Surah 34. Saba

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Verses [Section]: 1-11[1], 12-21 [2], 22-30 [3], 31-36 [4], 37-45 [5], 46-54 [6]

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Quran Text of Verse 22-30قُلِSayادْعُواCall uponالَّذِیْنَthose whomزَعَمْتُمْyou claimمِّنْbesidesدُوْنِbesidesاللّٰهِ ۚAllahلَاNotیَمْلِكُوْنَthey possessمِثْقَالَ(the) weightذَرَّةٍ(of) an atomفِیinالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ لَاand notفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthوَ مَاand notلَهُمْfor themفِیْهِمَاin both of themمِنْanyشِرْكٍpartnershipوَّ مَاand notلَهٗfor Himمِنْهُمْfrom themمِّنْanyظَهِیْرٍ supporter 34. Saba Page 431وَ لَاAnd notتَنْفَعُbenefitsالشَّفَاعَةُthe intercessionعِنْدَهٗۤwith Himاِلَّاexceptلِمَنْfor (one) whomاَذِنَHe permitsلَهٗ ؕfor himحَتّٰۤیUntilاِذَاwhenفُزِّعَfear is removedعَنْonقُلُوْبِهِمْtheir heartsقَالُوْاthey will sayمَا ذَا ۙWhat is thatقَالَyour Lord has saidرَبُّكُمْ ؕyour Lord has saidقَالُواThey will sayالْحَقَّ ۚThe truthوَ هُوَAnd Heالْعَلِیُّ(is) the Most Highالْكَبِیْرُ the Most Great قُلْSayمَنْWhoیَّرْزُقُكُمْprovides (for) youمِّنَfromالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ؕand the earthقُلِSayاللّٰهُ ۙAllahوَ اِنَّاۤAnd indeed weاَوْorاِیَّاكُمْyouلَعَلٰی(are) surely uponهُدًیguidanceاَوْorفِیْinضَلٰلٍerrorمُّبِیْنٍ clear قُلْSayلَّاNotتُسْـَٔلُوْنَyou will be askedعَمَّاۤabout whatاَجْرَمْنَا(the) sins we committedوَ لَاand notنُسْـَٔلُwe will be askedعَمَّاabout whatتَعْمَلُوْنَ you do قُلْSayیَجْمَعُWill gatherبَیْنَنَاus togetherرَبُّنَاour LordثُمَّthenیَفْتَحُHe will judgeبَیْنَنَاbetween usبِالْحَقِّ ؕin truthوَ هُوَAnd Heالْفَتَّاحُ(is) the Judgeالْعَلِیْمُ the All-Knowing قُلْSayاَرُوْنِیَShow meالَّذِیْنَthose whomاَلْحَقْتُمْyou have joinedبِهٖwith Himشُرَكَآءَ(as) partnersكَلَّا ؕBy no means!بَلْNayهُوَHeاللّٰهُ(is) Allahالْعَزِیْزُthe All-Mightyالْحَكِیْمُ the All-Wise وَ مَاۤAnd notاَرْسَلْنٰكَWe have sent youاِلَّاexceptكَآفَّةًinclusivelyلِّلنَّاسِto mankindبَشِیْرًا(as) a giver of glad tidingsوَّ نَذِیْرًاand (as) a warnerوَّ لٰكِنَّButاَكْثَرَmostالنَّاسِ[the] peopleلَا(do) notیَعْلَمُوْنَ know وَ یَقُوْلُوْنَAnd they sayمَتٰیWhenهٰذَا(is) thisالْوَعْدُpromiseاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou areصٰدِقِیْنَ truthful قُلْSayلَّكُمْFor youمِّیْعَادُ(is the) appointmentیَوْمٍ(of) a Dayلَّاnotتَسْتَاْخِرُوْنَyou can postponeعَنْهُ[of] itسَاعَةً(for) an hourوَّ لَاand notتَسْتَقْدِمُوْنَ۠(can) you precede (it)

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Translation of Verse 22-30

(34:22) (O Prophet),³⁸ say to those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity: “Call upon those whom you fancied to be deities beside Allah.³⁹ They own not even the smallest particle, neither in the heavens nor on the earth; nor do they have any share in the ownership of either of them. Nor is any of them even a helper of Allah.

(34:23) No intercession can avail with Allah except for him whom Allah permits (to intercede).⁴⁰ When their hearts are relieved of fright they will ask the intercessors: “What did your Lord say?” They will reply: “(He said) what is right, and He is the High, the Great.”⁴¹

(34:24) Ask them, (O Prophet): “Who provides you sustenance from the heavens and the earth?” Say: “Allah.⁴² Now, inevitably only one of us is rightly guided, either we or you; and the other is in manifest error.”⁴³

(34:25) Tell them: “You will not be called to account about the guilt we committed, nor will we be called to account for what you did.”⁴⁴

(34:26) Say: “Our Lord will bring us together and then He will rightly judge between us. He is the Great Judge, the All-Knowing.”⁴⁵

(34:27) Say: “Show me those whom you have attached to Him as His associates (in Divinity).”⁴⁶ Nay, Allah alone is Most Mighty, Most Wise.

(34:28) (O Prophet), We have not sent you forth but as a herald of good news and a warner for all mankind. But most people do not know.⁴⁷

(34:29) They ask you: “When will this promise (of Resurrection) be fulfilled, if what you say is true?”⁴⁸

(34:30) Say: “Your day is appointed, you can neither hold back its coming by an hour, nor hasten it by an hour.”⁴⁹

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Commentary

38. In the preceding passages (see vv. 1-21), the false notions of the polytheists about the Hereafter were subjected to discussion. The discourse now turns to a refutation of polytheism.

39. It is God Who makes or mars the destiny of individuals, nations and empires. This is well illustrated by the accounts of the Prophets David and Solomon (peace be on them) and of the people of Saba'. The unbelievers are then asked to invoke their false gods and seek their help for their success and prosperity, and to see if those deities have the power to change anyone's adversity into prosperity or prosperity into adversity.

40. There is no question of anyone owning the universe, or being God's associate in its ownership, or His helper in the creation of and control over the universe. Not only that, there is absolutely no one who can even intercede with God on anyone's behalf as a matter of right.

The polytheists are lost in the misunderstanding that there are some beloved or powerful men of God whose intercession He will have to accept. A person will only be able to intercede for those in regard to whom God permits him to present such a plea. (For the distinction between Islamic and polytheistic perspectives on intercession see Towards Understanding the Qur'ān, Yūnus 10: nn. 24-26, Vol. IV, pp. 24-25; Hūd 11: nn. 84-106, Vol. IV, pp. 120-134; al-Naḥl 16: n. 64, Vol.

IV, pp. 346–347; Ța Hã 20: n. 85, Vol. V, pp. 227-228; al-Anbiya' 21: n. 27, Vol. V, p. 262, and al-Hajj 22: n. 125, Vol. VI, p. 68.)

41. The Qur’an here depicts a scene of the Hereafter. A person who intends to intercede on someone’s behalf, will seek God's leave to do so. It is clear from the Qur’anic account that both the interceder and the one on whose behalf he wants to intercede will be in a state of fear and anxiety as they wait for God’s response. Later, the interceder receives permission from on high and the one who looks forward to intercession surmises from the interceder’s countenance that things are satisfactory. It is then that he heaves a sigh of relief. Thereafter, it is confirmed that the permission to intercede has indeed been granted.

All this is being said to give an idea of God’s Majesty. It should be clear that there can be no basis for anyone .to entertain the notion that someone has the power to prevail upon God and obtain a person’s acquittal by obstinately insisting, like a spoiled child, that his protégé will have to be acquitted.

42. There is a subtle gap between the question and its answer by God. Let us recall the fact that the discourse was directed to the polytheists. They not only did not deny God's existence, but also admitted that He alone holds the keys to everyone’s sustenance.

Notwithstanding this, they associated others with God in His Divinity.

When faced with the question: who provides them with sustenance from the heavens and the earth, they were puzzled and did not know what to say. If they named. someone other than God as the Provider, this would be contrary to the belief of their own people who might be prompted to contradict their contention. On the other hand, if they were to explicitly acknowledge God as the sole Provider and Sustainer, this too would naturally give rise to the question: if that is so, for what purpose are those whom they have taken as gods? The dilemma facing them made them speechless. They would neither deny God as the Provider nor affirm it. Noting their inability to respond, God, Who had put the question volunteers a response, saying that God alone is the Provider.

43. This enshrines a valuable point pertaining to communicating one’s standpoint with wisdom and sensitivity. The logical answer to the question posed above ‘is to-affirm that whoever serves and worships God alone is rightly guided whereas those who serve anyone other than God are wallowing in error. In view of this, it should have been explicitly said: “You are in error while we are rightly guided”.

Such a straightforward statement, howsoever correct it might be, was bound to arouse adamancy among the audience. In consequence, their hearts would have become averse to accepting the truth. Now, God’s Prophets are not raised merely to proclaim the truth; rather, they are charged with the task to reform, with utmost wisdom, the people to whom they have been sent, people who have fallen prey to erroneous ways. Hence, God did not ask the Prophet (peace be on him) to tell them in plain words: “All of you are in manifest error while we alone are rightly guided”. Instead, he is asked to explain to the unbelievers that the deities they worshipped, as they were well aware, did not provide them with anything. Thus there was a major difference between the Muslims and the unbelievers the Muslims worshipped only the One True God Who provides sustenance to all, whereas the unbelievers worshipped deities that do not provide any sustenance. With this difference readily apparent, it is now impossible for the positions of both parties to be true. Now, since the position of only one of the two parties is correct, inevitably the other party is in error. It was then left to them to reflect and decide which of the two positions was supported by persuasive evidence.

44. What was said just above — that the position of only one of the two parties can be correct (v. 24) should have prompted the audience to think seriously. What is being said here reinforces the need to give very serious thought to the question under consideration. People are asked to realize that it is in every man’s own interest to ensure that they arrive at the right decision as to which of the two positions is correct. For if one takes the wrong path, one is bound to face its dire consequences. Man should, therefore, think carefully before exercising his choice. The unbelievers should especially examine their position lest they invest all that they have on a false proposition. This because any erroneous judgement on their part will hurt themselves rather than anyone else.

45. The audience are being asked to consider another dimension of the matter. It is obvious that the believers and unbelievers are different from each other in this world as regards the truth and falsity of their doctrinal position. Things, however, do not end in this world.

A Day will come when all will have to stand before their Lord, Who fully knows the Truth and is also fully aware of believers as well as of unbelievers. On that Day God will judge as to who was in the right and who was not. On that Day, God will also make it clear what efforts the believers made to explain the Truth to the unbelievers. In like manner, He will also make plain the way the unbelievers reacted to that, and the myriad measures they resorted to in a fit of bigoted adamancy to oppose the believers.

46. The unbelievers are warned that before taking such a huge chance, based on their trust in these deities, they should be sure as to which of these deities is powerful enough to stand up as their defender and supporter before God and save them from His punishment.

47. It is emphasized here that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) was not raised as God's Prophet only for the city of Makkah, or for Arabia, or for the people of his own time; instead, he was raised as God's Prophet for all mankind till the Day of Judgement. The Makkans of the time, however, did not appreciate the Prophet's true greatness.

They were not aware how immense was the favor that God had bestowed on them by raising such a person among them.

That the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) was meant to be God's Prophet to all mankind till the Day of Resurrection is clearly stated at several places in the Qur'ān: And this Qur'ān was revealed to me that I should warn you thereby and also whomsoever it may reach, (al-An'ām 6:19.) Say, (O Muhammad): "O people! I am Allah's Messenger to you all" (al-A'raf 7:158.) We have sent you forth as nothing but mercy to the people of the whole world. (al-Anbiya' 21:107.) Most blessed is He Who sent down this Criterion on His servant, to be a warner to all mankind, (al-Furqān 25:1.) The same truth features in several ahadith in a variety of ways.

According to Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, the Prophet (peace be on him) said: “I have been sent down to the whites and the blacks alike”. (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari.) “As for me, I have been sent to all human beings as such. Each of those who preceded me was sent to his own people”. (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, narrated by ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-’As.) “In the past] a Prophet used to be raised specifically for his people while I have been raised for all human beings as such”.

(Bukhari, Kitab al-Tayammum, Bab Qawl Allah Ta‘ala “fa lam Tajida ma’un...”; Muslim, Kitab al-Masajid, on the authority of Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah.) “My coming {as a Prophet] and the Last Day are like these” — that is, close together like one’s two fingers. (Bukhari, Kitab al- Riqaq, Bab Qawl al-Nabi “Bu‘ithtu Ana wa al-Sa‘ah ka Hatayn ...”; Muslim, Kitab al-Jumu'‘ah, Bab Takhfif al-Salah wa al-Khutbah.) The last hadith stresses that in the same manner that no third finger separated the Prophet’s two fingers from one another, there will be no Prophet between the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) and the Last Day.

48. The Qur’an had said: “Say: Our Lord will bring us together and then He will rightly judge between them”, (see verse 26 above). Alluding to this, the unbelievers asked the Prophet: when will that Promised Day come? They claimed that they had been remonstrating with the Prophet (peace be on him) for a long time. In the course of this remonstration they had often charged him with falsehood and had publicly opposed him in very vehement terms. What, they would arrogantly ask, then keeps that judgement from visiting them?

49. God’s answer to the query stresses that His decree is not subject to the wishes of His creatures. He is not obliged to do something according to the schedule laid down by others. He does everything in accordance with His Will. His scheme of things is well beyond man’s grasp. Man does not know the term God has determined for mankind’s performance in this world. He also does not know how individuals and nations will be tested in the world. Nor does he know when God will fold up the present order of existence and summon all - be they of earlier or recent times to stand before Him for judgement. This Hour can neither be held back nor hastened by as much as a second at the behest of others.