Verse:1 Commentary - - - Verse:2 Commentary Commentary

The seven Surahs that commence with "Ha Meem" are known as "Al Hameem' or 'Hawameem'. Some more words are added as suffixes in their names to differentiate between them, for example, the 'Ha Meem' of Surah Mu'min is called "Ha Meem Al-Mum'in, and 'Ha Meem' of this Surah is called 'Ha Meem Sajdah' or 'Ha Meem Fussilat'. Both the names of this Surah are well-known.

The first addressees of this Surah are Quraysh of ` Arabia among whom Qur'an was revealed in their own language. They had witnessed the marvel of the Qur'an, and they had also seen innumerable miracles of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . And yet they turned away from the Qur'an. What to say of understanding, they did not even bear to listen to the Qur'an. Eventually, in response to the affectionate advices of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، they declared that they neither understand what he says, nor do their hearts accept it, nor are their ears prepared to listen to it, and that there are double barriers between him and them, so he should carry on with his business and leave them to their own.

This is the meaning of the first five verses of this Surah. In these verses, Allah Almighty has specially addressed and advised Quraysh that Qur'an has been revealed in Arabic language, so that you do not have any difficulty in understanding the contents. At the same time three qualities of the Holy Qur'an have been stated. Firstly it is said, فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ Here, the word fussilat' is a derivative of fasl which originally means distinguishing the subjects by separating them. So فُصِّلَتْ means stating things very clearly by explaining in detail, either by separating them subject - wise in different chapters, or by mentioning them at one place. Different subjects like injunctions of Shari'ah, stories, beliefs, refutation of the people of false beliefs, etc. have been stated separately in the verses of the Holy Qur'an, and each subject has been explained by examples as well. The second and third qualities of the Holy Qur'an have been stated as that of communicating good news of everlasting happiness to the believers and of warning the non-believers of perpetual scourges. Verse:3 Commentary And after stating these qualities, it is said towards the end of the verse-3, لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ (for a people who understand) which means that the verses of the Holy Qur'an being in Arabic, their being clear and evident and their communicating good news as well as warnings can only benefit those people who intend to ponder over them and understand them. But the Arabs and the Quraysh, despite all this, turned away from the Qur'an, and let alone trying to understand, they did not even bear to listen to the Qur'an. This has been mentioned at the end of verse 4: "Yet most of them turned away, so they do not listen." Verse:4 Commentary An offer by the infidel's of Makkah to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

The infidels of Quraysh, who are the direct addressees of this Surah, tried very hard to suppress the propagation of Islam in early days after the revelation of the Qur'an, through the use of physical force, and tried equally hard to intimidate the Messenger of Allah and those who believed in him by causing to them all sorts of pains and agonies. But despite their opposition, Islam kept on widening the circle of its adherents, and increasing in strength. At first powerful and valiant persons like Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ entered Islam, then Sayyidna Hamzah ؓ ، one of the accepted leaders of Quraysh, embraced Islam. Now the Quraysh of Makkah started thinking that, instead of intimidation, persuasion and temptation may be more effective in blocking the way for Islam. An incident of this nature has been reproduced by Hafiz Ibn Kathir from the reports of Musnad of Bazzar, Abu Ya` la and Baghawi. There are some differences in these reports. Hafiz Ibn Kathir has considered the report of Baghawi to be the nearest to the truth. And then he has reproduced this incident from the book 'Kitab-us-Sirah' written by Muhammad Ibn Ishaq and has preferred this version to the other three. Therefore, this incident is being reproduced here in accordance with the report of Ibn Ishaq.

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq has stated that Muhammad Ibn Ka'b Qurazi says that this report has reached him from ` Utbah Ibn Rabi` ah who was recognized as one of the foremost leaders of Quraysh. One day he was sitting in Al-Masjid-ul-Haram with a party of Quraysh, while the Messenger of Allah was sitting alone in a corner on the other side.

` Utbah asked his people, "If you agree, I would like to talk to Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and offer him some attractions, so that if he accepts them, we give them to him and he, in exchange, would cease to propagate against our religion and faith. This was a time when Sayyidna Hamzah had become a Muslim, and the number of Muslims was increasing, and they were getting stronger day by day. All of ` Utbah's men spoke with one voice, and said "0 ` Abul-Walid ('Utbah's filial name) ! "Do so. Please talk to him".

` Utbah got up from his place, and went upto the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said, "0 nephew! you know that you are high-born and a noble man of the Quraysh; your family is large, noble and respectable to all of us. But you have put the tribe in a great difficulty. You have given such an invitational call which has created differences among us, has made us fools, has stigmatized our deities and our religion, and declared our forefathers to be infidels. So please listen to me. I am going to present a few things to you, so that you may select any of them. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "0 ` Abdul Walid! go ahead and say what you wish to say; I am listening to you."

` Utbah ` Abul Walid said, "0 nephew! If the purpose of your movement is to collect possessions, we promise to collect so much wealth for you that you would become the wealthiest person of the nation. If the purpose is to become a leader and a ruler, then all of us would accept you as the leader of the whole of Quraysh, and would not do anything without your order. If you want kingdom, then we accept you as our king. And if the case is that some Jinn or Satan comes to you, and compels you to do these things and you are unable to drive him away, then we will have you treated at our expense, because we know that a person prevailed upon by a Satan can be cured by treatments." ` Utbah kept on speaking at some length and the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم kept on listening to him.

At the end, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "0 ` Abul Walid! Have you finished? When he said yes, then the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to him, "Now please listen to me." And ` Utbah replied, "No doubt, I would listen to you."

The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، instead of saying anything himself started reciting Surah Fussilat (the present Surah):

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ ۔ حم تَنزِيلٌ مِّنَ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ قُرْ‌آنًا عَرَ‌بِيًّا لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

"With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful." Merciful. Ha Meem. This is a revelation from the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful-- a book whose verses are elaborated in the form of an Arabic Qur'an for a people who understand."

Bazzar and Baghawi narrate that, during the recitation of the verses of this Surah, when the Holy Prophet reached this verse:

فَإِنْ أَعْرَ‌ضُوا فَقُلْ أَنذَرْ‌تُكُمْ صَاعِقَةً مِّثْلَ صَاعِقَةِ عَادٍ وَثَمُودَ

"So, if they turn away, then say," I have warned you of a calamity like the calamity of ` Ad and Thamud," (41:13)

` Utbah put his hand on the blessed mouth of Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، and asked him to have mercy on his lineage and relationship, and not to recite any further for their sake. Ibn Ishaq narrates that when the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم commenced the recitation of these verses, ` Utbah listened quietly and attentively while supporting his back by his hands, till the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم reached the verse of Sajdah in this Surah and prostrated. Then he addressed ` Utbah, and said to him, "You have heard what you heard, and now you are free to do what you like." ` Utbah got up and started walking towards his party. When they saw him coming, his party members started saying among themselves that, by God, ` Abul Walid's face has changed - it is not the same as it was when he had gone. When ` Utbah reached them, they asked him, "What is the news you have come with?" He said to them:

انِی سمعت قولا واللہ ما سمعت مثلہ قط، واللہ ما ھو بالسحر ولا بالشعر ولا بالکھانۃ ، یا معشر قریش اطیعونی واجلُھا لی، خَلُوّوا بین الرجل وبین ما ھو فیہ فاعتزلوہ فو اللہ لیکونن لقولہ الزی سمعت نباء، فان تصبہ العرب فقد کفیتموہ بغیرکم، وان یظھر علی العرب فمل کہ ملککم وعزہ عزّکم و کنتم اسعد الناس بہٖ

"I heard such a discourse that, by God, I have never heard any discourse like it before; by God, it is neither a sorcerer's enchantment, nor a poet's poetry, nor a wizard incantation (which they obtain from shaitans). 0 my tribe of Quraysh! Listen to me, and let me handle this matter. My advice is that you should give up confronting him, and let him go about his business, because this discourse of his is bound to receive eminence. You should wait and see how the rest of Arabia treats them. If, besides Quraysh, the rest of Arabs defeat them, then your problem is solved without any effort on your part, and if he prevails on the rest of Arabs, then his rule will be your rule, their honor will be your honor, and you will be the luckiest people because of him." (Ibn Kathir p. 91, vol. 4)

When his Qurayshi companions heard his speech, they said to him "0 Abul Walid! Muhammad has cast an enchanting spell upon you with his words." ` Utbah replied to them, "I have given you my advice, and now it is upto you to do what you like. Verse:5 Commentary وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ - (And they say, " Our hearts are [ wrapped ] in covers against that to which you invite us 41:5) Here three statements of the infidels of Quraysh are reproduced. Firstly, they said that there was a cover on their hearts against his discourse, and therefore they do not understand what he says. Secondly, that their ears are deaf to listen to his speech. Thirdly, that there are barriers between him and them. The Holy Qur'an has reproduced this statement of theirs in the context of denouncing it, which indicates that these statements are wrong. But at another place, Qur'an has also stated their condition to be the same. A verse of Surah An'am states:

وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرً‌ا

But We have put coverings on their hearts, so that they do not understand, and heaviness in their ears. - 6:25.

One may doubt that there is a conflict between this verse and that of Surah An'am in this respect. But the answer is that the infidels, by saying the above, meant that they were helpless and excusable, because their hearts were curtained, their ears were leaden and there were barriers between them and him. So how could they listen to him and accept what he said? This is how they proved themselves to be helpless. And when the Holy Qur'an stated their condition (in Surah An'am) to be the same, it did not consider them to be helpless, rather held them fully capable of hearing and understanding. It is when they refused even to hear, and had no intention of understanding, then as a punishment, heedlessness and ignorance were imposed upon them, but not to the degree that they were deprived of their volition; rather if they had changed their minds even then, their abilities of hearing and understanding would have been restored fully. (Bayan-ul-Qur' an) Verse:6 Commentary Prophetic reply to the Denial and Ridicule of Disbelievers

The infidels saying that their hearts were covered and their ears were leaden, etc., was not because they had become deaf and bereft of intellect; rather it was a kind of ridicule and jest that they used to make. But the reply to this offensive ridicule that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was directed to give was not to be offensive in the like manner, but to express his humility that he صلى الله عليه وسلم is not God, having authority over everything, rather he صلى الله عليه وسلم is also a human being; the only difference is that his Lord has given him صلى الله عليه وسلم guidance through wahy, and has supported him with miracles. It should have resulted in all of them declaring their faith in him. Even now they are advised to turn in worship and obedience to Allah only and to repent and renounce the past sins. Verse:7 Commentary Toward the end of the address, both the aspects of glad tidings and of warnings of the Qur'n have been presented to them, making it clear that there are dire consequences for the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) and eternal rewards for the believers. In the context of the evil fate of the Mushriks, one reason for it has been mentioned that these people did not use to pay Zakah. This gives rise to some questions. The first one is that these verses were revealed in Makkah, whereas Zakah was made obligatory in Madinah. So, how can they be accused of non-payment of Zakah before Zakah was made obligatory?

Ibn Kathir, in reply to this question, has said that Zakah, in principle, had been obligated along with Salah right from the beginning of Islam, as mentioned in Surah Muzzammil. However the determination of the Nisab (minimum capital and property for the applicability of Zakah) and the arrangements for its collection were made in Madinah. Therefore it is not correct to say that Zakah was not obligated in Makkah.

Are Non-Muslims required to follow the practical injunctions of Shari'ah?

The second doubt is that many jurisprudents do not consider Non-Muslims to have been asked or required to carry out religious deeds such as Salah, Fasting, Hajj and Zakah. The direction is that they have to embrace the faith first, and then they are liable to the practical precepts of Shari'ah. According to this view, they are not liable to pay zakah. Why then have they been reprimanded for not paying Zakah in this verse?

It can be said in reply that many of the leading scholars and experts of Islamic jurisprudence are of the view that even the Non-Muslims are required to carry out the obligatory duties of religion; If this view is adopted, there remains no doubt about this verse that has mentioned non-payment of zakah as one of the reasons for their being punished. As for those scholars who do not consider Non-Muslims to have been asked to carry out the obligatory duties, they can say that the real denunciation is not for non-payment of Zakah, but because this non-payment is due to their disbelief and is a sign of it. Therefore the object of the reprimand is that had they been believers, they would have been strict in paying Zakah; their fault is their failure to embrace the faith. (Bayan-ul-Qur' an).

The detailed discussion of whether or not the infidels have been asked to follow the practical precepts of Shari` ah may be found in the fifth volume of the author's Arabic book "Ahkam-ul-Qur' an".

The third question which arises here is that the commandment for Salah is the most important of all the commandments of Islam which has not been mentioned here, so what is the wisdom behind making a special mention of Zakah? Qurtubi etc., have said in reply that Quraysh of Arabia were wealthy people, and they were known for their trait of giving alms and charity and helping the poor. But when somebody would become a Muslim, they would deprive him of such financial help and social assistance also. Zakah has been specially mentioned because the object is to denounce this practice. (Allah knows best) Verse:8 Commentary لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ‌ غَيْرُ‌ مَمْنُونٍ (For them there is a reward that will never be interrupted 41:8) The word mamnun used here means something interrupted. The sense is that the reward of those people who are firm in their faith and regular in their good deeds would be continuous and eternal. Some exegetes have explained the intention of the verse that if a Muslim, despite being regular in religious duties, could not perform them at any time due to illness, travel or some other reason, the reward for the good deeds is not cut off. Rather, Allah Almighty orders the angels to keep on crediting those good deeds to his account which he used to carry out regularly in normal conditions, but could not do them due to illness or some other reason. Ahadith on this subject are narrated in Sahih of Bukhari as reported by Sayyidna Abu Musa Ash'ari and in Sharh-us-Sunnah of Baghawi by Sayyidna Ibn ` Umar and by Sayyidna Anas ؓ and in Razin by Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ . (Mazhari)