Surah 39. Az-Zumar

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Verses [Section]: 1-9[1], 10-21 [2], 22-31 [3], 32-41 [4], 42-52 [5], 53-63 [6], 64-70 [7], 71-75 [8]

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Quran Text of Verse 22-3139. Az-Zumar Page 461اَفَمَنْSo is (one for) whomشَرَحَAllah has expandedاللّٰهُAllah has expandedصَدْرَهٗhis breastلِلْاِسْلَامِfor Islamفَهُوَso heعَلٰی(is) uponنُوْرٍa lightمِّنْfromرَّبِّهٖ ؕhis LordفَوَیْلٌSo woeلِّلْقٰسِیَةِto (those are) hardenedقُلُوْبُهُمْtheir heartsمِّنْfromذِكْرِ(the) remembrance of Allahاللّٰهِ ؕ(the) remembrance of AllahاُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseفِیْ(are) inضَلٰلٍerrorمُّبِیْنٍ clear اَللّٰهُAllahنَزَّلَhas revealedاَحْسَنَ(the) bestالْحَدِیْثِ(of) [the] statementكِتٰبًاa Bookمُّتَشَابِهًا(its parts) resembling each otherمَّثَانِیَ ۖۗoft-repeatedتَقْشَعِرُّShiverمِنْهُfrom itجُلُوْدُ(the) skinsالَّذِیْنَ(of) those whoیَخْشَوْنَfearرَبَّهُمْ ۚtheir Lordثُمَّthenتَلِیْنُrelaxجُلُوْدُهُمْtheir skinsوَ قُلُوْبُهُمْand their heartsاِلٰیatذِكْرِ(the) remembranceاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) AllahذٰلِكَThatهُدَی(is the) guidanceاللّٰهِ(of) AllahیَهْدِیْHe guidesبِهٖwith itمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُ ؕHe willsوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیُّضْلِلِAllah lets go astrayاللّٰهُAllah lets go astrayفَمَاthen notلَهٗfor himمِنْanyهَادٍ guide اَفَمَنْThen (is) he whoیَّتَّقِیْwill shieldبِوَجْهِهٖwith his faceسُوْٓءَ(the) worstالْعَذَابِpunishmentیَوْمَ(on the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ ؕ(of) the Resurrectionوَ قِیْلَAnd it will be saidلِلظّٰلِمِیْنَto the wrongdoersذُوْقُوْاTasteمَاwhatكُنْتُمْyou used (to)تَكْسِبُوْنَ earn كَذَّبَDeniedالَّذِیْنَthose whoمِنْ(were) before themقَبْلِهِمْ(were) before themفَاَتٰىهُمُso came upon themالْعَذَابُthe punishmentمِنْfromحَیْثُwhereلَاnotیَشْعُرُوْنَ they perceive فَاَذَاقَهُمُSo Allah made them tasteاللّٰهُSo Allah made them tasteالْخِزْیَthe disgraceفِیinالْحَیٰوةِthe lifeالدُّنْیَا ۚ(of) the worldوَ لَعَذَابُand certainly (the) punishmentالْاٰخِرَةِ(of) the Hereafterاَكْبَرُ ۘ(is) greaterلَوْifكَانُوْاtheyیَعْلَمُوْنَ knew وَ لَقَدْAnd indeedضَرَبْنَاWe have set forthلِلنَّاسِfor peopleفِیْinهٰذَاthisالْقُرْاٰنِQuranمِنْofكُلِّeveryمَثَلٍexampleلَّعَلَّهُمْso that they mayیَتَذَكَّرُوْنَۚtake heed قُرْاٰنًاA Quranعَرَبِیًّا(in) Arabicغَیْرَwithoutذِیْanyعِوَجٍcrookednessلَّعَلَّهُمْthat they mayیَتَّقُوْنَ become righteous ضَرَبَAllah sets forthاللّٰهُAllah sets forthمَثَلًاan exampleرَّجُلًاa manفِیْهِbelonging toشُرَكَآءُpartnersمُتَشٰكِسُوْنَquarrelingوَ رَجُلًاand a manسَلَمًا(belonging) exclusivelyلِّرَجُلٍ ؕto one manهَلْareیَسْتَوِیٰنِthey both equalمَثَلًا ؕ(in) comparisonاَلْحَمْدُAll praiseلِلّٰهِ ۚ(be) to AllahبَلْNayاَكْثَرُهُمْmost of themلَا(do) notیَعْلَمُوْنَ know اِنَّكَIndeed youمَیِّتٌwill dieوَّ اِنَّهُمْand indeed theyمَّیِّتُوْنَؗwill (also) die ثُمَّThenاِنَّكُمْindeed youیَوْمَ(on the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) the Resurrectionعِنْدَbeforeرَبِّكُمْyour Lordتَخْتَصِمُوْنَ۠will dispute

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Translation of Verse 22-31

(39:22) Can he whose breast Allah has opened up for Islam⁴⁰ and who is thus (moving along a Path) illumined by a light from Allah⁴¹ (be likened to him who derives no lesson from what he observes)? Woe, then, to those whose hearts were further hardened⁴² after Allah's admonition. Such are indeed in obvious error.

(39:23) Allah has revealed the best teaching, a self-consistent Book⁴³ which repeats its contents in manifold forms whereat shiver the skins of those that hold their Lord in awe, and then their skins and their hearts soften for Allah's remembrance. That is Allah's Guidance wherewith He guides whosoever He pleases. And he whom Allah does not guide to the Right Path has none to guide him.

(39:24) How woeful is the plight of him who has nothing except his face to shield him from severe chastisement on the Day of Resurrection?⁴⁴ Such evil-doers shall be told: “Taste now the consequence of your deeds.”⁴⁵

(39:25) Their predecessors gave the lie to the Truth and then chastisement came upon them from whence they could not imagine.

(39:26) So Allah made them taste degradation in the life of this world, and certainly the chastisement of the Hereafter will be much more grievous. Would that they knew!

(39:27) We have indeed propounded for mankind all kinds of parables in this Qur'an that they may take heed.

(39:28) It is an Arabic Qur'an⁴⁶ free of all crookedness⁴⁷ that they may guard against their evil end.

(39:29) Allah propounds a parable: there is a man whose ownership is shared by several quarrelsome masters, each pulling him to himself; and there is another who is exclusively owned by one man. Can the two be alike?⁴⁸ All praise and thanks be to Allah.⁴⁹ But most of them are unaware.⁵⁰

(39:30) (O Prophet), you are destined to die and they too are destined to die.⁵¹

(39:31) Then eventually all of you will contend before your Lord on the Day of Resurrection.

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Commentary

40. The reference here is to the person whom God enables to grasp these facts in depth and become firmly persuaded of Islam’s truth.

This inner state has been described by saying that God opened up that person’s breast for Islam. The surah thus makes a pointed reference to such a person’s state of conviction which drives away every doubt and reservation. Neither the fear of any risk nor of any possible loss prevents him from the resolve to recognize and embrace the truth. Therefore, he follows what he regards as truth irrespective of the difficulties he may have to face in so doing. A person with such resolve willingly and cheerfully obeys the commands of God and His Messenger. He readily embraces the beliefs, ideas, principles and rules that he finds in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. He does not grieve at any loss that might have afflicted him as a result of his decision to embrace the truth. For such a person no unlawful gain holds any attraction. On the contrary, he celebrates his ability to eschew unlawful gains for that would undermine his prospects in the Hereafter. By the same token, he does not regret any loss that may accrue to him as a result of following the Straight Way. He cheerfully endures all such loss and prefers it to disobeying God. Likewise, he is not fearful of any danger that might confront him for the sake of this cause. For there is only one Straight Way leading to God and he is likely to encounter dangers in traversing that way. Since there is no other way, one should be ready to greet all dangers that might confront him.

41. A true believer is enlightened by the Qur’an and the Sunnah. It is in their light that he finds the Straight Way in the midst of a multitude of false-paths.

42. As opposed to the ‘opening up of one’s breast’, one may be faced with its constriction. In this state, there remains some possibility, however meagre, that the truth might penetrate unto one’s heart. Alternatively, it is also possible that one’s heart may become utterly hardened as though it were a piece of rock, becoming altogether devoid of the ability to embrace the truth. Such people are doomed to sheer destruction. What this suggests is that it is possible that the person who has some inclination to embrace the truth may attain deliverance. This, however, is implicit in the verse rather than stated explicitly. This is because the main objective of the verse is to warn those who were immersed in opposing the Prophet (peace be on him) to the point of becoming utterly obdurate. Such people had simply made up their minds not to accept any part of the Prophet’s message. They are plainly warned against their zealous unbelief of which they were proud. They are told that it is the height of a person’s misfortune that God’s Exhortation is delivered to them and then their hearts should become even more hardened.

43. The Qur’an is free from every kind of self-contradiction and discrepancy. The Book in its entirety is coherent; all along it gives the same message and expounds the same worldview. Each part of the Qur’an reinforces, complements and supplements its other parts. The Book as a whole stand out for its cohesiveness, harmony and consistency.

44. To have nothing but one’s face to shield one from chastisement reveals the state of one’s utter helplessness. In such a situation, everyone tries their level best to protect their face with their hands. In this context, then, those destined for God’s chastisement will receive blows on their faces on the Day of Judgement.

45. Kasb in its Qur’anic usage refers to one’s earnings in terms of one’s deeds. Anyone who performs good deeds makes himself deserving of reward from God. By the same token, those given to error and wickedness make themselves deserving of punishment in the Hereafter.

46. The Qur’an was not imparted in some foreign tongue. Had it been so the services of a translator or interpreter would have been required to communicate its message to the Makkans or the Arabs as a whole. But since the Qur’an was delivered in their own tongue, they were well-placed to directly comprehend it.

47. There is no confounding complexity in the Qur’an that makes it difficult for the average person to comprehend its message. The Qur’an states in clear, lucid terms whatever it condemns as wrong and evil.

Likewise, it states in clear terms whatever it extols as good and the reason why it extols it. Essentially, then, the Quranic belief system can be comprehended easily and adequately. There is no difficulty in ascertaining what it commands and what it forbids.

48. This parable brings out the difference between polytheism and monotheism and the varying impacts each makes on human life. In a few words, the moral of the parable is effectively articulated. It stands to reason that if a person is under several lords and masters his is likely to be a most miserable lot, especially if his masters happen to be selfish and ill-tempered. These masters may put the person to various and difficult tasks at one and the same time and none of them might have the patience and sensitivity to appreciate that he might also be required to carry out tasks given to him by other masters. Such a person is likely to be rebuked and even punished by one of his masters for performing the task given by another master. On the contrary, his lot is likely to be much better if he is not required to serve several masters at the same time. This obvious truth can be readily grasped by the average person. Given this, it is not hard for a person to realize that he cannot enjoy any peace of mind if he serves more than one god.

It is pertinent to point out that this parable does not bring out its full thrust if we consider it only in the context of stone idols. It is even more applicable to those masters who are living beings and who issue divergent commands to their devotees. It is only in this sense that each of them vigorously pulls a man towards himself. Idols of stone are unable to do this. It is only living human lords and masters who are able to do so. There is, first of all, man’s own self that comes forth with a series of desires, each urgently calling for satisfaction. This compels him first to seek one thing and then another. Masters other than one’s self are one’s family, one’s community and one’s country. Besides, there are also innumerable other lords and masters in the form of holy men, rulers, law-makers, businessmen and others who occupy the sociocultural landscape. The divergent demands of each of them bring their pressures to bear on the individual. They expect a person to follow him and they do not mind brutally jostling him if he neglects their due. These masters inflict various types of punishment, ranging from expression of displeasure to stigmatization and social boycott, insolvency, expulsion and imprisonment. Man’s only way out from this impasse is to embrace monotheism and serve only the One True God. This enables him to free himself from bondage to all others.

There are two ways of practicing monotheism. Obviously, each of these leads to different results. According to one of these ways, someone can decide to become God's servant in his individual capacity while the world around him lends him no support in his effort to serve God.

In this case, external pressures might increase, subjecting him to ever greater constraint and hardship. However, if he sincerely follows the course he has chosen, he is bound to enjoy mental peace and tranquility.

He will be able to reject all that runs counter to God’s commands or the requirements of godliness and piety. He will not oblige his family, community, government, clergy or economic oligarchy in ways that entail any violation of God’s commands. This may, indeed it will, entail severe hardships for him. His heart, however, remains satisfied as he is his Lord’s born servant and he has been faithful to Him. As for any others than the One True God, since he was not the born servant of any of them, he did not owe obedience to any of them. This will further prompt him to reject others’ demands to act against God’s commands. No power on earth can deprive such a person of peace and tranquility of mind, so much so that he will not care even if he has to lay down his life in God’s cause. Such a person will not grieve at the thought that rather than bow before false gods he was making the supreme sacrifice of his own life for God’s sake.

The second option is that the whole of society be founded on the principle of monotheism. All aspects of life - morality, culture, civilization, education, law, customs and mores and the political and economic systems, in short, all principles prescribed by God through His Book and His Messenger — are intellectually endorsed and practically put into effect in all walks of life. The government would seek to eradicate all that is evil and sinful; the educational system would endeavor to mold the minds of the young in such a manner that they refrain from what the Qur’an ' brands as evil and sinful. Not only that, whatever is evil and sinful would also be berated from the pulpit, society would be opposed to it, and every form of business involving it would be disallowed by the economy. By the same token, what God’s chosen religion declares to be good and wholesome would enjoy the support of law, the administrative apparatus would promote it, the entire educational system would inculcate it in people’s minds, trying to make it an integral part of the people’s character and personality; the pulpit would urge people to imbibe it; society would exalt it and make the current customs and usages conform to it, and — economic transactions would proceed in harmony with it. This is a state of affairs wherein a person will enjoy full peace and tranquility, both internal and external. In such a state the avenues of material and spiritual growth would be flung wide open. Society would thereby be purged of all conflict between obligations to God and to anyone else.

Islam requires everyone to practice monotheism as his/her faith and to serve God whether the second possibility — founding the whole of life on monotheism — becomes a reality or not. In all circumstances a man is required to follow the monotheistic way and to patiently face the dangers and hardships that might come his way in his effort to serve the One True God. It cannot be denied, however, that Islam’s ideal remains that man’s entire life should be governed wholly by Islam. All Messengers of God strove to create a community of believers that would follow the way of life prescribed by God, free from the dominance of unbelief and unbelievers. Only he who is ignorant of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and who lacks common sense will argue that the objective of the mission _— of God’s Messengers was simply to enable individuals to practice their faith and to obey God, disregarding the need to put faith into effect in the believers’ collective and social lives.

49. The real import of al-hamdu li Allah (‘All praise and thanks be to Allah’) can be appreciated in the context in which it occurs here. A question was posed to the Qur’an’s addressees, followed by a pause.

Since the opponents of monotheism failed to come forth with any answer, the pause was followed by the expression al-hamdu li Allah. The silence of the unbelievers in response to the query meant that even they could not dare say that devotion to several gods was equal to or better than devotion to the One True God.

50. The unbelievers do somehow recognize the distinction between serving one and several masters in ordinary life. However, when the difference between serving the One True God and several false gods is pointed out to them, they act as though they are idiots.

51, There is a subtle gap between the two statements, the previous and the present. This gap, however, can readily be filled by the common sense of an intelligent person who takes cognizance of the context. The Prophet (peace be on him) is told that even though he was preaching his message in a clear and straightforward manner, the unbelievers rejected that message out of sheer intransigence. Not only that, they were even bent upon harming the Prophet (peace be on him) so as to suppress the evident truth of his message. However, all mortals are bound to die and a day will come when everyone’s finale will become known to all.