Surah 46. Al-Ahqaf

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-20 [2], 21-26 [3], 27-35 [4]

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Quran Text of Verse 11-20وَ قَالَAnd sayالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelieveلِلَّذِیْنَof those whoاٰمَنُوْاbelieveلَوْIfكَانَit had beenخَیْرًاgoodمَّاnotسَبَقُوْنَاۤthey (would) have preceded usاِلَیْهِ ؕto itوَ اِذْAnd whenلَمْnotیَهْتَدُوْاthey (are) guidedبِهٖby itفَسَیَقُوْلُوْنَthey sayهٰذَاۤThisاِفْكٌ(is) a lieقَدِیْمٌ ancient وَ مِنْAnd before itقَبْلِهٖAnd before itكِتٰبُ(was the) Scriptureمُوْسٰۤی(of) Musaاِمَامًا(as) a guideوَّ رَحْمَةً ؕand a mercyوَ هٰذَاAnd thisكِتٰبٌ(is) a Bookمُّصَدِّقٌconfirmingلِّسَانًا(in) languageعَرَبِیًّاArabicلِّیُنْذِرَto warnالَّذِیْنَthose whoظَلَمُوْا ۖۗdo wrongوَ بُشْرٰیand (as) a glad tidingsلِلْمُحْسِنِیْنَۚfor the good-doers اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoقَالُوْاsayرَبُّنَاOur Lordاللّٰهُ(is) Allahثُمَّthenاسْتَقَامُوْاremain firmفَلَاthen noخَوْفٌfearعَلَیْهِمْon themوَ لَاand norهُمْtheyیَحْزَنُوْنَۚwill grieve اُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseاَصْحٰبُ(are the) companionsالْجَنَّةِ(of) Paradiseخٰلِدِیْنَabiding foreverفِیْهَا ۚthereinجَزَآءًۢa rewardبِمَاfor whatكَانُوْاthey used (to)یَعْمَلُوْنَ do 46. Al-Ahqaf Page 504وَ وَصَّیْنَاAnd We have enjoinedالْاِنْسَانَ(on) manبِوَالِدَیْهِto his parentsاِحْسٰنًا ؕkindnessحَمَلَتْهُCarried himاُمُّهٗhis motherكُرْهًا(with) hardshipوَّ وَضَعَتْهُand gave birth to himكُرْهًا ؕ(with) hardshipوَ حَمْلُهٗAnd (the) bearing of himوَ فِصٰلُهٗand (the) weaning of himثَلٰثُوْنَ(is) thirtyشَهْرًا ؕmonth(s)حَتّٰۤیuntilاِذَاwhenبَلَغَhe reachesاَشُدَّهٗhis maturityوَ بَلَغَand reachesاَرْبَعِیْنَfortyسَنَةً ۙyear(s)قَالَhe saysرَبِّMy Lordاَوْزِعْنِیْۤgrant me (the) powerاَنْthatاَشْكُرَI may be gratefulنِعْمَتَكَ(for) Your favorالَّتِیْۤwhichاَنْعَمْتَYou have bestowedعَلَیَّupon meوَ عَلٰیand uponوَالِدَیَّmy parentsوَ اَنْand thatاَعْمَلَI doصَالِحًاrighteous (deeds)تَرْضٰىهُwhich please Youوَ اَصْلِحْand make righteousلِیْfor meفِیْamongذُرِّیَّتِیْ ؕۚmy offspringاِنِّیْindeedتُبْتُI turnاِلَیْكَto Youوَ اِنِّیْand indeed I amمِنَofالْمُسْلِمِیْنَ those who submit اُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseالَّذِیْنَ(are) the onesنَتَقَبَّلُWe will acceptعَنْهُمْfrom themاَحْسَنَ(the) bestمَا(of) whatعَمِلُوْاthey didوَ نَتَجَاوَزُand We will overlookعَنْfromسَیِّاٰتِهِمْtheir evil deedsفِیْۤamongاَصْحٰبِ(the) companionsالْجَنَّةِ ؕ(of) ParadiseوَعْدَA promiseالصِّدْقِtrueالَّذِیْwhichكَانُوْاthey wereیُوْعَدُوْنَ promised وَ الَّذِیْBut the one whoقَالَsaysلِوَالِدَیْهِto his parentsاُفٍّUffلَّكُمَاۤto both of youاَتَعِدٰنِنِیْۤDo you promise meاَنْthatاُخْرَجَI will be brought forthوَ قَدْand have already passed awayخَلَتِand have already passed awayالْقُرُوْنُthe generationsمِنْbefore meقَبْلِیْ ۚbefore meوَ هُمَاAnd they bothیَسْتَغِیْثٰنِseek helpاللّٰهَ(of) AllahوَیْلَكَWoe to youاٰمِنْ ۖۗBelieveاِنَّIndeedوَعْدَ(the) Promiseاللّٰهِ(of) Allahحَقٌّ ۖۚ(is) trueفَیَقُوْلُBut he saysمَاNotهٰذَاۤ(is) thisاِلَّاۤbutاَسَاطِیْرُ(the) storiesالْاَوَّلِیْنَ (of) the former (people) اُولٰٓىِٕكَThoseالَّذِیْنَ(are) the onesحَقَّ(has) proved trueعَلَیْهِمُagainst themالْقَوْلُthe wordفِیْۤamongاُمَمٍnationsقَدْ(that) already passed awayخَلَتْ(that) already passed awayمِنْbefore themقَبْلِهِمْbefore themمِّنَofالْجِنِّ(the) jinnوَ الْاِنْسِ ؕand the menاِنَّهُمْIndeed, theyكَانُوْاareخٰسِرِیْنَ (the) losers وَ لِكُلٍّAnd for allدَرَجٰتٌ(are) degreesمِّمَّاfor whatعَمِلُوْا ۚthey didوَ لِیُوَفِّیَهُمْand that He may fully compensate themاَعْمَالَهُمْ(for) their deedsوَ هُمْand theyلَاwill not be wrongedیُظْلَمُوْنَ will not be wronged وَ یَوْمَAnd (the) Dayیُعْرَضُwill be exposedالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelievedعَلَیtoالنَّارِ ؕthe FireاَذْهَبْتُمْYou exhaustedطَیِّبٰتِكُمْyour good thingsفِیْinحَیَاتِكُمُyour lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldوَ اسْتَمْتَعْتُمْand you took your pleasuresبِهَا ۚthereinفَالْیَوْمَSo todayتُجْزَوْنَyou will be recompensedعَذَابَ(with) a punishmentالْهُوْنِhumiliatingبِمَاbecauseكُنْتُمْyou wereتَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَarrogantفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthبِغَیْرِwithoutالْحَقِّ[the] rightوَ بِمَاand becauseكُنْتُمْyou wereتَفْسُقُوْنَ۠defiantly disobedient

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Translation of Verse 11-20

(46:11) The unbelievers say to the believers: If there was any good in this Book, others would not have beaten us to its acceptance.”¹⁵ But since they have not been guided to it, they will certainly say: “This is an old fabrication.”¹⁶

(46:12) Yet before this the Book was revealed to Moses as a guide and a mercy. This Book, which confirms it, is in the Arabic tongue to warn the wrong-doers¹⁷ and to give good tidings to those who do good.

(46:13) Surely those who said: “Our Lord is Allah” and then remained steadfast shall have nothing to fear nor to grieve.¹⁸

(46:14) They are the people of Paradise. They shall remain in it forever as a reward for their deeds.

(46:15) We have enjoined man to be kind to his parents. In pain did his mother bear him and in pain did she give birth to him. The carrying of the child to his weaning is a period of thirty months.¹⁹ And when he is grown to full maturity and reaches the age of forty, he prays: “My Lord, dispose me that I may give thanks for the bounty that You have bestowed upon me and my parents, and dispose me that I may do righteous deeds that would please You,²⁰ and also make my descendants righteous. I repent to You, and I am one of those who surrender themselves to You.”

(46:16) Such are those from whom We accept their best deeds and whose evil deeds We overlook.²¹ They will be among the people of Paradise in consonance with the true promise made to them.

(46:17) But he who says to his parents: “Fie on you! Do you threaten me that I shall be resurrected, although myriad generations have passed away before me (and not one of them was resurrected)?” The parents beseech Allah (and say to their child): “Woe to you, have faith. Surely Allah's promise is true.” But he says: “All this is nothing but fables of olden times.”

(46:18) It is against such that Allah's sentence (of punishment) has become due. They will join the communities of humans and jinn that have preceded them. Verily all of them will court utter loss.²²

(46:19) Of these all have ranks according to their deeds so that Allah may fully recompense them for their deeds. They shall not be wronged.²³

(46:20) And on the Day when the unbelievers will be exposed to the Fire, they will be told: “You have exhausted your share of the bounties in the life of the world, and you took your fill of enjoyments. So, degrading chastisement shall be yours on this Day for you waxed arrogant in the earth without justification and acted iniquitously.”²⁴

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Commentary

15. This is an argument employed by the Quraysh chiefs to provoke people against the Prophet (peace be on him.) Their contention was that if the Qur’an represented the truth and the Prophet's call signified the Straight Way, their community chiefs and elites would have been the first ones to accept Islam. However, since Islam was accepted by some inexperienced youth, slaves and poor people and was rejected by mature, experienced leaders of the community known for their sagacity, they found it hard to believe in Islam. While resorting to this fallacious logic, they misled common people into thinking that there is something innately wrong with Islam, which accounted for its rejection by the tribal chiefs.

Accordingly, so the logic went, they should also stay away from it.

16. The unbelievers consider themselves to be the criterion of truth and falsehood. They believe that what they reject is necessarily false. However, they cannot muster the courage to dismiss Islam as an altogether new fabrication and, therefore, brand it ‘an old fabrication’ for its teachings are identical with those of the earlier Messengers. In other words, all those people who have believed in these truths for thousands of years were also stupid and wisdom and sound judgement are the monopoly of these unbelievers.

17. The Prophet (peace be on him) warns all those who disbelieve in God and wrong themselves by worshipping others besides Him.

18. For details see Ha Mim al-Sajdah 41, nn. 33-5 above.

19. It is evident from the verse that while children should serve both parents, the mother has a greater right over her children insofar as she bears greater hardships for them. The same point is made in the hadith which is narrated with slight variations by Bukhari, Kitab al-Adab, Bab Man al-Ahaqq al-Nas bi Husn al-Suhbah; Muslim, Kitab al-Birr wa al-Silah wa al-Adab, Bab Birr al-Walidayn wa Annahuma Ahaqq bih; Abu Da’ud, Kitab al-Adab, Bab fi Birr al-Walidayn; Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Birr wa al-Silah min Rasul Allah Salla Allah ‘alayhi wa Sallam, Bab ma Ja’a fi Birr al-Walidayn; Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Adab, Bab Birr al-Walidayn; and Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, narrated by Abu Hurayrah; and Bukhari, al-Adab al-Mufrad, Bab Birr al- Umm. The hadith is as follows: ‘Once someone asked the Prophet (peace be on him) as to who is more entitled to his service? He replied: “Your mother”. Then he asked as to who was next to her, he again replied, “Your mother”. The same question was asked for the third time and the answer was the same. It was only on the fourth asking that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: “Your father”.’ The Prophet’s observation amplifies the point made in this verse. For this, too, speaks of the three points special to one’s mother: (i) she carries one in the womb with hardship; (ii) she delivers one with much agony; and (iii) conception and weaning together take 30 months.

On reading this verse in conjunction with Luqman 31: 14 and al-Baqarah 2: 233, one notes a legal point identified by ‘Ali and ‘Abd Allah‘ibn ‘Abbas during a legal case, and in view of which Caliph ‘Uthman changed his judgement. The tradition is as follows: During ‘Uthman’s reign, someone married a woman of the Juhaynah tribe. She gave birth to a sound baby six months after marriage. The husband reported the case to the Caliph, who declared her an adulteress and sentenced her to be stoned to death.

‘Ali, however, contested his ruling and recited before him the following three Qur’anic verses, one after the other: (1) If they (Le. the fathers) wish that the period of suckling for their children be completed, mothers may suckle their children for two whole years (al-Baqarah 2: 233).

(2) His mother bore him... and his weaning lasted two years, (Luqman 31: 14.) (3) The carrying of the child to his weaning is a period of thirty months, (al-Ahqaf 46: 15.) On deducting two years of suckling from the total period of 30 months, a pregnancy may only be of six months’ duration. So, such a woman cannot be branded an adulteress. On noting ‘Ali’s reasoning, ‘Uthman admitted his oversight and changed his judgement. According to a report, ‘Ali’s contention was also supported by Ibn ‘Abbas, and it was then that ‘Uthman changed his judgement. (Tabari, Tafsir, comments on Surah al- Zukhruf 43: 81; Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur’an, comments on Surah al-Ahqaf 46: 15 and Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, comments on Surah al-Ahqaf 46: 15.) By studying these three Qur’anic verses one learns the following legal points: (i) A woman who delivers a sound baby in less than six months of her marriage, provided that it is not via miscarriage but normal delivery, will be regarded as guilty of illicit sex. The baby will not be credited to her husband. (ii) A woman who delivers a baby after six months of marriage or more cannot be accused of adultery simply on the basis of delivery alone. Nor is her husband entitled to accuse her of that. The baby will be credited to her husband and she will not be punished. (iii) The maximum period of weaning is two years. If a baby takes the milk of a woman when he is above two years of age, she will not be considered as his. foster mother. Accordingly, the legal commands embodied in al-Nisa’ 4: 23 which relates to foster relationships will not apply. As a precautionary measure, Abu Hanifah fixed the weaning period up to two-and-a-half years lest any mistake might be made in such a delicate matter as the prohibition of a foster relationship. (For further details, see Luqman 31, n. 23, Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. VIII, pp. 133-4.) It is pertinent to point out that the latest medical studies suggest that a baby takes at least 28 weeks inside its mother’s womb to be born alive.

In other words, it takes a little more than six and half months. Islamic law reduces the period by approximately another half a month. This because holding a woman guilty of adultery and depriving a baby of his family status is a serious matter. Accordingly, both the mother and the baby are granted maximum allowance. Moreover, no physician, judge and even the pregnant woman herself knows for sure the exact time of conception. This, therefore, calls for extending the legally stipulated period of pregnancy by a few days.

20. He prayed that he be granted the ability to perform those good deeds that are formally sound and in full accordance with God's Law so that they may also be accepted by God. For an action, however good it might be, cannot bring any good if it is not in conformity with God’s Law.

Likewise, if a person’s good action is vitiated by impious intention such as the desire to show off virtuousness, pride or excessive worldliness, its reward will be reduced.

21. One will earn one’s rank in the Hereafter on the basis of one’s best deeds and one will not be taken to task for one’s minor lapses, weaknesses and mistakes. This is analogous to the case of a loyal servant whose efforts are appreciated by a gracious master who rewards him in recognition of his substantive achievements. With such a servant the employer is likely not to be pickish about minor failings.

22. Here, two different types of character appear on the scene. The addressees are asked to decide for themselves as to which of the two is better.

Since both these types were found at that time, it was not hard to identify them. The verse serves as a rejoinder to the Quraysh chiefs’ contention that had acceptance of Islam been a good thing they would have superseded the youth and slaves in its acceptance. This rejoinder provides a mirror to all to see the characteristics of believers and unbelievers alike.

23. Neither the good deeds and sacrifices of the good will go to waste, nor will the wicked be punished more than their actual wickedness requires, nor will pious people be denied their due reward, nor will anyone receive less reward than he deserves for that too is a kind of injustice. If a wicked person goes unpunished, or is punished more than his wickedness, that too will be reckoned unjust.

24. The degrading chastisement they will receive will be a sequel to their arrogance. They thought very highly of themselves. They considered it beneath their dignity to profess belief in the Messenger and to join the company of poor, indigent Muslims in their faith. God will humiliate them in the Hereafter and their pride and arrogance will be reduced to dust.