Surah 27. An-Naml

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Verses [Section]: 1-14[1], 15-31 [2], 32-44 [3], 45-58 [4], 59-66 [5], 67-82 [6], 83-93 [7]

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Quran Text of Verse 67-82وَ قَالَAnd sayالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْۤاdisbelieveءَاِذَاWhat whenكُنَّاwe have becomeتُرٰبًاdustوَّ اٰبَآؤُنَاۤand our forefathersاَىِٕنَّاwill weلَمُخْرَجُوْنَ surely be brought out لَقَدْCertainlyوُعِدْنَاwe have been promisedهٰذَاthisنَحْنُweوَ اٰبَآؤُنَاand our forefathersمِنْbeforeقَبْلُ ۙbeforeاِنْNotهٰذَاۤ(is) thisاِلَّاۤexceptاَسَاطِیْرُtalesالْاَوَّلِیْنَ (of) the former (people) قُلْSayسِیْرُوْاTravelفِیinالْاَرْضِthe landفَانْظُرُوْاand seeكَیْفَhowكَانَwasعَاقِبَةُ(the) endالْمُجْرِمِیْنَ (of) the criminals وَ لَاAnd (do) notتَحْزَنْgrieveعَلَیْهِمْover themوَ لَاand notتَكُنْbeفِیْinضَیْقٍdistressمِّمَّاfrom whatیَمْكُرُوْنَ they plot وَ یَقُوْلُوْنَAnd they sayمَتٰیWhenهٰذَا(will) thisالْوَعْدُpromise (be fulfilled)اِنْifكُنْتُمْyou areصٰدِقِیْنَ truthful قُلْSayعَسٰۤیPerhapsاَنْthatیَّكُوْنَisرَدِفَclose behindلَكُمْyouبَعْضُsomeالَّذِیْ(of) that whichتَسْتَعْجِلُوْنَ you seek to hasten وَ اِنَّAnd indeedرَبَّكَyour Lordلَذُوْ(is) full of Bountyفَضْلٍ(is) full of Bountyعَلَیforالنَّاسِthe mankindوَ لٰكِنَّbutاَكْثَرَهُمْmost of themلَا(are) notیَشْكُرُوْنَ grateful وَ اِنَّAnd indeedرَبَّكَyour Lordلَیَعْلَمُsurely knowsمَاwhatتُكِنُّconcealsصُدُوْرُهُمْtheir breastsوَ مَاand whatیُعْلِنُوْنَ they declare وَ مَاAnd not (is)مِنْany (thing)غَآىِٕبَةٍhiddenفِیinالسَّمَآءِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضِand the earthاِلَّاbutفِیْ(is) inكِتٰبٍa Recordمُّبِیْنٍ clear اِنَّIndeedهٰذَاthisالْقُرْاٰنَ[the] Quranیَقُصُّrelatesعَلٰیtoبَنِیْۤ(the) Childrenاِسْرَآءِیْلَ(of) Israelاَكْثَرَmostالَّذِیْ(of) thatهُمْtheyفِیْهِin itیَخْتَلِفُوْنَ differ 27. An-Naml Page 384وَ اِنَّهٗAnd indeed itلَهُدًی(is) surely a guidanceوَّ رَحْمَةٌand a mercyلِّلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ for the believers اِنَّIndeedرَبَّكَyour Lordیَقْضِیْwill judgeبَیْنَهُمْbetween themبِحُكْمِهٖ ۚby His Judgmentوَ هُوَand Heالْعَزِیْزُ(is) the All-Mightyالْعَلِیْمُۙۚthe All-Knower فَتَوَكَّلْSo put your trustعَلَیinاللّٰهِ ؕAllahاِنَّكَindeed youعَلَی(are) onالْحَقِّthe truthالْمُبِیْنِ manifest اِنَّكَIndeed youلَا(can)notتُسْمِعُcause to hearالْمَوْتٰیthe deadوَ لَاand notتُسْمِعُcan you cause to hearالصُّمَّthe deafالدُّعَآءَthe callاِذَاwhenوَلَّوْاthey turn backمُدْبِرِیْنَ retreating وَ مَاۤAnd notاَنْتَ(can) youبِهٰدِیguideالْعُمْیِthe blindعَنْfromضَلٰلَتِهِمْ ؕtheir errorاِنْNotتُسْمِعُyou can cause to hearاِلَّاexceptمَنْ(those) whoیُّؤْمِنُbelieveبِاٰیٰتِنَاin Our Signsفَهُمْso theyمُّسْلِمُوْنَ (are) Muslims وَ اِذَاAnd whenوَقَعَ(is) fulfilledالْقَوْلُthe wordعَلَیْهِمْagainst themاَخْرَجْنَاWe will bring forthلَهُمْfor themدَآبَّةًa creatureمِّنَfromالْاَرْضِthe earthتُكَلِّمُهُمْ ۙspeaking to themاَنَّthatالنَّاسَthe peopleكَانُوْاwereبِاٰیٰتِنَاof Our Signsلَاnotیُوْقِنُوْنَ۠certain

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Translation of Verse 67-82

(27:67) The unbelievers say: "When we become dust, we and our forefathers, shall we really be brought out (from our graves)?

(27:68) We were told about this and so were our forefathers before us. But these are no more than fairy tales that have been recounted from ancient times."

(27:69) Say: "Go about through the earth and see what has been the end of the evil-doers."⁸⁶

(27:70) (O Prophet), do not grieve over them, nor be distressed at their designs.⁸⁷

(27:71) They also say: "Tell us when this threat will come to pass, if you are truthful."⁸⁸

(27:72) Say: "The chastisement whose hastening you have been asking for, maybe a part of it has drawn quite near to you."⁸⁹

(27:73) Indeed Your Lord is exceedingly bountiful to mankind. Yet most of them do not give thanks.⁹⁰

(27:74) Verily your Lord knows all that their hearts conceal as well as all that they reveal.⁹¹

(27:75) There is nothing that is hidden - be it in the heaven or the earth - but is recorded in a Clear Book.⁹²

(27:76) Surely this Qur'an explains to the Children of Israel most of the matters concerning which they have disagreements⁹³

(27:77) and it is a guidance and mercy for the believers.⁹⁴

(27:78) Indeed your Lord will decide between them⁹⁵ by His judgement. He is All-Mighty, All-Knowing.

(27:79) So⁹⁶ put your trust in Allah for you are on the manifest truth.

(27:80) Surely you cannot make the dead hear you,⁹⁷ nor can you make the deaf hear your call if they turn back in flight,⁹⁸

(27:81) nor can you direct the blind to the Right Way,⁹⁹ preventing them from falling into error. You can make only those who believe in Our verses to hear the call and then submit.

(27:82) And when the time for the fulfilment of Our Word against them will come,¹⁰⁰ We shall bring forth for them a beast from the earth who will speak to them because people did not believe in Our Signs.¹⁰¹

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Commentary

86. In this brief sentence there are two solid arguments in support of the Hereafter along with a piece of sincere advice. The first argument is that every nation which denied the Hereafter in the past inexorably became criminal, immoral, unjust, oppressive and corrupt, which in turn brought about their complete destruction. This is a consistent pattern of human history and the ruins of past civilizations testify to the vital relationship between belief in the Hereafter and good conduct. Belief in the Hereafter provides the right direction to human life and its denial, being contrary to Reality, leads to its derailment.

The second argument is historical: past records show that the nations which engage in criminal behavior, and which become enmeshed in injustice, oppression and corruption are always destroyed. This means that this Universe is not governed by forces that are blind and impervious to facts; it rather functions in accordance with a wise and immutable law of just reward and punishment which deals with nations purely on the moral plane. This universal law has no room for a state of affairs in which immoral and corrupt nations are given free rein. This law does not allow those nations which exceed a certain limit of iniquity and high-handedness to survive.

For when that happens, some invisible but powerful hand appears and removes them from the pinnacle of their glory and casts them into the abyss of disgrace and degradation.

Anyone who understands this reality cannot doubt that this is the Law of Just Retribution which demands belief in the Next Life wherein both nations and individuals will be fully called to account for their deeds. It will be seen that the destruction that visits a nation in this world does not fulfil all the requirements of justice. Such a destruction fails to provide any relief to those upon whose dead bodies the tyrants-had risen to the heights of their worldly glory. Nor does it provide adequate punishment to those who had reaped a bumper crop of worldly advantages before being destroyed by God’s punishment. This destruction also did not mete out adequate punishment to those wicked people who left behind a heritage of waywardness and moral corruption which’ continue to poison the lives of countless people, generation after generation. The punishment which strikes down an iniquitous nation only terminates the chain of injustice and. tyranny at a certain stage of time, by inflicting punishment on the last of the several ' generations who were guilty. There remains, however, for the ultimate Court of Law to give due measure of punishment to all who acted with injustice, to provide due relief to all those who have suffered loss. It also has to recompense those who held their ground against the flood of corruption and injustice and who suffered throughout their lives. All of this must happen because the evidence of the Law of Retribution in this world suggests that this is how the Universe functions: that human deeds are weighed and people are rewarded and punished accordingly. Additionally, the verse advises us to look at the way previous criminals were destroyed and to learn the right lesson from their destruction. They should do this rather than persist in denying the Hereafter which had led people to iniquitous conduct and criminal behavior.

87. The Prophet (peace be on him) had done his duty and had duly explained things to people. If they still did not believe and persisted in their ignorance, thereby inviting Divine punishment upon themselves, why should the Prophet (peace be on him) torment himself on their account? He is told not to. worry about the mean and petty plots which people hatched in order to thwart the Truth and frustrate his efforts to bring about reform; rather, he should feel reassured because God stands behind him and, hence, his opponents are unable to harm him.

88. This refers to the same threat which is implied in the previous verse.

What they meant was this: When will that scourge, with which you have been threatening, overtake us? Why are we not being punished when we have rejected you and have done whatever we could to defeat you and your mission?

89. This is a majestic manner of speech. When words like “maybe” occur in Divine discourse, they do not imply any doubt but are an indication of God’s exalted position. He is neither in need of anything nor anyone. His Power and Might are such that the fact of His willing something and its actual occurrence are one and the same thing. It cannot even be imagined that God would will something and it not happen. Therefore, His saying that... maybe a part of it might have drawn quite near to you” simply means that unless they mend their ways, they are bound to meet their doom. If an ordinary police officer were to tell someone that he was in trouble, that person would perhaps spend the night sleeplessly. That being the case, how can someone remain unmoved after hearing from the Almighty that maybe their doom had drawn quite near to them?

90. Itis the Mercy of the Lord of the Universe that He delays His punishment and gives respite to people. But most people do not give thanks to God for this favor nor do they care to use this respite to reform themselves. Rather, they infer from this delay in retribution that there is none who will hold them to account, and that they can do whatever they please. While doing so they disregard the words of those who tender sincere advice to them.

91. God is not only aware of these apparent deeds, but also knows the malignity-and spite that deniers of the Truth harbor in their hearts as also their conspiratorial designs. Therefore, when the time comes, nothing will be left untouched and they will be punished for every evil that they committed. This statement is couched in words which have the ring of an administrator’s warning to a miscreant in his realm: “I am well aware of ail your deeds.” The purpose of the statement is not so much to inform a criminal that all his misdeeds are known, but rather to urge him to give up his criminal behavior or else he would be brought to book.

92. The expression “Clear Book” here does not mean the Qur’an; rather, it means the Record of man’s deeds, with God, which contains all that he has done.

93. This statement is connected both with what precedes it as well as with what follows. Its relation with what has been said above is that it is a wondrous manifestation of God’s Knowledge of the Unseen that the historical events of the Israelites are being narrated in the Qur’an through an unlettered Prophet (peace be on him). This contrasts with the fact that Israelite scholars disagreed among themselves about these events. Some examples of these are mentioned in the earlier sections of this surah. (See verse 7-15 and the relevant notes above.)

The verse connects to the subject matter subsequently discussed insofar as God Who has decided about those disputes, He will also decide about this one between Muhammad (peace be on him) and his opponents, He will make it clear as to who is following the Truth and who is opposed to it. Just a few years after the revelation of these verses, God’s Judgement became absolutely clear. In the same land, Arabia, and amongst the same tribe, the Quraysh, there remained no one who was not convinced that it was Muhammad (peace be on him) rather than Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab who was the standard-bearer of the Truth. Even the children of those who had once bitterly opposed the Prophet (peace be on him) admitted that their fathers’ belief was-wrong.

94. That is, those who accept the Message of the Qur’an and who believe in what it expounds will find the Truth. Such people will save themselves from the errors and sins in which their nation was immersed. Through the Qur’an they will find the True and Straight Path; they will be blessed by God with the bounties which the Quraysh were even unable to imagine. This shower of blessings also became apparent to the whole world within a few years. The same people who had lived in the desolate sands of Arabia and who could do no more than become highway robbers in their state of disbelief became rulers and leaders of a large part of the earth and served as beacons for the whole world. This as a result of their embracing the teachings of the Qur’an.

95. That is, God will issue His judgement regarding the dispute between the Qurayshite unbelievers and the believers.

96. Neither is there any possibility of any error in God’s Judgement, nor can any power prevent its enforcement.

97. These people are such that their conscience is dead, and they have been rendered incapable of differentiating between Truth and falsehood. This because of their obduracy and their propensity to blindly follow inherited customs and usages.

98. Such people not only seal their ears against the Prophet's Message. they even move out of the vicinity for fear that they will be within its reach.

99. It is not the Prophet's task to forcibly bring people to the Right Path. He can only explain the Truth by his tongue and reinforce it by his own life-example, thereby demonstrating which path is right and which is wrong. But how could he guide those who had closed their eyes and who refused to see?

100. That is, when the Day of Resurrection, with which they are promised, will approach.

101. According to “Abd Allah ibn “Umar, this will happen when there would remain none on the earth who bid people to do good and forbid them from evil. Ibn Mardawayh has reported a hadith from Aba Sa ‘id al-Khudri _ in which he says that he, himself, heard this from the Prophet (peace be on him). (See Aba ‘Abd‘Allah Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Hakim, al- Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihyn fi al-Hadith , Vol. 4, p. 485, see also al-Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur fi al-Tafsir bi al-Ma'thur, Vol. 5, p. 115 — Ed.)

This shows that when people stop exhorting others to do good and cease to forbid them to do evil, God will bring forth a beast just before the Resurrection.as a final warning. It is not clear whether it will be one animal or a whole species of animals whose members will spread all over the earth. Dabbah ‘min al-ard could mean both. In any case, what that beast will say is that people did not believe in those verses in which the news about the Day of Resurrection was given. And now, Jo and behold, the time-of Resurrection has drawn near and, hence, everyone should know that the verses pertaining to the subject were true. The sentence that “people did not believe in Our Signs” [meaning here “verses” — Ed.] is either a reproduction of what the animal will say or it is from God Himself. If the first option is correct, then the word “our” is used in the same sense in which a spokesman uses it when he talks on behalf of a whole government and uses the plural noun “we”, i.e. the statement is taken as one representing the opinion of a collectivity rather than simply that of an individual. Alternatively, if one accepts that the statement was from God Himself, there remains no ambiguity in the usage “Our Signs”.

The time of the coming of this creature was mentioned by the Prophet (peace be on him) in his saying: “The sun-will rise from the west and this beast will arise in the broad light of the day; whichever of these two signs will come first, will be close to the other.” (See Muslim, ‘K. al-Fitan wa Ashrat al-Sa‘ah', Bab Fi Khurij al-Dajjal wa Mukthihi fi al-Ard ... wa Ba‘th man fi al-Qubur — Ed.)

In other traditions reported by Muslim, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi and by Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Musnad, the Prophet (peace be on him) is reported to have said that close to the time of the Resurrection, Dajjal, dabbat al-ard (the beast of the earth), smoke, and the rising of the sun from the west will follow each other in rapid succession. (There are a number of Traditions to this effect except that we could not find that these signs will “follow each other in rapid succession”. For these Traditions see Muslim, ‘K. al-lman’, ‘Bab Bayan al-Zaman alladhi la Yuqbal fihi al:Iman’; Ibn Majah, ‘K. al-Fitan’, ‘Bab al-Ayat’; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, Vol. 2, pp. 324, 337, and Tirmidhi, ‘K. Tafsir al-Qur’an’, ‘Bab wa min Surah al-Naml’— Ed.) There are many traditions relating to this beast’s form, size and the place where it will appear, etc. These traditions vary from each other and there is little in them which is worth mentioning because the purpose for which the Qur’an mentions this creature has little to do with these details.

As for the question of an animal talking to human beings in their language: this is one of the manifestations of God’s Power. God can grant the power of speech to whomsoever He wills. Before the Day of Resurrection, He will grant this power to a beast. but after the Resurrection, He will grant this power to the eyes, ears and skins of human beings and they will call out: “And the Day when the enemies of Allah will be gathered to the Fire will be sorted out until when they reach it, their ears and their eyes and their skins will bear witness against them concerning what they did. And they will say to their skins: ‘Why do you bear witness against us?’ They will say: ‘Allah has given us speech. It is Allah Who makes everything speak, He Who created you in the first instance and to Whom you will be returned’” (Ha Mim al-Sajdah 41:19-21.)