Surah 28. Al-Qasas

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Verses [Section]: 1-13[1], 14-21 [2], 22-28 [3], 29-42 [4], 43-50 [5], 51-60 [6], 61-75 [7], 76-82 [8], 83-88 [9]

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Quran Text of Verse 61-75اَفَمَنْThen is (he) whomوَّعَدْنٰهُWe have promised himوَعْدًاa promiseحَسَنًاgoodفَهُوَand heلَاقِیْهِ(will) meet itكَمَنْlike (the one) whomمَّتَّعْنٰهُWe provided himمَتَاعَenjoymentالْحَیٰوةِ(of the) lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldثُمَّthenهُوَheیَوْمَ(on the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) the Resurrectionمِنَ(will be) amongالْمُحْضَرِیْنَ those presented وَ یَوْمَAnd (the) DayیُنَادِیْهِمْHe will call themفَیَقُوْلُand sayاَیْنَWhereشُرَكَآءِیَ(are) My partnersالَّذِیْنَwhomكُنْتُمْyou used (to)تَزْعُمُوْنَ claim قَالَ(Will) sayالَّذِیْنَthoseحَقَّ(has) come trueعَلَیْهِمُagainst whomالْقَوْلُthe WordرَبَّنَاOur LordهٰۤؤُلَآءِTheseالَّذِیْنَ(are) those whomاَغْوَیْنَا ۚwe led astrayاَغْوَیْنٰهُمْWe led them astrayكَمَاasغَوَیْنَا ۚwe were astrayتَبَرَّاْنَاۤWe declare our innocenceاِلَیْكَ ؗbefore YouمَاNotكَانُوْۤاthey used (to)اِیَّانَاworship usیَعْبُدُوْنَ worship us وَ قِیْلَAnd it will be saidادْعُوْاCallشُرَكَآءَكُمْyour partnersفَدَعَوْهُمْAnd they will call themفَلَمْbut notیَسْتَجِیْبُوْاthey will respondلَهُمْto themوَ رَاَوُاand they will seeالْعَذَابَ ۚthe punishmentلَوْIf onlyاَنَّهُمْ[that] theyكَانُوْاhad beenیَهْتَدُوْنَ guided! وَ یَوْمَAnd (the) DayیُنَادِیْهِمْHe will call themفَیَقُوْلُand sayمَا ذَاۤWhatاَجَبْتُمُdid you answerالْمُرْسَلِیْنَ the Messengers فَعَمِیَتْBut (will) be obscureعَلَیْهِمُto themالْاَنْۢبَآءُthe informationیَوْمَىِٕذٍthat dayفَهُمْso theyلَاwill not ask one anotherیَتَسَآءَلُوْنَ will not ask one another فَاَمَّاBut as forمَنْ(him) whoتَابَrepentedوَ اٰمَنَand believedوَ عَمِلَand didصَالِحًاrighteousnessفَعَسٰۤیthen perhapsاَنْ[that]یَّكُوْنَhe will beمِنَofالْمُفْلِحِیْنَ the successful ones وَ رَبُّكَAnd your LordیَخْلُقُcreatesمَاwhatیَشَآءُHe willsوَ یَخْتَارُ ؕand choosesمَاNotكَانَthey haveلَهُمُfor themالْخِیَرَةُ ؕthe choiceسُبْحٰنَGlory beاللّٰهِ(to) Allahوَ تَعٰلٰیand High is Heعَمَّاabove whatیُشْرِكُوْنَ they associate (with Him) وَ رَبُّكَAnd your Lordیَعْلَمُknowsمَاwhatتُكِنُّconcealsصُدُوْرُهُمْtheir breastsوَ مَاand whatیُعْلِنُوْنَ they declare وَ هُوَAnd Heاللّٰهُ(is) Allahلَاۤ(there is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاbutهُوَ ؕHeلَهُTo Himالْحَمْدُ(are due) all praisesفِیinالْاُوْلٰیthe firstوَ الْاٰخِرَةِ ؗand the lastوَ لَهُAnd for Himالْحُكْمُ(is) the Decisionوَ اِلَیْهِand to Himتُرْجَعُوْنَ you will be returned 28. Al-Qasas Page 394قُلْSayاَرَءَیْتُمْHave you seenاِنْifجَعَلَAllah madeاللّٰهُAllah madeعَلَیْكُمُfor youالَّیْلَthe nightسَرْمَدًاcontinuousاِلٰیtillیَوْمِ(the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) the Resurrectionمَنْwhoاِلٰهٌ(is the) godغَیْرُbesidesاللّٰهِAllahیَاْتِیْكُمْwho could bring youبِضِیَآءٍ ؕlightاَفَلَاThen will notتَسْمَعُوْنَ you hear قُلْSayاَرَءَیْتُمْHave you seenاِنْifجَعَلَAllah madeاللّٰهُAllah madeعَلَیْكُمُfor youالنَّهَارَthe dayسَرْمَدًاcontinuousاِلٰیtillیَوْمِ(the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) the Resurrectionمَنْwhoاِلٰهٌ(is the) godغَیْرُbesidesاللّٰهِAllahیَاْتِیْكُمْwho could bring youبِلَیْلٍnightتَسْكُنُوْنَ(for) you (to) restفِیْهِ ؕin itاَفَلَاThen will notتُبْصِرُوْنَ you see وَ مِنْAnd fromرَّحْمَتِهٖHis MercyجَعَلَHe madeلَكُمُfor youالَّیْلَthe nightوَ النَّهَارَand the dayلِتَسْكُنُوْاthat you may restفِیْهِthereinوَ لِتَبْتَغُوْاand that you may seekمِنْfromفَضْلِهٖHis Bountyوَ لَعَلَّكُمْand so that you mayتَشْكُرُوْنَ be grateful وَ یَوْمَAnd (the) DayیُنَادِیْهِمْHe will call themفَیَقُوْلُand sayاَیْنَWhereشُرَكَآءِیَ(are) My partnersالَّذِیْنَwhomكُنْتُمْyou used (to)تَزْعُمُوْنَ claim وَ نَزَعْنَاAnd We will draw forthمِنْfromكُلِّeveryاُمَّةٍnationشَهِیْدًاa witnessفَقُلْنَاand We will sayهَاتُوْاBringبُرْهَانَكُمْyour proofفَعَلِمُوْۤاThen they will knowاَنَّthatالْحَقَّthe truthلِلّٰهِ(is) for Allahوَ ضَلَّand (will be) lostعَنْهُمْfrom themمَّاwhatكَانُوْاthey used (to)یَفْتَرُوْنَ۠invent

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Translation of Verse 61-75

(28:61) Now, he to whom We have promised a good which he is going to obtain � can he be like him whom We have given the good things of this life, but who will be brought up for punishment⁸⁴ on the Day of Judgement?

(28:62) (Let them not forget) that the Day when Allah will call unto them, and say: "Where are those whom you imagined to be My associates?"⁸⁵

(28:63) Those against whom the Word will be realised⁸⁶ will say: "Our Lord, these are the ones whom we led astray just as we ourselves strayed. We absolve ourselves before You of all blame.⁸⁷ It was not us that they worshipped."⁸⁸

(28:64) They will then be told: "Call upon those for help whom you declared to be Our associates."⁸⁹ They will then call upon them but they will not answer them. They will have observed the chastisement in front of them. Would that they were guided!

(28:65) (Let them not disregard) that the Day when Allah will call out to them saying: "What was the answer you gave to the Messengers?"

(28:66) Then they will not be able to think of any reply, nor will they be able to ask one another.

(28:67) But those who repented and believed and acted righteously, they will perhaps be among those who will prosper there.

(28:68) Your Lord creates what He will and chooses (for His tasks) whomsoever He will. It is not for them to make the choice.⁹⁰ Glory be to Allah. He is exalted far above their associating others in His Divinity.

(28:69) Your Lord knows all that their hearts conceal and all that they reveal.⁹¹

(28:70) He is Allah; there is no god but He. His is the praise in this world and in the Hereafter. His is the command and to Him will all of you be returned.

(28:71) (O Prophet), tell them: "Did you consider: if Allah were to make the night perpetual over you till the Day of Judgement, is there a god other than Allah who can bring forth light for you? Do you not hear?"

(28:72) Say: "Did you consider: if Allah were to make the day become perpetual over you till the Day of Judgement, is there a god other than Allah who can bring in night for you that you may repose in it? Will you not see?"

(28:73) It is out of His Mercy that He has made for you night and day that you may repose (during the night) and seek His Bounty (during the day) that you might be grateful.

(28:74) (Let them bear in mind) that on that Day when He will call out to them saying: "Where are My associates, those whom you imagined to be so?"

(28:75) And from each people We shall draw a witness,⁹² and shall say to them: "Do produce your evidence now."⁹³ Then they shall know that the Truth is with Allah alone, and the lies which they had invented will forsake them.

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Commentary

84. This is the fourth answer to their excuse. In order to understand it fully, two things should be made quite clear: (i) The life of this world — which is of limited duration and lasts for just a few years — is merely a temporary halt in man’s total journey.

The real life is the one to come; that is the Ever-lasting life. No matter how much wealth one accumulates, no matter how luxurious one’s worldly life is, it is all transient. Man leaves all his possessions behind when he departs from this world, and obviously everyone has to so depart. If the prosperity and comfort of this temporary life is achieved by courting never-ending affliction and misery in the Next Life, then no intelligent person would entertain such a bargain. Anyone with even elementary common sense would opt for the hardships of a few years, if that is necessary, in order to earn eternal prosperity in the Next Life.

(ii) The religion prescribed by God, however, does not require man to contemptuously spurn the provisions of this life. It only requires that the Next Life be preferred to the life of this world. This is because the life of this world will vanish while the Hereafter will endure forever; this because the enjoyments of this world are fleeting whilst those of the Next World will abide. Therefore, one should only desire those goods of this world which will help one prosper in the Hereafter, or at least which will not cause one to ° suffer any loss in the Hereafter. But whenever one has to choose between the two, both religious teachings and common sense require that one opt for the good of the Hereafter rather than the transient pleasures and enjoyments of this world. One should always avoid the path that will destroy the Hereafter.

With these two considerations in mind, let us now examine what God says to the Makkan unbelievers. God does not ask them to. give up their trade and become paupers as a consequence of accepting Muhammad (peace be on him) as His Messenger. Instead, God says that the riches of this world.

which greatly fascinated them, were meagre and their benefits short-lived.

In comparison, what God had for them was far better both qualitatively and quantitatively, let alone the fact that it would abide forever. Therefore, they would be making a foolish choice if they opted for the transient benefits of this world at the cost of the Everlasting benefits of the Next World. They should compare the two and decide for themselves as to who would prosper.

Would prosperity be the lot of those who serve God and, therefore, receive His blessings and rewards? Or would it be the lot of those who will appear in God’s court as criminals and have only a modicum of unlawful enjoyments before being brought to book?

85. This continues the above point and is linked with the last sentence of the preceding verse. It says that the insistence of those people on associating others with God in His Divinity, on idolatry and in denying Prophet hood merely for the sake of worldly gains will lead them to an evil end in the Hereafter. It also tells them that even if nothing happened to them in this world — if no calamity befell them and they continued to enjoy the pleasures of this life - they would still come to a grievous end in the Hereafter. They ought to think carefully what kind of bargain they were making: a bargain of profit or of loss?

86. This refers to the satans, jinns and human beings who were set up as associates of God in His Divinity and whose word they preferred to the Word of God and His Messengers. It is these for whose sake people had forsaken the Straight Path. Whether or not people explicitly called them god (ilah) and lord (rabb), they were still guilty of associating them with God if they unreservedly obeyed and followed them in a manner that only God should be obeyed and followed. (For further explanation see Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. V, Surah al-Kahf, 18: n. 50, p. 113.)

87. Those whom the unbelievers had associated with God in His Divinity will disclaim their responsibility, contending that they had not forced anyone to choose the wrong path. They will argue that they had not taken away from anyone their sight, hearing, or ability to think. It was not that those people had wanted to follow the Straight Path and that these false gods had forcibly pulled them away from it. Rather, just as the proponents of erroneous doctrines had themselves willfully chosen the path of error, so did their followers. True, they had placed the wrong path before them, but then their followers had made the choice of their own accord. Hence, each was responsible for the choice-that he made.

There is also a subtle point to be noted here. Although God will ask this question of those who had set up partners with Him, even before they can answer, their gods will speak out against them. When ordinary unbelievers will be asked that question, their leaders will instantly surmise that their turn will soon follow because their supporters had identified them and blamed them for the error into which they had fallen. Therefore, their deities will be inclined to put forward all possible justifications before their followers accuse them of leading them astray.

88. In other words, they will contend that their followers were not truly worshippers of those gods. Rather, they worshipped their own carnal desires, and, hence, chose the wrong path.

89. They would be asked to call upon those whom they had associated with God in His Divinity to come to their aid. In the course of worldly life, they had rejected the way prescribed by God. They should now appeal to the false gods they had chosen to come to rescue them from punishment.

90. This, in fact, forms part of the discourse on the refutation of shirk.

The polytheists had chosen some of God’s creatures as their gods. They ascribed to them certain attributes and functions. God now tells them that only He has the right to confer on any of His creatures the attributes and the functions that He pleases, creating in them the ability to perform the tasks that God wills them to perform. But who gave the polytheists the right to proclaim that any part of God’s power and authority had been transferred to some of his creatures? Hence, how could anyone be regarded as “the remover of every distress”, or as the “bestowed of treasures”, or as having the power to answer the calls of the distressed? How can it be said about someone that ‘he can bring about rainfall, or that someone else can grant jobs or offspring to people, or afflict people with diseases or heal them? How can they make someone a partner with God in this or that affair? How can these polytheists delegate to anyone God’s powers over any part of God’s realm? Whether it. be an angel, a jinn, a Prophet or a saint, all are God’s creatures and He Alone can allocate the power, ability or authority on whomsoever He likes, and whatever power or ability anyone has, owes itself to God’s Bounty.

How can God's creatures be elevated from their present position to the Creator’s position? How can any other than God have the right to be worshipped? How can Prayer be directed to anyone other than God for help, for the fulfilment of needs and desires? How can anyone be considered to have the power to make or mar the destinies of others? In short, how can anyone be invested with God’s Attributes and Powers?

91. The reason why this is said in the present context is that a person or a group of people can claim that they chose the path for their life after due consideration, and that they were fully convinced about its being the right path on the grounds of very persuasive arguments. They could also say that the arguments which had been put forward against their opinion failed to convince them. They could also claim that they had made their choice with full sincerity and had not come across anything which would have made them change their standpoint.

Such arguments, however, will be of no avail before God. For God not only knows what is apparent, but also man’s innermost thoughts. For Him man’s mind and heart are like an open secret, He knows fully all man’s feelings, emotions, desires and intentions. God also knows to whom the Truth was conveyed, when and by what means. He also knows about each individual, how the falsity of erroneous doctrines was made clear to him and what his motives were for turning away from the Truth and adopting falsehood instead.

92. Such witnesses would either be the Prophet who had warned that nation, or one of the rightly-directed followers of the Prophets, who had communicated the Truth to others, or any other means that nation through which the Truth had reached

93. They were asked to come up with a strong argument in their defense.

They were required to prove that shirk, denial of the After-life and of Prophet hood, to which they had clung adamantly, were right and that they had chosen their path on solid grounds. Or, they should at least prove that God had made no arrangement to warn them nor to communicate the right Message to them.