Tafsir Maariful Quran
Quran Translation and Commentary by Maulana Mufti Mohammad Shafi. Translation by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari & Prof. Muhammad Shamim. Revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi UsmaniQuran Translation
Word for Word by
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh
& Kausar Khatri
1. Al-Fatihah
2. Al-Baqarah
3. Al-Imran
4. Al-Nisa
5. Al-Maidah
6. Al-Anam
7. Al-Araf
8. Al-Anfal
9. Al-Taubah
10. Yunus
11. Hud
12. Yusuf
13. Al-Rad
14. Ibrahim
15. Al-Hijr
16. Al-Nahl
17. Bani Israil
18. Al-Kahf
19. Maryam
20. Ta-Ha
21. Al-Anbiya
22. Al-Hajj
23. Al-Muminun
24. An-Nur
25. Al-Furqan
26. Ash-Shuara
27. An-Naml
28. Al-Qasas
29. Al-Ankabut
30. Ar-Rum
31. Luqman
32. As-Sajdah
33. Al-Ahzab
34. Saba
35. Fatir
36. Yasin
37. As-Saffat
38. Saad
39. Az-Zumar
40. Al-Mumin
41. Ha-Meem-As-Sajdah
42. AShura
43. Az-Zukhruf
44. Ad-Dukhan
45. Al-Jathiyah
46. Al-Ahqaf
47. Muhammad
48. Al-Fath
49. Al-Hujurat
50. Al-Qaf
51. Adh-Dhariyat
52. At-Tur
53. An-Najm
54. Al-Qamar
55. Al-Rahman
56. Al-Waqiah
57. Al-Hadid
58. Al-Mujadalah
59. Al-Hashr
60. Al-Mumtahinah
61. As-Saff
62. Al-Jumuah
63. Al-Munafiqun
64. Al-Taghabun
65. At-Talaq
66. At-Tahrim
67. Al-Mulk
68. Al-Qalam
69. Al-Haqqah
70. Al-Maarij
71. Nuh
72. Al-Jinn
73. Al-Muzzammil
74. Al-Muddhththir
75. Al-Qiyamah
76. Ad-Dahr
77. Al-Mursalat
78. An-Naba
79. An-Naziat
80. Abas
81. At-Takwir
82. Al-Infitar
83. At-Tatfif
84. Al-Inshiqaq
85. Al-Buruj
86. At-Tariq
87. Al-Ala
88. Al-Ghashiyah
89. Al-Fajr
90. Al-Balad
91. Ash-Shams
92. Al-Lail
93. Ad-Duha
94. Al-Inshirah
95. At-Tin
96. Al-Alaq
97. Al-Qadr
98. Al-Bayyinah
99. Az-Zilzal
100. Al-Adiyat
101. Al-Qariah
102. At-Takathur
103. Al-Asr
104. Al-Humazah
105. Al-Fil
106. Al-Quraish
107. Al-Maun
108. Al-Kauthar
109. Al-Kafirun
110. An-Nasr
111. Al-Lahab
112. Al-Ikhlas
113. Al-Falaq
114. An-Nas
54. Al-Qamar بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ اِقْتَرَبَتِ Has come near السَّاعَةُ the Hour وَ انْشَقَّ and has split الْقَمَرُ the moon وَ اِنْ And if یَّرَوْا they see اٰیَةً a Sign یُّعْرِضُوْا they turn away وَ یَقُوْلُوْا and say سِحْرٌ Magic مُّسْتَمِرٌّ continuing وَ كَذَّبُوْا And they denied وَ اتَّبَعُوْۤا and followed اَهْوَآءَهُمْ their desires وَ كُلُّ but (for) every اَمْرٍ matter مُّسْتَقِرٌّ (will be a) settlement وَ لَقَدْ And certainly جَآءَهُمْ has come to them مِّنَ of الْاَنْۢبَآءِ the information مَا wherein فِیْهِ wherein مُزْدَجَرٌۙ (is) deterrence حِكْمَةٌۢ Wisdom بَالِغَةٌ perfect فَمَا but not تُغْنِ will avail النُّذُرُۙ the warnings فَتَوَلَّ So turn away عَنْهُمْ ۘ from them یَوْمَ (The) Day یَدْعُ will call الدَّاعِ the caller اِلٰی to شَیْءٍ a thing نُّكُرٍۙ terrible 54. Al-Qamar Page 529 خُشَّعًا (Will be) humbled اَبْصَارُهُمْ their eyes یَخْرُجُوْنَ they will come forth مِنَ from الْاَجْدَاثِ the graves كَاَنَّهُمْ as if they (were) جَرَادٌ locusts مُّنْتَشِرٌۙ spreading مُّهْطِعِیْنَ Racing ahead اِلَی toward الدَّاعِ ؕ the caller یَقُوْلُ Will say الْكٰفِرُوْنَ the disbelievers هٰذَا This یَوْمٌ (is) a Day عَسِرٌ difficult كَذَّبَتْ Denied قَبْلَهُمْ before them قَوْمُ (the) people نُوْحٍ (of) Nuh فَكَذَّبُوْا and they denied عَبْدَنَا Our slave وَ قَالُوْا and said مَجْنُوْنٌ A madman وَّ ازْدُجِرَ and he was repelled فَدَعَا So he called رَبَّهٗۤ his Lord اَنِّیْ I am مَغْلُوْبٌ one overpowered فَانْتَصِرْ so help فَفَتَحْنَاۤ So We opened اَبْوَابَ (the) gates السَّمَآءِ (of) heaven بِمَآءٍ with water مُّنْهَمِرٍؗۖ pouring down وَّ فَجَّرْنَا And We caused to burst الْاَرْضَ the earth عُیُوْنًا (with) springs فَالْتَقَی so met الْمَآءُ the water(s) عَلٰۤی for اَمْرٍ a matter قَدْ already قُدِرَۚ predestined وَ حَمَلْنٰهُ And We carried him عَلٰی on ذَاتِ (ark) made of planks اَلْوَاحٍ (ark) made of planks وَّ دُسُرٍۙ and nails تَجْرِیْ Sailing بِاَعْیُنِنَا ۚ before Our eyes جَزَآءً a reward لِّمَنْ for (he) who كَانَ was كُفِرَ denied وَ لَقَدْ And certainly تَّرَكْنٰهَاۤ We left it اٰیَةً (as) a Sign فَهَلْ so is (there) مِنْ any مُّدَّكِرٍ who will receive admonition فَكَیْفَ So how كَانَ was عَذَابِیْ My punishment وَ نُذُرِ and My warnings وَ لَقَدْ And certainly یَسَّرْنَا We have made easy الْقُرْاٰنَ the Quran لِلذِّكْرِ for remembrance فَهَلْ so is (there) مِنْ any مُّدَّكِرٍ who will receive admonition كَذَّبَتْ Denied عَادٌ Aad فَكَیْفَ so how كَانَ was عَذَابِیْ My punishment وَ نُذُرِ and My warnings اِنَّاۤ Indeed We اَرْسَلْنَا [We] sent عَلَیْهِمْ upon them رِیْحًا a wind صَرْصَرًا furious فِیْ on یَوْمِ a day نَحْسٍ (of) misfortune مُّسْتَمِرٍّۙ continuous تَنْزِعُ Plucking out النَّاسَ ۙ men كَاَنَّهُمْ as if they (were) اَعْجَازُ trunks نَخْلٍ (of) date-palms مُّنْقَعِرٍ uprooted فَكَیْفَ So how كَانَ was عَذَابِیْ My punishment وَ نُذُرِ and My warnings وَ لَقَدْ And certainly یَسَّرْنَا We have made easy الْقُرْاٰنَ the Quran لِلذِّكْرِ for remembrance فَهَلْ so is (there) مِنْ any مُّدَّكِرٍ۠ who will receive admonition
(54:1) The Hour (of doom) has drawn near, and the moon has split asunder
(54:2) When these people see a sign, they turn away and say, “(This is) a transient magic.”
(54:3) They have rejected (the Truth) and followed their desires, while every matter has to settle (at some time)
(54:4) And there has come to them as much news (of the earlier communities) as it is enough to deter
(54:5) (containing) a perfect wisdom. But the warnings are of no avail (to them)
(54:6) Therefore, turn aside (O Prophet,) from them. (They will see the reality) on the day in which the caller will call (them) to a gruesome object
(54:7) With their eyes humbled, they will come out of the graves like locusts spread all over
(54:8) rushing quickly towards the caller. (On that Day) the disbelievers will say, “This is a hard day.”
(54:9) The people of NūH denied (the truth) before them. So they rejected Our servant, and said, “(He is) a madman”, and he was (also) threatened (by them)
(54:10) So he prayed to his Lord saying, “I am overpowered, so defend (me).”
(54:11) So We opened the gates of the sky with water pouring forth profusely
(54:12) and We caused the earth to gush forth as springs; so the water (of both kinds) met together for a destined event
(54:13) And We caused him (NūH) to board that (ship) which had planks and nails
(54:14) which sailed under Our Eyes, as a reward for the one who was rejected (by the infidels)
(54:15) And We left it (the ship) as a sign. So, is there one to take lesson
(54:16) Then how was My torment and My warnings
(54:17) Indeed We have made the Qur’ān easy for seeking advice. So, is there one to heed to the advice
(54:18) (The people of) ‘Ād rejected (their prophet). So how was My torment and My warnings
(54:19) We did send to them a furious wind in a day of continuous misfortune
(54:20) plucking people away, as if they were trunks of uprooted palm-trees
(54:21) So how was My torment and My warnings
(54:22) Indeed We have made the Qur’ān easy for seeking advice. So, is there one to heed to the advice
Whereas the preceding Surah An-Najm had ended on a note of warning to disbelievers in the words: اَزِفَۃِ الاٰزِفَۃ azifat-il-` azifah, i.e., the Hour of their doom has drawn near, the present Surah opens with a similar sentence, "The Hour (of doom) has drawn near" and this statement is followed by one of its proofs, that is, the appearance of the miracle of the moon being split asunder. There are many signs of the Day of Doom; one of them is the advent of the last of the Prophets Sayyidna Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم itself, as reported in a hadith 'I was sent like this with the last Hour' and he pointed with his middle and index fingers. There are many other Traditions mentioning that the advent of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is close to the Day of doom. Likewise, a great sign of Doomsday is the miracle of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم when he split the moon into two pieces, then he rejoined them. Also, the miracle of 'moon-splitting' is significant from another point of view: Just as Allah's power split the moon into two, so will planets and stars be destroyed by Him by breaking them into very small pieces which is not impossible, as has been proved by the miracle of splitting the moon.
The Phenomenon of Moon-Splitting: A Miracle
The disbelievers of Makkah asked the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم to produce a proof in support of his claim, and he, with the dispensation of Allah, split the moon into two parts. This miracle is verified by the concluding part of verse 1: 'and the moon has been split asunder.' The incident has been narrated successively in Traditions of reliable authority, and reported by such learned Companions as ` Abdullah Ibn Masud, ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar, Jubair Ibn Mut` im, ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas, Anas Ibn Malik ؓ and others. ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ reports that he himself was present and witnessed when the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم performed this miracle. Imams Tahawi and Ibn Kathir have stated that the reports narrating the phenomenon of 'moon-splitting' are mutawatir (i.e. it has been reported successively and uninterruptedly by such a large number of authorities that their concurrence on falsehood is inconceivable.) Therefore, this Prophetic miracle has been proved by incontrovertible evidence.
It was mentioned earlier that a large number of Traditions report the incident of 'moon-splitting', which may be summarized as follows: Whilst the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم was sitting at Mina in Makkah, the pagans demanded that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم should produce a proof substantiating his claim. Allah split the moon in two parts. A part of the moon was over one mountain on the eastern side, and another part was over another mountain on the western side. Thus there was a mountain between the two parts. This incident took place on a moonlit night. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said to all who were present: 'Be witnesses'. When all the people saw the miracle clearly, the two pieces rejoined. It was not possible for any person with eyes to deny this clear miracle. However, the pagans said: 'Muhammad has ensorcelled us, but he cannot bewitch the whole world; so let us wait for people to come from the neighboring parts of the country and hear what they have to say'. (Baihaqi and Abu Dawud Tayalisi) Tayalisi records on the authority of ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ that when travelers from the neighboring parts of the country arrived, they confirmed that they did see the moon in two parts. Some reports indicate that the miracle of 'moon-splitting' occurred twice, but more authentic reports confirm that the miracle occurred once only. (Bayan-ul-Quran) The following Traditions are worth noting, which have been taken from Ibn Kathir:
(1) Sayyidna Anas Ibn Malik ؓ narrates, as recorded in Sahib of Bukhari:
اِنَّ اَھلَ مَکَّۃَ سَاَلُوا رَسُولَ اللہِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اَن ئُّرِیَھَمُ اٰیَۃً فَاَرَاھُمَ القَمَرَ شَقِّین حَّتّٰی رَاَوا حِرَاءَ بَینَھُمَا (بخاری و مسلم)
'The people of Makkah asked the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم to show them a sign, and he split the moon into two parts until they saw the mount of Hira' between them'.
(2) Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ narrates, as recorded in Sahihs of Bukhari and Muslim, and in Musnad of Ahmad,
اَنشَقَّ القَمَرُ عَلٰی عَھد رَسُولَ اللہِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شِقَّینِ حَتّٰی نَظَرُوا اِلَیہِ فقَالَ رَسُولَ اللہِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اَشھَدُوا۔
"The moon was split in two parts during the time of Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم ، and they saw its two parts. Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'Be witnesses'."
Ibn Jarir has cited this report with the following addition:
کُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولَ اللہِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمِنٰی فَاشَقَّ القَمَرُ فَاَخَذَت فِرقَۃُ خَلفَ الجَبَلِ فقالَ رَسُولَ اللہِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اَشھَدُوا اَشھَدُوا۔
"Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ says: 'We were with Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم at Mina. Suddenly the moon split in two pieces, and one piece went away behind the mountain. Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "Be witnesses; be witnesses.'
(3) The narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ is recorded by Baihaqi and Abu Dawud Tayalisi in the following words:
اَنشَقَّ القَمَرُ بِمَکَّۃَ حَتّٰی صارَ فِرقَتَینِ فَقَالَ کُفَّارُ قُرَیشِ اَھل مَکَّۃ ھٰذَا سِحرَکُم بَہٰ اِبنُ اَبِی کَبشَۃَ اَنظَرُوا السُّفَّرَ فَاِن کَانُوا رَأوا ما رَاَیتُم فقد صَدَقَ وَ اِن کَانُوا لَم یَرَوا مِثلَ مَا رَایتُم فَھُوَسِحرُ سَحرَکُم بَہٰ فَسُیِٔلَ السُّفَّارُ قَالَ وَ قَدِمُوا کُلِّ جِھَۃِ فَقَالُو رَاَیٔنَا۔ (ابن کثیر)
"In Makkah, the moon was split into two parts. The disbelieving Quraish claimed: 'This is sorcery. Ibn Abi Kabshah [ the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ] has ensorcelled you. Therefore, wait for the neighboring travelers to arrive. If they too have seen the two pieces of the moon, so he has spoken the truth. But if they have not seen the parts of the moon, then this is indeed a magical illusion which he has performed on you.' When the travelers arrived and were asked about it, they all confirmed that they did see the two parts of the moon.' :(Ibn Kathir)
Criticism against the Miracle of 'Moon-Splitting'
The critics have raised two types of criticism against the miracle: one is based on the assumptions of Greek philosophers, and the other is based on layman's thinking.
The deviant Greek philosophers assume that it is not possible for the heaven and other celestial bodies to split or crack, and rejoin. But this is merely an idea unsubstantiated by any solid or concrete proof. Whatever proof or evidence the philosophers have advanced is flimsy, shaky, inadequate and unsubstantial. The Islamic philosophers [ mutakallimin ] have broken down their arguments and have shown that they are baseless, false and absurd. They could not prove by any rational argument that 'moon-splitting' is impossible. Indeed, illiterate people regard every unusual thing as impossible. Obviously, the very meaning of mu' jizah or a prophetic miracle is that it is an unusual event that is abnormal and out of general habit, which cannot be performed by common people. Any ordinary work which can be performed at any time cannot be called mu' jizah or miracle.
The other criticism based on a layman's thinking is that if such a wonderful event had taken place, its knowledge would have been commonplace and would have found its mention in the books of history, but they say that they have found no such thing recorded.
Such a thinking is too simplistic which lacks careful analysis. A careful analysis shows that the event had occurred in Makkah at night. At that particular moment, in many parts of the world it must have been day time where and when the question of witnessing this event does not even arise. In many other countries, it must have been middle of the night, or last part of the night when the people normally sleep. Furthermore, people who are awake also do not stare at the moon all the time. Splitting of the moon would not make any difference on the moonlight spread on the earth, so that it would attract people's attention. The event took place suddenly and lasted for a short while. It is a daily experience that in particular countries at different times lunar eclipse takes place. Nowadays a forecast is made about its occurrence well in advance, yet there are hundreds of thousands of people who are absolutely unaware of it. Can this be the proof that the lunar eclipse did not take place? Thus if the event is not recorded in world history books, its occurrence cannot be denied or refuted.
Besides, the event is recorded in the famous and reliable history book of India called 'Tarikh-e-Farishtah'. It has been mentioned in this book that the Maharajah, a native ruler, of Malabar had witnessed this phenomenon that night with his own eyes, and had it entered in his diary. This incident was the cause of his embracing Islam. Earlier on the narratives of Abu Dawud Tayalisi and Baihaqi were quoted about the pagans of Makkah themselves who inquired from the people arriving from the neighboring parts of the country and they confirmed and verified that they had seen it. Allah, the Pure and the Exalted, knows best!
مَجْنُونٌ وَازْدُجِرَ (and said, " (He is) a madman", and he was threatened...54:9). The word wazdujira literally denotes 'he was rebuked'. It refers to the attitude of the people of Nuh علیہ السلام who rebuked and threatened him to stop him from preaching. On another occasion in the Qur'an, we read that the people of Nuh (علیہ السلام) threatened and warned him that if he does not stop propagating his message, he would be stoned to death.
` Abd Ibn Humaid reports from Mujahid that when some of his people found him somewhere, they would choke him, as a result he would become unconscious. But when he recovered, he would pray to Allah, '0 Allah! Forgive my people, for they do not know the truth'. In this way, he endured the persecution of his people patiently for nine hundred and fifty years, prayed for their forgiveness and understanding of the truth. Eventually, when the situation became intolerable, and he could no longer resist his people, he invoked Allah to help him against them. As a result, Allah opened the gates of the heaven with torrential rain, and the entire nation was drowned which is mentioned in the forthcoming verse.
The verse could also mean that Allah has made the Qur'an so simple that just as an intellectual and knowledgeable person benefits from its contents, so does a layman, having no expertise in relevant sciences. He too can benefit from its admonition and warnings (at his own level).
Qur' an is Made Simple to Memorize and to Take Heed; Not for Ijtihad or Istinbat
In this verse the verb یَسَّرنَا yassarna [ We have made easy ] is qualified by the prepositional phrase لِلذِّکرِ lidh-dhikri [ for seeking advice ]. This implies that the Qur'an has been made easy to the extent of memorizing it and paying heed to its advice and warnings, from which all can benefit -whether a learned scholar or an unlearned person, whether young or old. This does not necessarily imply that derivation or deduction of laws and injunctions from the Qur'an is easy for everybody. Ijtihad or Istinbat (deduction) of injunctions from the Qur'an is a science, having its own complex rules. Scholars well-grounded in knowledge have spent years of their life to attain to the position where they could exercise Ijtihad and Istinbat. It is not a field where every ordinary person or layman can play his role.
This indicates the error of some of the deviant people who, on the strength of this statement, wish to pose as mujtahid and derive laws and injunctions with their own reasoning, without acquiring complete and profound knowledge of the Qur'an, and without fully grasping its methodological principles and rules. This is clear deviation!
The word سُعُر su'ur has appeared twice in this Surah. First it has appeared in verse 24 in connection with the people of Thamud where it is their own word, and means 'madness or insanity'. The second time, the word appears in connection with the punishment of the sinners where it is the word of Allah in the forthcoming verse [ 47] فِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ. Here the word سُعُر su'ur may also be taken in the sense of Hell-Fire. According to lexicologists, the word su'ur is used in both these senses.
رَاوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِ (And they had even tried to tempt him against his guests...54:37). The word murawadah signifies to entice someone to satisfy one's lust. This verse refers to the night when the angels came to Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) in the shape of handsome young men, as a test from Allah for his people who were addicted to homosexuality. Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) hosted his guests. The licentious people came to him from every direction, and the Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) had to shut the door to protect his guests. They came during the night and tried to break the door down and scale the walls to come in. The immoral behaviour of his people distressed Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) but when the guests revealed to him that they were angels and have been sent by Allah to inflict destructive punishment on his people, he felt comforted; they assured him that they will not be able to hurt them in any way.
Surah Al-Qamar started on the note that Doomsday is fast approaching, so that the infidels and pagans, who have lust and greed for this world and are unaware of the Hereafter, come to their senses. First, the punishment of the Hereafter is mentioned. Then the evil consequences of their misdeeds in the present life are cited. Reference is made to the conditions of world-famous nations, their opposition to their respective prophets and its evil consequences. The people of Lut (علیہ السلام) were the first people who were destroyed by Divine punishment. Many different kinds of devastating torments were inflicted on the people of Lut (علیہ السلام) ، the tribes of ` Ad, Thamud and Lut (علیہ السلام) and the people of Fir'aun in this world. Their stories and histories are recounted in detail on several occasions in the Qur'an. Here they have been condensed.
All these five nations were the strongest and resourceful. It was not possible for any of the subdued nations to overcome any of these superpowers. The current set of verses show how the superpowers were destroyed by Divine punishment. After describing the punishment of each nation, the Qur'an repeats the following statement as a refrain: فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ (How then was My torment and My warnings?). That is, when the Divine chastisement overtook these nations who were very powerful in terms of might, wealth and number were killed like flies and mosquitoes. In addition, the following verse is repeated to advise the Muslims and the infidels in general: وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ (and indeed We have made the Qur'an easy for seeking advice. So, is there one to seek advice?) This is to indicate that the only way to avoid the terrible chastisement is to take to the advice of the Qur'an. Allah has made the Qur'an easy to the extent of paying heed to the admonition and warnings. Only the most ill-fated person will not take advantage of the warnings.
The forthcoming verses address the people of the time of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم that they are not more powerful in terms of wealth, number and might than the people of Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) the tribes of ` Ad and Thamud, Prophet Lut' s علیہ السلام people and the people of Fir'aun. Then how are they sitting in a careless manner?