لَنَا مَثَلًا (And he has set up an argument about Us). Here, the expression refers to the event described above, that is, while smashing and rubbing the bone into bone meal, its revival was considered improbable. After that, it was said: وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ (and forgot his own creation). It means while he was giving that example, he forgot the example of his own creation as to how he himself was created by infusing life in a lowly, impure and lifeless drop - a bland anatomy of his creation indeed. Had he not forgotten his real genetic origin, he would have never come up with such examples and would have never dared saying no to Divine power. Verse:79 Commentary - - - Verse:80 Commentary In verse 80, it was said: جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ‌ الْأَخْضَرِ‌ نَارً‌ا (the One who created for you fire from the green tree). Two trees used to be well known in ` Arabia - Markh (Cynanchum Vinimale) and ` Afar. The Arabs were accustomed to cutting two twigs from these two trees as they did with siwak or miswak. These twigs would be solid, green, and full of fresh water inside. By rubbing one on the other, it worked like firestone. They could strike fire out of these. This is what has been alluded to in striking fire out of the green tree. (Qurtubi) And if we were to consider the ultimate fate of trees, every green tree that flourishes initially, then, later on, once dried, it becomes a source of fuel and fire. Seen from this angle, every tree can be meant here - as seems to be the sense in the following verse of the noble Qur'an: أَفَرَ‌أَيْتُمُ النَّارَ‌ الَّتِي تُورُ‌ونَ ﴿71﴾ أَأَنتُمْ أَنشَأْتُمْ شَجَرَ‌تَهَا أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنشِئُونَ (Now tell Me about the fire you kindle: Is it you who have originated its tree, are We the Orginiator? - 56:71-72).

But, in the present verse, since the quality of the 'shajar' or tree has also been mentioned as being 'akhdar' or green, therefore, here it seems that meant here are those particular trees that used to be a source of fire despite being green and moisturized. Verse:81 Commentary - - - Verse:82 Commentary In verse 82, it was said: إِنَّمَا أَمْرُ‌هُ إِذَا أَرَ‌ادَ شَيْئًا أَن يَقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ (His practice, when He intends to do something, is no more than He says, "Be", and it comes to be.). In other words, the verse means that when Allah Ta' ala intends to create something, He has no need to follow the way things are made by human beings who have to collect raw materials, assemble technicians and work for a certain period of time until the thing is ready. His way, to use an understatement, is different. Whenever, He intends to create something, for Him it is sufficient to give the command: "Be." Right then, the thing so commanded comes into existence. From this, it does not necessarily follow that the creation of everything should invariably be instant. Instead, when the creation of something instantly under the dictate of the wisdom of the Creator is expedient, it stands created on the beam without any gradual mode or respite. And when the creation of something is decreed to be appropriate only as gradual due to some wise consideration, it comes into existence gradually - whether it is destined to be created along with a particular gradual mode in the very first decree, or it is addressed with a separate command of کُن 'kun' or 'be' at each gradual stage. وَاللہ سبحانہ و تعالیٰ اَعلَم (And Allah, the Pure, the High knows best).

Alhamdu1i11ah

The Commentary on

Surah Y a Sin

Ends here Verse:83 Commentary - - -