Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 20 Taha, Ayat 129-135

وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتۡ مِنۡ رَّبِّكَ لَـكَانَ لِزَامًا وَّاَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّىؕ‏  ﴿20:129﴾ فَاصۡبِرۡ عَلٰى مَا يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ قَبۡلَ طُلُوۡعِ الشَّمۡسِ وَقَبۡلَ غُرُوۡبِهَا​ ۚ وَمِنۡ اٰنَآىٴِ الَّيۡلِ فَسَبِّحۡ وَاَطۡرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرۡضٰى‏ ﴿20:130﴾ وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيۡنَيۡكَ اِلٰى مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهٖۤ اَزۡوَاجًا مِّنۡهُمۡ زَهۡرَةَ الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا ۙ لِنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِيۡهِ​ ؕ وَرِزۡقُ رَبِّكَ خَيۡرٌ وَّاَبۡقٰى‏ ﴿20:131﴾ وَاۡمُرۡ اَهۡلَكَ بِالصَّلٰوةِ وَاصۡطَبِرۡ عَلَيۡهَا​ ؕ لَا نَسۡـئَلُكَ رِزۡقًا​ ؕ نَحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُكَ​ ؕ وَالۡعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقۡوٰى‏ ﴿20:132﴾ وَقَالُوۡا لَوۡلَا يَاۡتِيۡنَا بِاٰيَةٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّهٖ ​ؕ اَوَلَمۡ تَاۡتِہِمۡ بَيِّنَةُ مَا فِى الصُّحُفِ الۡاُوۡلٰى‏ ﴿20:133﴾ وَلَوۡ اَنَّاۤ اَهۡلَكۡنٰهُمۡ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنۡ قَبۡلِهٖ لَـقَالُوۡا رَبَّنَا لَوۡلَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡتَ اِلَـيۡنَا رَسُوۡلًا فَنَتَّبِعَ اٰيٰتِكَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ نَّذِلَّ وَنَخۡزٰى‏ ﴿20:134﴾ قُلۡ كُلٌّ مُّتَرَبِّصٌ فَتَرَبَّصُوۡا​ ۚ فَسَتَعۡلَمُوۡنَ مَنۡ اَصۡحٰبُ الصِّرَاطِ السَّوِىِّ وَمَنِ اهۡتَدٰى‏ ﴿20:135﴾

(20:129) Were it not for a word already gone from your Lord, the decree (of their destruction) would have come to pass. (20:130) So bear patiently with what they say. Glorify your Lord, praising Him before sunrise and before sunset, and in the watches of the night,111 and glorify Him and at the ends of the day that you may attain to happiness.112 (20:131) Do not turn your eyes covetously towards the embellishments of worldly life that We have bestowed upon various kinds of people to test them. But the clean provision bestowed upon you113 by your Lord is better and more enduring. (20:132) Enjoin Prayer on your household,114 and do keep observing it. We do not ask you for any worldly provision; rather, it is We Who provide you, and ultimately the pious will end up the best.115 (20:133) They ask: "Why does he not bring us a (miraculous) sign from his Lord?" Has there not come to them a Book containing the teachings of the previous scriptures?116 (20:134) Had We destroyed them through some calamity before his coming, they would have said: "Our Lord! Why did You not send any Messenger to us that we might have followed Your signs before being humbled and disgraced?" (20:135) Tell them, (O Muhammad): "Everyone is waiting for his end.117 Wait, then, and you will soon know who are the people of the Right Way, and are rightly-guided."

Notes

111. This is to comfort and console the Prophet (peace be upon him), as if to say: Allah does not intend to destroy them yet, for He has appointed for them a term of respite, so you should endure with patience whatever they do against you and hear their harsh talk and go on performing the obligations of your mission. For this purpose you should offer Salat in accordance with the prescribed times because it will create in you necessary forbearance and fortitude.

“Glorify Him” means: Offer your prescribed Prayers, as is clear from Ayat 132.

Incidentally in this verse (130) the times of Salat have been prescribed: (1) Fajr Prayer before sunrise. (2) Asr Prayer before sunset. (3) Isha and Tahajjud Prayers during the hours of night. Morning and Afternoon (Dhuhr) and Evening (Maghrib) Prayers at the extremes of the day. See also (E.Ns. 91 to 97 of Surah Al-Isra).

112. The original Arabic Text admits of two meanings.

(1) Rest content with your present condition in which you have to hear many unpleasant things for the sake of your mission, and submit to this decree that they are not being punished for the time being, for they will continue to persecute you and at the same time lead prosperous lives.

(2) Go on performing your mission, for as a result of this, you will be fully satisfied.

This second meaning is supported by (a) (Surah AL-Isra, Ayat 79): That time is not far when your Lord may exalt you to a laudable position, which follows the commandment about Salat, (b) (Surah Ad-Duha, Ayats 4-5): Surely the later period of life will be better for you than the former, and in the near future your Lord will give you so much that you will be fully satisfied.

113. It means: It does not behoove you and your companions to be envious of the riches of the wicked people who are amassing wealth by unlawful means. The best thing for you is the lawful provision which you earn by your hard labor, even though this may be meager in quantity. That is better for the pious and righteous and is of everlasting virtue.

114. That is, also teach your children that lawful provision is much better than the unlawful riches of the wicked people. For this purpose, enjoin them to say their prescribed Prayers, for this will change their attitude, their standard of values, and make them contented with pure provisions and virtuous life in preference to the life of sin and luxury.

115. It implies this: We do not ask you to offer your Prayers for any benefit of Our own. We ask you to do that for your own good, because this will create piety in you which will bring about true success for you in this world and in the Hereafter.

116. This means that the Quran itself is a great miracle, for though it is being presented by an unlettered person from among them, it contains the essence of the teachings and guidance of all tire previous divine Books. Not only that, it makes those teachings and guidance so plain and clear that even a simple man of the desert can benefit from them.

117. That is, ever since the message of Islam is being presented in your city (Makkah), it is not only every person of this city who is waiting for its ultimate result but also every one outside it, who has heard of it.