Surah 30. Ar-Rum

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-19 [2], 20-27 [3], 28-40 [4], 41-53 [5], 54-60 [6]

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Quran Text of Verse 41-53ظَهَرَHas appearedالْفَسَادُthe corruptionفِیinالْبَرِّthe landوَ الْبَحْرِand the seaبِمَاfor whatكَسَبَتْhave earnedاَیْدِی(the) handsالنَّاسِ(of) peopleلِیُذِیْقَهُمْso that He may let them tasteبَعْضَa partالَّذِیْ(of) that whichعَمِلُوْاthey have doneلَعَلَّهُمْso that they mayیَرْجِعُوْنَ return 30. Ar-Rum Page 409قُلْSayسِیْرُوْاTravelفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthفَانْظُرُوْاand seeكَیْفَhowكَانَwasعَاقِبَةُ(the) endالَّذِیْنَ(of) those whoمِنْ(were) beforeقَبْلُ ؕ(were) beforeكَانَMost of them wereاَكْثَرُهُمْMost of them wereمُّشْرِكِیْنَ polytheists فَاَقِمْSo setوَجْهَكَyour faceلِلدِّیْنِto the religionالْقَیِّمِrightمِنْbeforeقَبْلِbeforeاَنْ[that]یَّاْتِیَcomesیَوْمٌa Dayلَّاnotمَرَدَّ(can be) avertedلَهٗ[it]مِنَfromاللّٰهِAllahیَوْمَىِٕذٍThat Dayیَّصَّدَّعُوْنَ they will be divided مَنْWhoeverكَفَرَdisbelievesفَعَلَیْهِthen against himكُفْرُهٗ ۚ(is) his disbeliefوَ مَنْAnd whoeverعَمِلَdoesصَالِحًاrighteousnessفَلِاَنْفُسِهِمْthen for themselvesیَمْهَدُوْنَۙthey are preparing لِیَجْزِیَThat He may rewardالَّذِیْنَthose whoاٰمَنُوْاbelieveوَ عَمِلُواand doالصَّلِحٰتِrighteous deedsمِنْ(out) ofفَضْلِهٖ ؕHis BountyاِنَّهٗIndeed Heلَا(does) notیُحِبُّlikeالْكٰفِرِیْنَ the disbelievers وَ مِنْAnd amongاٰیٰتِهٖۤHis Signsاَنْ(is) thatیُّرْسِلَHe sendsالرِّیَاحَthe windsمُبَشِّرٰتٍ(as) bearers of glad tidingsوَّ لِیُذِیْقَكُمْand to let you tasteمِّنْofرَّحْمَتِهٖHis Mercyوَ لِتَجْرِیَand that may sailالْفُلْكُthe shipsبِاَمْرِهٖat His Commandوَ لِتَبْتَغُوْاand that you may seekمِنْofفَضْلِهٖHis Bountyوَ لَعَلَّكُمْand that you mayتَشْكُرُوْنَ be grateful وَ لَقَدْAnd verilyاَرْسَلْنَاWe sentمِنْbefore youقَبْلِكَbefore youرُسُلًاMessengersاِلٰىtoقَوْمِهِمْtheir peopleفَجَآءُوْهُمْand they came to themبِالْبَیِّنٰتِwith clear proofsفَانْتَقَمْنَاthen We took retributionمِنَfromالَّذِیْنَthose whoاَجْرَمُوْا ؕcommitted crimesوَ كَانَAnd it wasحَقًّاincumbentعَلَیْنَاupon Usنَصْرُ(to) helpالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ the believers اَللّٰهُAllahالَّذِیْ(is) the One Whoیُرْسِلُsendsالرِّیٰحَthe windsفَتُثِیْرُso they raiseسَحَابًا(the) cloudsفَیَبْسُطُهٗthen He spreads themفِیinالسَّمَآءِthe skyكَیْفَhowیَشَآءُHe willsوَ یَجْعَلُهٗand He makes themكِسَفًاfragmentsفَتَرَیso you seeالْوَدْقَthe rainیَخْرُجُcoming forthمِنْfromخِلٰلِهٖ ۚtheir midstفَاِذَاۤThen whenاَصَابَHe causes it to fall onبِهٖHe causes it to fall onمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُHe willsمِنْofعِبَادِهٖۤHis slavesاِذَاbeholdهُمْTheyیَسْتَبْشِرُوْنَۚrejoice وَ اِنْAnd certainlyكَانُوْاthey wereمِنْbeforeقَبْلِbeforeاَنْ[that]یُّنَزَّلَit was sent downعَلَیْهِمْupon themمِّنْ[before it]قَبْلِهٖ[before it]لَمُبْلِسِیْنَ surely in despair فَانْظُرْSo lookاِلٰۤیatاٰثٰرِ(the) effectsرَحْمَتِ(of the) Mercyاللّٰهِ(of) AllahكَیْفَhowیُحْیِHe gives lifeالْاَرْضَ(to) the earthبَعْدَafterمَوْتِهَا ؕits deathاِنَّIndeedذٰلِكَthatلَمُحْیِsurely He (will) give lifeالْمَوْتٰى ۚ(to) the deadوَ هُوَAnd Heعَلٰى(is) onكُلِّeveryشَیْءٍthingقَدِیْرٌ All-Powerful 30. Ar-Rum Page 410وَ لَىِٕنْBut ifاَرْسَلْنَاWe sentرِیْحًاa windفَرَاَوْهُand they see itمُصْفَرًّاturn yellowلَّظَلُّوْاcertainly they continueمِنْۢafter itبَعْدِهٖafter itیَكْفُرُوْنَ (in) disbelief فَاِنَّكَSo indeed, youلَا(can) notتُسْمِعُmake the dead hearالْمَوْتٰىmake the dead hearوَ لَاand notتُسْمِعُmake the deaf hearالصُّمَّmake the deaf hearالدُّعَآءَthe callاِذَاwhenوَلَّوْاthey turnمُدْبِرِیْنَ retreating وَ مَاۤAnd notاَنْتَyouبِهٰدِcan guideالْعُمْیِthe blindعَنْfromضَلٰلَتِهِمْ ؕtheir errorاِنْNotتُسْمِعُyou can make hearاِلَّاexceptمَنْ(those) whoیُّؤْمِنُbelieveبِاٰیٰتِنَاin Our Versesفَهُمْso theyمُّسْلِمُوْنَ۠surrender

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Translation of Verse 41-53

(30:41) Evil has become rife on the land and at sea because of men's deeds; this in order that He may cause them to have a taste of some of their deeds; perhaps they will turn back (from evil).⁶⁴

(30:42) (O Prophet), say: “Traverse in the earth and see what was the end of those who went before you: most of them associated others with Allah in His Divinity.”⁶⁵

(30:43) So turn your face exclusively towards the True Faith before there comes the Day whose coming from Allah cannot be averted,⁶⁶ the Day when people will split into groups.

(30:44) He who disbelieves will suffer the consequence of it⁶⁷ and he who acts righteously, they will pave the way for their own good

(30:45) so that Allah may, out of His Bounty, reward those who believe and act righteously. Verily He does not love the unbelievers.

(30:46) And of His Signs is that He sends winds to herald good tidings⁶⁸ and that He may give you a taste of His Mercy, and that ships may sail at His bidding,⁶⁹ and you may seek His Bounty⁷⁰ and give thanks to Him.

(30:47) We sent Messengers before you to their respective nations, and they brought Clear Signs⁷¹ to them. Then We took vengeance upon those who acted wickedly.⁷² It was incumbent on Us to come to the aid of the believers.

(30:48) Allah sends the winds that stir up clouds and then He spreads them in the sky as He pleases and splits them into different fragments, whereafter you see drops of rain pouring down from them. He then causes the rain to fall on whomsoever of His servants He pleases, and lo, they rejoice at it,

(30:49) although before that they were given to despair.

(30:50) See, then, the tokens of Allah's Mercy: how He revives the earth after it is dead.⁷³ Verily He is the One Who will revive the dead. He has power over everything.

(30:51) But if We were to send a wind and then their tilth has become yellow,⁷⁴ they would never cease to disbelieve.⁷⁵

(30:52) (O Prophet), you cannot make the dead hear,⁷⁶ nor can you make the deaf hear your call when they turn back in retreat,⁷⁷

(30:53) nor can you guide the blind out of their error.⁷⁸ You can make none hear (your call) except those who believe in Our Signs and have surrendered themselves (to Him).

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Commentary

64. This again refers to the war then raging between the Romans and the Persians which had enveloped the whole of the Middle East region.

The word “deeds” in this verse signifies the wickedness and profligacy, and the injustice and tyranny which necessarily characterize the conduct of those who succumb to polytheism or atheism and who disregard the Hereafter. The verse says that “perhaps they will turn back (from evil)”. The reason for so saying is that God makes people see the evil consequences of some, though not of all their deeds before they are face to face with the chastisement of the Hereafter. God does so in order that they might perceive the Truth, realize the falsity of their erroneous notions, and turn to true beliefs. It is to these beliefs that God’s Prophets have always summoned mankind and they alone provide the right foundation for-human character and conduct. This theme occurs in the Qur’an at several places. See, for instance, al-Tawbah 9:126; al-Ra‘d 13:21; al-Sajdah 32:21 and al-Tar 52:47.

65. There was nothing unusual about the devastating war that was then raging between the Romans and the Persians. The history of ancient nations is replete with wars that left behind a tragic trail of devastation.

The root of the evils that destroyed these earlier nations was polytheism and it is precisely this evil that people were being asked to abandon.

66. There is no way to avert the Day of Judgement: neither God Himself will avert it nor has He left any possibility for anyone else to do so.

67. This pithy observation encompasses all the harms that the unbelievers incur owing to their unbelief. No list of such harms, howsoever elaborate, can be as comprehensive as that embodied here in these few words.

68. That is, to herald the good tidings of rainfall.

69. Mention is made here of other kinds of winds, those that make it’ possible for vessels to sail on water. In the past, the sailing of boats and ships depended largely on favorable winds. As for unfavorable winds, they could be precursors of doom. After mentioning God’s bounty of rainfall, reference is made here to the winds that help vessels to sail on water as a special favor from God.

70. To “seek His Bounty” here signifies undertaking trade voyages.

71. There is a wide variety of God’s Signs. One of these Signs is that which is interspersed throughout the Universe and which man witnesses during his life; namely the movement of winds mentioned in the preceding verse. There are also other kinds of Signs that pertain to the Prophets: the miracles they performed, the Scriptures they brought, the excellence which characterized their character and conduct, and the wholesome, life-giving impact that they had on human life and society.

Signs of both kinds emphasize the truth of monotheism which the Prophets taught mankind. Each of the two kinds of Signs reinforces the other. The Signs visible in the Universe testify, on the one hand, to the truth of the teachings of the Prophets. On the other hand, the Signs brought along by the Prophets further elucidate the truth indicated by God's Signs in the Universe.

72. The unbelievers are blind to both sets of Signs. They adamantly persist in rejecting monotheism and continue their insurgence against God.

73. Significantly, Prophets and rainfall are mentioned here together.

This subtly alludes to the fact that the advent of Prophets is a blessing - for man’s moral life in much the same way that rainfall is a blessing for his material life. Rainfall instantly revives dead land, causing luxuriant vegetation. In like manner, the revelation sent down from on high revives man’s moral and spiritual life as a result of which new life begins to blossom. This manifests itself in the new heights of moral and spiritual excellence that human beings achieve. It is unfortunate that the unbelievers do not give thanks to God for this great favor of His. Rather than look upon revelation as a blessing, they consider it a message of doom.

74. That is, after the cultivated fields become green in the wake. of rainfall, it is possible that fiery or frosty winds might begin to blow, devastating the entire harvest.

75. When faced with adversity, the unbelievers tend to curse God, blaming Him for inflicting a host of sufferings upon them. This, despite the fact that when God lavished. His favors upon them, they scarcely appreciated those favors and failed to give thanks to Him. Here again there is a subtle allusion to the fact that when God’s Messengers bring His message of mercy, people tend to spurn it. Thereupon God punishes these ungrateful people for their unbelief by imposing tyrants and oppressors upon them who crush and violate their dignity. Strangely, those people react to this by blasphemously reviling God for creating a world so full of wrong and injustice.

76. The word “dead” in this context signifies those whose conscience and moral sense have become totally extinct. These are the ones whose all-out immersion in carnal desires and whose adamancy and obstinacy have altogether deprived them of the capacity to comprehend and accept the Truth.

77. The word “deaf” here signifies those who have sealed their hearts as a result of which they are deaf to the call of the Truth even though their physical faculty of hearing might be fully intact. No sooner do such people hear the Truth than they, clog their ears, and no sooner do they spot any exponent of the Truth than they flee. How can anyone make such people heed the Truth?

78. Itis none of a Prophet's responsibility to take hold of the blind by their hands and guide them throughout their life along the right way. All he can do is to direct such people to the right way. But how can they be of any help to those who have become altogether blind to the way that the Prophets seek to direct them to?