Surah 10. Yunus

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-20 [2], 21-30 [3], 31-40 [4], 41-53 [5], 54-60 [6], 61-70 [7], 71-82 [8], 83-92 [9], 93-103 [10], 104-109 [11]

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Quran Text of Verse 21-3010. Yunus Page 211وَ اِذَاۤAnd whenاَذَقْنَاWe let [the] mankind tasteالنَّاسَWe let [the] mankind tasteرَحْمَةًmercyمِّنْۢafterبَعْدِafterضَرَّآءَadversityمَسَّتْهُمْhas touched themاِذَاbeholdلَهُمْThey haveمَّكْرٌa plotفِیْۤagainstاٰیَاتِنَا ؕOur VersesقُلِSayاللّٰهُAllahاَسْرَعُ(is) more swiftمَكْرًا ؕ(in) planningاِنَّIndeedرُسُلَنَاOur Messengersیَكْتُبُوْنَwrite downمَاwhatتَمْكُرُوْنَ you plot هُوَHeالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoیُسَیِّرُكُمْenables you to travelفِیinالْبَرِّthe landوَ الْبَحْرِ ؕand the seaحَتّٰۤیuntilاِذَاwhenكُنْتُمْyou areفِیinالْفُلْكِ ۚthe shipsوَ جَرَیْنَand they sailبِهِمْwith themبِرِیْحٍwith a windطَیِّبَةٍgoodوَّ فَرِحُوْاand they rejoiceبِهَاthereinجَآءَتْهَاcomes to itرِیْحٌa windعَاصِفٌstormyوَّ جَآءَهُمُand comes to themالْمَوْجُthe wavesمِنْfromكُلِّeveryمَكَانٍplaceوَّ ظَنُّوْۤاand they assumeاَنَّهُمْthat theyاُحِیْطَare surroundedبِهِمْ ۙwith themدَعَوُاThey callاللّٰهَAllahمُخْلِصِیْنَsincerelyلَهُto Himالدِّیْنَ ۚ۬(in) the religionلَىِٕنْ(saying) IfاَنْجَیْتَنَاYou save usمِنْfromهٰذِهٖthisلَنَكُوْنَنَّsurely we will beمِنَamongالشّٰكِرِیْنَ the thankful فَلَمَّاۤBut whenاَنْجٰىهُمْHe saved themاِذَاbeholdهُمْTheyیَبْغُوْنَrebelفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthبِغَیْرِwithoutالْحَقِّ ؕ[the] rightیٰۤاَیُّهَاO mankindالنَّاسُO mankindاِنَّمَاOnlyبَغْیُكُمْyour rebellionعَلٰۤی(is) againstاَنْفُسِكُمْ ۙyourselvesمَّتَاعَ(the) enjoymentالْحَیٰوةِ(of) the lifeالدُّنْیَا ؗ(of) the worldثُمَّThenاِلَیْنَاto Usمَرْجِعُكُمْ(is) your returnفَنُنَبِّئُكُمْand We will inform youبِمَاof whatكُنْتُمْyou used (to)تَعْمَلُوْنَ do اِنَّمَاOnlyمَثَلُ(the) exampleالْحَیٰوةِ(of) the lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldكَمَآءٍ(is) like (the) waterاَنْزَلْنٰهُwhich We sent downمِنَfromالسَّمَآءِthe skyفَاخْتَلَطَso absorbsبِهٖ[with] itنَبَاتُ(the) plantsالْاَرْضِ(of) the earthمِمَّاfrom whichیَاْكُلُeatالنَّاسُthe menوَ الْاَنْعَامُ ؕand the cattleحَتّٰۤیuntilاِذَاۤwhenاَخَذَتِtakesالْاَرْضُthe earthزُخْرُفَهَاits adornmentوَ ازَّیَّنَتْand is beautifiedوَ ظَنَّand thinkاَهْلُهَاۤits peopleاَنَّهُمْthat theyقٰدِرُوْنَhave the powerعَلَیْهَاۤ ۙover itاَتٰىهَاۤcomes (to) itاَمْرُنَاOur commandلَیْلًا(by) nightاَوْorنَهَارًا(by) dayفَجَعَلْنٰهَاand We make itحَصِیْدًاa harvest clean-mownكَاَنْas ifلَّمْnotتَغْنَit had flourishedبِالْاَمْسِ ؕyesterdayكَذٰلِكَThusنُفَصِّلُWe explainالْاٰیٰتِthe Signsلِقَوْمٍfor a peopleیَّتَفَكَّرُوْنَ who reflect وَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahیَدْعُوْۤاcallsاِلٰیtoدَارِ(the) Homeالسَّلٰمِ ؕ(of) the Peaceوَ یَهْدِیْand guidesمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُHe willsاِلٰیtoصِرَاطٍ(the) straight pathمُّسْتَقِیْمٍ (the) straight path 10. Yunus Page 212لِلَّذِیْنَFor those whoاَحْسَنُواdo goodالْحُسْنٰی(is) the bestوَ زِیَادَةٌ ؕand moreوَ لَاAnd notیَرْهَقُ(will) coverوُجُوْهَهُمْtheir facesقَتَرٌdustوَّ لَاand notذِلَّةٌ ؕhumiliationاُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseاَصْحٰبُ(are the) companionsالْجَنَّةِ ۚ(of) Paradiseهُمْtheyفِیْهَاin itخٰلِدُوْنَ (will) abide forever وَ الَّذِیْنَAnd those whoكَسَبُواearnedالسَّیِّاٰتِthe evil deedsجَزَآءُ(the) recompenseسَیِّئَةٍۭ(of) an evil deedبِمِثْلِهَا ۙ(is) like itوَ تَرْهَقُهُمْand (will) cover themذِلَّةٌ ؕhumiliationمَاThey will not haveلَهُمْThey will not haveمِّنَfromاللّٰهِAllahمِنْanyعَاصمٍ ۚdefenderكَاَنَّمَاۤAs ifاُغْشِیَتْhad been coveredوُجُوْهُهُمْtheir facesقِطَعًا(with) piecesمِّنَfromالَّیْلِthe darkness (of) nightمُظْلِمًا ؕthe darkness (of) nightاُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseاَصْحٰبُ(are the) companionsالنَّارِ ۚ(of) the Fireهُمْtheyفِیْهَاin itخٰلِدُوْنَ (will) abide forever وَ یَوْمَAnd (the) DayنَحْشُرُهُمْWe will gather themجَمِیْعًاall togetherثُمَّthenنَقُوْلُWe will sayلِلَّذِیْنَto those whoاَشْرَكُوْاassociate partners (with Allah)مَكَانَكُمْ(Remain in) your placeاَنْتُمْyouوَ شُرَكَآؤُكُمْ ۚand your partnersفَزَیَّلْنَاThen We will separateبَیْنَهُمْ[between] themوَ قَالَand (will) sayشُرَكَآؤُهُمْtheir partnersمَّاNotكُنْتُمْyou used (to)اِیَّانَاworship usتَعْبُدُوْنَ worship us فَكَفٰیSo sufficientبِاللّٰهِ(is) Allahشَهِیْدًۢا(as) a witnessبَیْنَنَاbetween usوَ بَیْنَكُمْand between youاِنْthatكُنَّاwe wereعَنْofعِبَادَتِكُمْyour worshipلَغٰفِلِیْنَ certainly unaware هُنَالِكَThereتَبْلُوْاwill be put to trialكُلُّeveryنَفْسٍsoulمَّاۤ(for) whatاَسْلَفَتْit did previouslyوَ رُدُّوْۤاand they will be returnedاِلَیtoاللّٰهِAllahمَوْلٰىهُمُtheir Lordالْحَقِّthe trueوَ ضَلَّand will be lostعَنْهُمْfrom themمَّاwhatكَانُوْاthey used (to)یَفْتَرُوْنَ۠invent

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Translation of Verse 21-30

(10:21) No sooner than We bestow mercy on a people after hardship has hit them than they begin to scheme against Our signs.²⁹ Tell them: 'Allah is swifter in scheming. Our angels are recording all your intriguing.³⁰

(10:22) He it is Who enables you to journey through the land and the sea. And so it happens that when you have boarded the ships and they set sail with a favourable wind, and the passengers rejoice at the pleasant voyage, then suddenly a fierce gale appears, and wave upon wave surges upon them from every side, and people believe that they are surrounded from all directions, and all of them cry out to Allah in full sincerity of faith: 'If You deliver us from this we shall surely be thankful.³¹

(10:23) But no sooner than He delivers them than they go about committing excesses on the earth, acting unjustly. Men ! The excesses you commit will be of harm only to yourselves, (Enjoy, if you will) the fleeting pleasure of this world; in me end you shall all return to Us, and then We shall tell you what you did.

(10:24) The example of the life of this world (which has enamoured you into becoming heedless to Our signs) is that of water that We sent down from the heaven which causes the vegetation of the earth, which sustains men and cattle, to grow luxuriantly. But when the earth took on its golden raiment and became well adorned and the owners believed that they had full control over their lands Our command came upon them by night or by day, and We convened it into a stubble, as though it had not blossomed yesterday. Thus do We expound the signs for a people who reflect.

(10:25) (You are being lured by this ephemeral world) although Allah calls you to the abode of peace³² and guides whomsoever He wills to a straightway.

(10:26) For those who do good there is good reward and more besides;³³ neither gloom nor humiliation shall cover their faces. They are the people of the Garden and in it they shall abide.

(10:27) Those who do evil deeds, the recompense of an evil deed is its like,³⁴ and humiliation shall spread over them and there will be none to protect them from Allah. Darkness will cover their faces as though they were veiled with the dark blackness of night.³⁵ These are the people of the Fire and in it they shall abide.

(10:28) And the Day when We shall muster them all together, We shall say to those who associated others with Allah in His divinity: 'Keep to your places - you and those whom you associated with Allah.' Then We shall remove the veil of foreignness separating them.³⁶ Those whom they had associated with Allah will say. 'It was not us that you worshipped.

(10:29) Allah's witness suffices between you and us that (even if you worshipped us) we were totally unaware of your worshipping us.³⁷

(10:30) Thereupon everyone shall taste the recompense of his past deeds. All shall be sent back to Allah, their true Lord, and then all the falsehoods they had fabricated will have forsaken them.

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Commentary

29. This again alludes to the famine which was referred to earlier in verses 11-12 of the present surah. The unbelievers are virtually being told that it did not be hove them to ask for any miraculous sign. For, not long ago they had suffered from a famine during which they had abjured faith in those very deities whom they had earlier considered their intercessors with God. They had seen with their own eyes how their cherished deities had failed them. They had clearly seen the extent of the supernatural powers of those very deities at whose altars they made offerings and sacrifices in the firm belief that their prayers would be answered and their wishes realized. They had seen — and that too in the recent past — that none of those deities had any power; that all power in fact lay with God alone.

It was because of this experience that they had begun to address all their prayers to God alone. Was all this not enough of a sign to convince the unbelievers about the truth of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him)? And yet, despite clear signs, the unbelievers waxed arrogant. No sooner was the famine over and they were blessed with outpourings of rain which put an end to their misery than they reverted to their unbelief. They also sought to offer a wide variety of fanciful explanations about why the famine had hit them and why they were subsequently delivered from it. They resorted to all this in order that they might rationalize their adherence to polytheistic beliefs and practices and evade believing in the One True God. Quite obviously what good can any miraculous sign be to those who had corrupted. their conscience so thoroughly?

30. It needs to be clearly understood as to what is meant by attributing ‘scheming’ to God in the present verse. It simply means that if the unbelievers refuse to accept the truth and to alter their conduct accordingly, God will still grant them the respite to go about their rebellious ways. God will also lavish upon them the means of subsistence and other bounties as long as they live. All this will keep them in a state of intoxication. However, whatever they do during their state of intoxication will be imperceptibly recorded by the angels of God: All this will go on till the very last moments of their lives and then they will be seized by death and will be asked to render an account of their deeds.

31. This particular ‘sign’ which testifies to the truth of belief in the One True God is innate in human nature and hence can be witnessed by all.

However, as long as the means of self-indulgence are plentiful, man tends to forget God and exults in his worldly enjoyment. But as soon as the means which have led him to his worldly efflorescence are gone, even the most die-hard polytheists and atheists begin to appreciate this innate sign testifying that there indeed is a God Who has His firm grip over the universe, and that it is the One True God Alone Who is all-powerful and Who holds sway over all that exists. (For details see Towards Understanding the Quran’, vol. Il, al-An ‘am6, n. 29, pp. 231-3 — Ed.)

32. God calls man to the path which would ensure for him his entry into the. “Abode of Peace’ in the Hereafter. The expression Dar al-Salam which literally means the ‘Abode of Peace’, stands for Paradise, whose inhabitants shall be secure against every calamity, loss, sorrow or suffering.

33. Apart from rewarding human beings in proportion to the good deeds that they have done, God also confers upon them, out of His sheer grace and bounty, a reward which is far in excess of their good deeds.

34, The manner in which the evil ones will be treated is quite different from the way in which the righteous will be treated. As we have seen, the reward of the righteous will be far in excess of their good deeds. However, so far as the evil-doers are concerned, their punishment will be strictly in proportion to the evil they have committed, not even an -jota more than that. (For further elaboration see al-Nahl 16, n. 109a.)

35. This refers to the darkness and gloom that covers the faces of the criminals after they have been seized and after they have lost all hope of escaping God’s punishment.

36. The words of the Qur’anic text are. Some Qur’an commentators have interpreted these words to signify that God will sunder the relationship that has come to exist in the worldly life between false deities and their polytheistic devotees with the result that one will not show any solicitude to the other. But such an interpretation is not consistent with the Arabic literary usage. According to Arabic usage, the words suggest that God will cause the one to become distinct from the other. It is this sense which is reflected in our translation. We shall remove the veil of strangeness from among them’.

What is meant by this is that false deities and their devotees will confront each other, and it will become quite clear as to what distinguishes one group from the other. The polytheists will come to know those they considered to be their gods, and the false deities will also come to know those who had worshipped them.

37, This shows how the false gods will react to their worshippers. Angels who had been declared gods and goddesses and therefore, worshipped, the jinn, the spirits, the forefathers of yore, the Prophets, and the saints and martyrs who were considered to share with God some of His attributes, will all disavow their devotees. They will tell the latter in quite plain terms that they were not even aware that they were being worshipped; that even if they had been prayed to, called upon or cried out to, or had had offerings or sacrifices made in their name, or who had had reverence, adoration, prostration, rituals or ceremonies performed out of devotion for them, none of these had ever reached them.